Objectives: Workers in salmon processing plants are at risk of respiratory diseases. The aim of this study was to describe the Norwegian salmon processing industry in respect to production-related factors that may influence the generation of bioaerosols in the work atmosphere, and to assess salmon processing workers’ personal exposure to protein and endotoxin.
Methods: The study comprised 222 workers from 9 plants. Fullshift personal exposure measurements of total protein (inhalable aerosol fraction, n = 380) and endotoxin (total aerosol sampler, n = 178) were collected on 4 consecutive workdays. Technical and process-related information was collected through plant visits and meetings with technical and production staff. Linear mixed-effect model was used, treating individuals as random effect and work area and work task within areas as fixed effects.
Results: Plants differed in size, setup, processing procedures, and use of labor along the processing lines. Salmon processing overall geometric mean (GM) exposure to inhalable protein across the plants was highest in filleting area with 4.83 µg/m3 (geometric standard deviation [GSD] 3.16), followed by 3.91 µg/m3 (GSD 2.42) in slaughtering area, and 1.68 µg/m3 (GSD 2.40) in other areas. Endotoxin levels were generally low with the highest levels in slaughtering (GM 0.24 EU/m3; GSD [...]