Air Quality in the Working Environment and Respiratory Health of Female Congolese Stone Quarry Workers

Results showed that exposed women did not use any personal protective equipment (PPE); in quarry sites, abnormally high levels of PM_2.5 (205 <i>±</i> 13.2 μg/m³ vs. 31.3 <i>±</i> 10.3 μg/m³ in control sites; <i>p <</i> 0.001) and volatile organic compounds (VOC, 2.2 <i>±</i> 0.2 μg/m³ vs. 0.5 <i>±</i> 0.3 μg/m³, respectively; <i>p <</i> 0.01) were found. Furthermore, respiratory complaints were more common among exposed women (32.4% vs. 3.5% in controls; <i>p <</i> 0.01), who had abnormal chest auscultation and reduced lung capacity than controls (mean PEFR: 344.8 <i>±</i> 2.26 and 405 <i>±</i> 67.7 L/s, respectively; <i>p <</i> 0.001 Conclusion. Findings from this study show that in the midst of severe crises in the DRC, women stone quarry workers are exposed to abnormally high levels of respiratory hazards, which contribute to impaired lung function. There is a need to regulate quarry work and improve the working conditions in quarry sites in the DRC.