Saf Health Work.  2017 Mar;8(1):84-88. 10.1016/j.shaw.2016.04.002.

Respiratory Disorders Among Workers in Slaughterhouses

• Kasaeinasab A
• Jahangiri
• Karimi A
• Tabatabaei HR
• Safari S

• KMID: 2374840
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2016.04.002

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Workers in slaughterhouses are exposed to a wide range of biological contaminants, such as bacteria and fungi, due to their working environment. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of respiratory disorders among workers in slaughterhouses.
METHODS
This study was conducted on 81 workers in slaughterhouses and 81 healthy office workers as a reference group. The American Thoracic Society standard respiratory symptoms questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of respiratory disorders. Besides, lung function tests were conducted using a calibrated spirometer at the beginning (preshift) and at the end (postshift) of the 1st working day. Single-stage Anderson sampler was used to measure the concentration of bioaerosols in different parts of slaughterhouses.
RESULTS
The prevalence of respiratory disorders, such as cough, productive cough, breathlessness, phlegm, and wheezing, was 3.17, 4.02, 3.07, 4.66, and 3.94 times, respectively, higher among workers in slaughterhouses compared with the reference group.
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of respiratory disorders was significantly higher among workers in slaughterhouses. Thus, the significant reduction in the percentage predicted lung function among workers in slaughterhouses might be associated with exposure to bioaerosols in their work environment.

Keyword

bioaerosols; environmental contamination; industrial slaughterhouses; lung function parameters; respiratory disorder

MeSH Terms

Abattoirs*
Bacteria
Cough
Dyspnea
Fungi
Lung
Prevalence
Respiratory Function Tests
Respiratory Sounds