Dust-related decline in lung function among animal feed workers

The study describes results of the first part of a follow-up study among 50 animal feed and grain elevator workers. The initial results suggest that the change in lung function over a 5 year period is related to the dust exposure. Workers in the high exposure category showed a greater decline in lung function than workers in the low exposure category. The decline in lung function was strongest for workers who were low exposed at the beginning of the study and who became high exposed during the follow-up period.