EVALUATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR AND PULMONARY STRESSES OF CARPENTERS IN RELATION TO THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Abstract

A large number of workers are involved in carpentry work in India. The present study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of pulmonary disorders and cardiovascular stress of carpenters. The study was conducted on 60 carpenters having the age range of 18 to 60 years. They were selected from several carpenters’ workshops in different districts of West Bengal, India. The subjects were divided into two groups according to their professional experience, viz., Gr.-A (work experience<15 years) and Gr.-B (work experience >15 years). Different pulmonary function parameters, viz, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1st second (FEV1), forced expiratory flow between 25-75% (FEF25-75), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) were determined using a digital spirometer for analyzing the pulmonary efficiency and the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among the carpenters. The resting and working heart rates were measured by a heart rate monitor. The cardiovascular stress index was determined from the pulse rate by the standardized formula. From the results it was noted that the FVC, FEV1 and MVV were significantly lower among the carpenters having work experience more than 15 years than that of the workers with less work experience. The occurrence of moderate and severe degree of COPD was greater in higher experience group than that in lower experience group. The mean working heart rate and cardiovascular stress index was significantly greater (p<0.001) in higher experience group in comparison to lower experience group. It was also revealed that the age of the carpenters had a positive correlation with CSI and negative correlation with PFT parameters. It was concluded that the carpenters having greater work experience were suffering from cardiovascular and pulmonary stresses to a greater extent than that lower experience group which might be related to age and long term exposure to dust.