Influence of working conditions on the function of external respiration in underground oil mine workers

Introduction. The article presents a non-combined observational cross-sectional retrospective study, which studied the functions of respiration of 3 categories of workers (sinkers, woodworkers, underground miners) depending on working conditions.

Materials and methods. Analyzed depersonalized data from outpatient records of periodic medical examinations of underground workers from 2013 to 2017. The article presents only the analysis of spirograms. The study of respiratory function was carried out using an expert class spirometer SpiroLab III (MIR, Italy). The results were assessed by a doctor of functional diagnostics. Production factors were studied according to the results of a special assessment of working conditions carried out in oil mines according to the methodology for conducting a special assessment of working conditions, approved by order of the Ministry of Labour of Russia No. 33n dated January 24, 2014. Statistical methods were used to analyze the material: methods of parametric statistics (mean (M), standard deviation, error of the mean (m), Student’s test), the data are presented in the format M ± m, the differences were considered significant at p < 0.05.

Results. An analysis of occupational morbidity among oil miners has been carried out, risk groups have been identified by profession, length of service and age. It was revealed that after 4–5 years of work in the profession, there is a tendency to impairment of the function of external respiration according to the obstructive type (decrease in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), formed vital capacity of the lungs (FVC), peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), Tiffno index). This is suggested to be due to a combination of factors of the production environment such as oil hydrocarbons and the severity of labour. The analysis of working conditions made it possible to determine the list of harmful production factors affecting the development and occurrence of occupational diseases by workers involved in thermal mining of high-viscosity oil.

Limitations. The smoking factor in the work is considered as a qualitative one, it is probably more logical to consider it as a quantitative one — smoking experience (number of years), then a connection with changes in the functions of external respiration may be revealed.

Conclusion. After 4–5 years of work, oil miners show a tendency to obstructive disorders of the respiration function. The genesis of the identified changes requires further clarification.

Contribution:

Fomin A.I. — the concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, writing the text.

Zhuikov A.E. — concept and design of the study, collection and processing of material, statistical processing, text writing.

Grunskoy T.V. — research concept and design, collection and processing of material, statistical processing, text writing. 

Conflict of interests. The authors declare no obvious and potential conflicts of interest in connection with the publication of this article.

Acknowledgment. The study was not sponsored.

Received: November 23, 2021 / Accepted: April 12, 2022 / Published: April 30, 2022