Occupational Exposure to Saw Dust and Blood Pressure Status of Timber Workers in South East Nigeria

Introduction: The link between cardiovascular diseases and rise in occupational dust have been known for more than a decade. Occupational dusts are small dry, solid particles generated and projected into the air by mechanical or man-made processes such as crushing, grinding, milling, drilling, shoveling, and sweeping. These dusts when inhaled in high concentration could have some adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Therefore, this study examined the effects of saw dust on the blood pressure parameters of wood workers in Abakaliki metropolis.

Methods: This was a cross sectional study. The study was conducted on the wood workers and non-wood workers. Wood workers with minimum of three years wood work experience and are not involved in other jobs that generate air pollution participated in this study. Participants with any underlying pathology especially cardiovascular diseases, pregnant ones and smokers were excluded from the study. Research area was timber industry, located more than 15 miles away from traffic. 500 subjects participated in this study. 250 wood workers (test group) and 250 non-wood workers (control group). Medical and workplace information was obtained using questionnaire. Systolic, diastolic and pulse rate (PR) were measured using digital sphygmomanometer. The measurement was done early in the morning before the start of wood work. The formula: diastolic pressure + 1/3 (pulse pressure) was used to calculate the mean arterial pressure (MAP). The sizes of particulate matters present in the research area were measured using air sampler PCE-PCO 1. Data was analyzed statistically using graph pad prism 7 software. Level of significance set at 95%.

Results: Participant’s age ranged between 20 to 50 years. Wood workers were left unprotected from ultrafine and coarse particulate matters (PM0.5-2.5). The result revealed 20mmHg increase in the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of timber sawyers, 15mmHg increase in DBP of timber loaders and 17mmHg increase in DBP of timber sellers when compared with the control. Also, 19mmHg rise in systolic blood pressure (SBP) of timber sawyers, 16mmHg increase in SBP of timber loaders and 15mmHg rise in SBP of timber sellers were recorded when compared with the control. In addition, 18mmHg increase in the mean arterial pressure (MAP) of timber sawyers, 11mmHg rise in MAP of timber loaders and 15mmHg increase in MAP of timber sellers were observed when compared with the control. Furthermore, 20 beats per minute (bpm) increase in the pulse rate of timber sawyers, 17bpm rise in pulse rate of timber loaders and 16bpm increase in pulse rate of timber sellers were detected when compared with the control. Among the different groups of timber workers, timber sawyers recorded significant increase in diastolic, systolic and mean arterial pressure when compared with other different groups of timber workers.

Conclusion: The increase in blood pressure parameters of wood workers than non-wood workers may be as a result of the adverse effects of saw-dust inhalation on the cardiovascular system of the wood workers. Also, the recorded increase in systolic, diastolic and MAP of timber sawyers when compared with other groups of wood workers indicate that more exposure to saw dust may cause more harm to the cardiovascular system. Wood workers need to learn cardiovascular health safety procedures and also, be educated on saw dusts risks.