Abstract

Williams, M. K. (1970).Brit. J. industr. Med.,27, 61-66. Sickness absence and ventilatory capacity of workers exposed to sulphuric acid mist. The certified sickness absence and ventilatory capacity of men exposed to high concentrations of sulphuric acid mist in the Forming department of an electric accumulator factory, and in control departments, were investigated. The Forming men showed a slight excess of spells of respiratory disease, particularly bronchitis, but not of other disease. The excess of repiratory disease was due to an increased number of spells in men attacked rather than to an increase in the proportion of men attacked. The absence of a marked excess of lower respiratory tract disease might be due to large mist particle size.

The forced expiratory volume over one second (F.E.V._1·0) and the forced vital capacity (F.V.C.) were measured in Forming men and in a control group at the beginning and end of the afternoon shifts on a Monday and Friday. Statistically significant decreases of both tests on both days could be attributed to circadian variation. Differences between the Forming and control departments in the mean changes of F.E.V._1·0 and F.V.C. during the shift were not significant.