Report on the January 1997 Detroit workshop on metalworking fluid-associated hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
Authors
Cox-Ganser-J; Kreiss-K
Source
Metalworking Fluids Symposium II, The Industrial Metalworking Environment: Assessment and Control of Metal Removal Fluids. September 15-17, 1997, Detroit, Michigan. DA Felinski, JB D'ARcy, eds., Washington, DC: American Automobile Manufacturers Association, 1998 Nov; :73-79
Abstract
A workshop held in January 1997 to discuss eight clusters of hypersensitivity pneumonitis in the automotive industry among metalworking fluid-exposed workers came to the conclusion that a risk exists for this granulomatous lung disease where water-based metalworking fluids are used and unusual microbial contaminants occur. Strong candidates for microbial etiology are non-tuberculous mycobacteria and fungi. Cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis occur among cases with other work-related respiratory symptoms and chest diseases. Reversibility of disease has occurred in many cases with exposure cessation, allowing return to work to jobs without metalworking fluid exposures, or, in some situations, to jobs without the same metalworking fluid exposures. Cases have been recognized with metalworking fluid exposures generally less than 0.5 mg/m3. The workshop participants identified knowledge gaps regarding risk factors, exposure-response relationships, intervention efficacy, and natural history, as well as surveillance needs to define the extent of the problem in this industry. In the absence of answers to these questions, guidance for prevention is necessarily limited.
Keywords
Metalworking; Metalworking-fluids; Metalworking-industry; Hypersensitivity; Automotive-industry; Workers; Occupational-exposure; Risk-factors; Risk-analysis; Lung-disease; Pulmonary-system-disorders; Respiratory-system-disorders; Exposure-assessment
Document Type
Conference/Symposia Proceedings
Editors
Felinski-DA; D'Arcy-JB
Source Name
Metalworking Fluids Symposium II, The Industrial Metalworking Environment: Assessment and Control of Metal Removal Fluids. September 15-17, 1997, Detroit, Michigan
