RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS AND DERMATOSES AMONG GRINDERS AND BRAZERS OF HARD METAL AND STELLITE BLADES

The objectives of the study were to determine whether grinders and bra zers of hard metal and stellite blades have more respiratory symptoms and dermatoses than referents and to obtain information on the relatio n between respiratory symptoms and combined exposure to cobalt and woo d dust. Two groups of workers exposed to cobalt (108 workers in the ma nufacture or maintenance of tools and 116 saw filers in the mechanical wood-processing industry) and two reference groups (106 rolling mill and 103 sawmill workers) were interviewed. The prevalence of ODTS-like symptoms (work-related cough, dyspnoea, or fever or chills) was highe r for the saw filers than the sawmill referents. After adjustment for age, time spent in present work,, smoking and atopy, saw filers had a higher risk for fever or chills than the other study groups. When the cobalt-exposed and unexposed workers were compared by smoking, differe nces in the prevalence of ODTS-like symptoms were found only for the n on-smokers. The cobalt-exposed workers did not have a higher risk of h and dermatoses or symptoms of metal allergy than the unexposed workers . It seems that combined cobalt and wood dust exposure is associated w ith ODTS-like symptoms, especially among non-smoking workers.