0407 An old trade with an unanswered question: does arc-welding fume exposure increase the risks of obstructive pulmonary diseases? First findings from the WELSHIP cross-sectional study

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Increasingly, global manufacturing is shifting to emerging economies and with it the use of arc-welding for applications in different industries. The chronic respiratory adverse effects resulting from exposure to gases and ultrafine metal particles in welding fume are incompletely understood. We aimed to measure the prevalence of arc-welding related pulmonary obstructive outcomes by analysing data collected in a shipyard in the Middle East. METHOD: Between January and December 2013, through cross-sectional survey, we collected spirometry data and behavioural, occupational and respiratory symptoms information from a random sample of male shipyard workers; 397 were exposed to welding fume and 127 were non-exposed. The sample was selected from a total population of about 8000 employees, by frequency matching for ethnicity and age relatively to full-time welders ('highly' exposed). RESULTS: Of the 580 workers invited, 26 subsequently left their job; of the remainder, 95%(524) agreed to participate. The participants, from the Indian subcontinent (90%) or Philippines (10%), had a median age of