PHYSIOLOGICAL-EFFECTS OF WORK STRESS AND PESTICIDE EXPOSURE IN TREE PLANTING BY BRITISH-COLUMBIA SILVICULTURE WORKERS

Tree planters in British Columbia have reported symptoms that are cong ruent with musculoskeletal stress and organophosphate or carbamate pes ticide intoxication. The purpose of this research was to determine the existence of any physiological or biochemical correlate supporting th e existence of these potential hazards in tree planting. Worker's heal th complaints were assessed from regularly distributed questionnaires. Blood samples were obtained from 14 male and three female Canadian su bjects before and after tree planting work on 10 occasions throughout a tree planting season. The strenuous physical challenge of tree plant ing was confirmed by a significant elevation of serum enzyme activity (ESEA) at the beginning of the season, which did not return to a norma l level during the remainder of the season. Significant (p less-than-o r-equal-to 0.05) inhibition of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase activi ty (AChE) postwork was observed in 15-9% of individuals, and a signifi cant group mean prework-postwork difference of AChE or plasma pseudoch olinesterase (PChE) was observed on two days of testing, indicating a potential toxicological hazard from pesticide absorption. No correlati on was found between the degree of ESEA or cholinesterase inhibition a nd the number of health complaints.