@article{3191858,
    title = "Investigation of the health effects on workers exposed to respirable
crystalline silica during outdoor and underground construction projects",
    author = "Keramydas, Dimitrios and Bakakos, Petros and Alchanatis, Manos and and Papalexis, Petros and Konstantakopoulos, Ioannis and Tavernaraki, and Kyriaki and Dracopoulos, Vasileios and Papadakis, Antonios and Pantazi, and Eugenia and Chelidonis, Georgios and Chaidoutis, Elias and and Constantinidis, Theodoros C. and Tsitsimpikou, Christina and Kavantzas, and Nikolaos and Patsouris, Efstratios and Tsarouhas, Konstantinos and and Spandidos, Demetrios A. and Lazaris, Andreas Ch",
    journal = "Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine",
    year = "2020",
    volume = "20",
    number = "2",
    pages = "882-889",
    publisher = "SPANDIDOS PUBL LTD",
    issn = "1792-0981, 1792-1015",
    doi = "10.3892/etm.2020.8786",
    keywords = "silicosis; SiO2; construction workers; occupational exposure;
occupational exposure limit; occupational health",
    abstract = "Chronic exposure of workers to powder containing crystalline silica
(Silicon dioxide; SiO2) can lead to chronic lung diseases (lung cancer,
silicosis, etc.). Aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure of
Greek construction workers to SiO(2)and describe their pulmonary
function. The study involved 86 outdoor and underground workers. Medical
and professional history was obtained, and breath samples were collected
at morning hours through a mask for the determination of SiO(2)levels.
Pulmonary function tests, radiological examination and evaluation of
radiographs were also performed. Pulmonary function examination showed
that the majority of the workers were within normal range (61.4%) while
the rest were diagnosed with mild (26.5%) and more severe impairment
(7.24%). Working conditions (underground-outdoor) were statistically
significantly related to the categorization of pulmonary function
(P=0.038). During radiological examination, the type of working
activity/ conditions (underground-outdoor) were statistically
significantly related to the categorization of these findings (P=0.044).
Of the 69 employees, 52 did not present findings (75.4%) and 5 were
diagnosed with findings specific to occupational diseases (7.23%).
Environmental exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) was
detected at 0.0125 mg/m(3)in the workplace, which is not beyond the
legal limits. Underground workers with more than 15 years of exposure to
SiO(2)are more likely to present chronic silicosis compared to the
workers of outdoor activities."
}