Workplace exacerbation of asthma symptoms: findings from a population-based study in Maine.

In this population-based study of asthma in the State of Maine, the authors investigated how often asthma symptoms were exacerbated in the workplace. Participants from 5 hospital service areas in Maine completed a telephone questionnaire. Of 474 adult participants (18-65 yr of age) employed during the preceding year and for whom information on occupation and industry was available, 64 (13.

Industries in the United States with airborne beryllium exposure and estimates of the number of current workers potentially exposed.

Estimates of the number of workers in the United States occupationally exposed to beryllium were published in the 1970s and 1980s and ranged from 21,200 to 800,000. We obtained information from several sources to identify specific industries with beryllium exposure and to estimate the number of current workers potentially exposed to beryllium. We spoke with representatives from the primary beryllium industry and government agencies about the number of exposed workers in their facilities.