This study assessed exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields of welders and other metal workers and compared exposure from different welding processes. Exposure to ELF magnetic fields was measured for 50 workers selected from a nationwide cohort of metal workers and 15 nonrandomly selected full-time welders in a shipyard. The measurements were carried out with personal exposure...

OBJECTIVES A cross sectional study of respiratory symptoms and lung function in welders was performed at eight New Zealand welding sites: 62 current welders and 75 non-welders participated. METHODS A questionnaire was administered to record demographic data, smoking habit, and current respiratory symptoms. Current and previous welding exposures were recorded to calculate a total lifetime weld...

This study was performed to determine airborne manganese levels during welding practice and to establish the relationship between long-term, low-level exposure to manganese and altered serum concentrations of manganese, iron, and proteins associated with iron metabolism in career welders. Ninety-seven welders (average age of 36 years) who have engaged in electric arc weld in a vehicle manufactu...

The incidence of cancer among 4571 shipyard workers with first employment between 1940 and 1979, including 623 welders of mild steel, was investigated in a historical cohort study. The loss to follow up was 1.1%. The total number of deaths was 1078 (974.5 expected) and there were 408 cases of cancer v 361.3 expected. Sixty five cases of lung cancer were found v 46.3 expected based on the nation...

A new method for detecting DNA-protein cross-links involving selective precipitation of DNA containing cross-linked proteins by k -sodium dodecyl sulfate was utilized in the peripheral WBC of 21 male metal arc welders and in 26 male controls of similar age and racial characteristics who were not exposed to welding fumes. DNA was quantitated by Hoechst fluorescence. Although the concentration of...

The purpose of this review of the last ten years' publications was to show our nresent knowledge ahout welding-fume effects on the respiratory system. Welding generates particles and gases which are characteristic for the method used and the material welded. Various investigations to determine if respiratory system diseases occur more often in welders than in others not exposed have yielded div...

Sixteen working welders with more than seven years' exposure and a chest radiograph suggestive of siderosis and I3 healthy unexposed men were studied. Each subject had a comprehensive medical and work history, physical examination, standard chest film, and pulmonary function investigation (lung volumes, ventilatory capacities, pulmonary compliance in static and dynamic conditions, specific comp...

OBJECTIVES Occupational exposure to particulate air pollution has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the risk to welders working today remains unclear. We aimed to elucidate the cardiovascular effects of exposure to welding fumes. METHODS In a cross-sectional study, structured interviews and biological sampling were conducted for 101 welders and 127 con...

BACKGROUND Numerous cross-sectional studies have reported reduced lung function among welders but limitations of exposure assessment and design preclude causal inference. The aim of this study was to investigate if long-term exposure to welding fume particulates accelerates the age-related decline in lung function. METHODS Lung function was measured by spirometry in 1987 and 2004 among 68 ste...

Welding work is associated with the inhalation of fumes and accumulation of particulates in welders' lungs. It is assumed that particulates deposited in the respiratory system, mainly consisting of iron oxides, are eliminated by several mechanisms, such as muco-ciliary transport and macrophage phagocytosis. In their cross-sectional study of 42 Finnish shipyard arc welders, Kalliomäki et al. ind...