Respiratory disorders in cement workers in Togo

15^th International Conference on Environmental Chemistry and Engineering

August 15-16, 2019 | Rome, Italy

Hinson Antoine Vikkey, Mouzou Tchilalo, Adjobime Menonlin, Adjoh Seraphin and Mikponhoue Rose

University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin
Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire de Pneumo-Phtisiologie de Cotonou (CNHU-PPC), Benin
Service de Pneumo-phtisiologie a la Faculte des Sciences de la Sante de l’Universite de Lome, Benin

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Environ Anal Chem

Abstract :

Introduction: Cement Manufacturing Creates a dusty environment that constantly exposes workers. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of respiratory disturbances among cement workers in the city of Lome in Togo.

Method: It was a cross-sectional study that recruited 74 cement workers. They were submitted to the British medical research council (BMRC) questionnaire and then to a spirometry with the Spirobank spirometer. Particulate matter measurements were made in the factory. The data was analyzed using Epi Info 3.5.4. As regards the analysis of the data, a descriptive analysis is first carried out by calculating the proportion and then by comparing the qualitative variables using the Pearson Khi-square test with a significance threshold of 0.05.

Results: The population was mostly male (97.3%) with an average age of 49.09 ±10.12 years. 56.75% of workers had more than 15 years work seniority. The average dust level was 80mg/m3 with extremes of 9.6 and 268.9 mg/m3 which was above the limit value : 5mg/m3. Cough was present in 10.84% of workers, rhinitis in 9.45% and dyspnea in 5.4%. 31.08% of workers had a spirometric abnormality with a predominance of syndrom of small airways (43.47% of abnormalities). Only seniority over 15 years was associated with the occurrence of cough: OR=5.59 IC [1.49, 21.02].

Conclusion: This study highlights the high level of dust at the cement factory and its deleterious role on the respiratory health of workers. This necessitates the strengthening of protection measures within the company.

Keywords: Respiratory disorders, cement dust, particulate matter, spirometry, Togo

Recent Publications

1. Antoine Vikkey Hinson, Herve Lawin, Fabien Gounongbe: Epidemiological aspects of blood exposure accidents with the healthcare workers staff of a peripheral hospital in Benin ; IJRDO Volume-2 Issue-7 July, 2016

2. Hinson A. V, Aguemon B, Gounongbe: La gestion des dechets biomedicaux au CHU-campus de Lome (Togo) Journal de la Societe de Biologie Clinique du Benin, 2016 ; N° 025 ; 14-20

3. Herve Lawin, Lucie Ayi Fanou, Vikkey Hinson : Exhaled carbon monoxide: a non-invasive biomarker of shortterm exposure to outdoor air pollution, BMC Public Health (2017) 17:320

4. Antoine Vikkey Hinson, Gbehomilo Edhorh, Koffi Atsu Aziagbe : Occupational asthma in a plastic bags manufacturing factory in Togo International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health Vol.4 (4), pp. 64-71, May 2017

5. Antoine Vikkey Hinson ; Yvonne Mbaduet ; Rousseau Djouaka : Health hazards linked to the quality of the irrigation water and to the consumption of the vegetables grown in the market gardening site of nkolondom, (Yaounde - Cameroon)

Biography :

Hinson is a occupational health praticionner, senior lecturer in occupational health at the university of Abomey-Calavi in Benin. As an expert with the WHO support, he is engaged in healthwise’ trainning in Togo, in Benin and in french speaking countries. Also he built his expertise in informal sector mainly with the pesticide exposure of the farmers. He wrote many papers in air pollution.