Salakjit SriproedPramuk OsiriDusit SujiraratSuttinun ChantanakulKitiphong HarncharoenParichat Ong-ArtborirakSusan R. WoskieMahidol UniversityMahidol UniversityUniversity of Massachusetts Lowell2018-10-192018-10-192013-01-01Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health. Vol.68, No.2 (2013), 87-94193382442-s2.0-84876097721https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/31806Respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function were examined among 89 rubberwood furniture factory workers. Acute and chronic irritant symptoms were assessed, lung function was measured both pre- and post-shift and personal inhalable dust exposure determined. The only symptoms with a significant increase among high dust level-exposed workers (>1 mg/m3) were those related to nasal irritation. High dust level-exposed workers had a significant cross-shift decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) compared with low dust level-exposed workers and increases in inhalable dust concentration levels (mg/m3) were significantly associated with decreases in the peak expiratory flow (PEF) across the work shift. For percent predicted pulmonary function levels, a significant decrement in PEF was found for high versus low rubberwood dust level-exposed workers, after controlling for confounders. These findings suggest the need for an occupational standard for rubberwood dust in Thailand. Copyright © 2013 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.Mahidol UniversityEnvironmental ScienceMedicinePharmacology, Toxicology and PharmaceuticsArticleSCOPUS10.1080/19338244.2011.646361