Hierarchical Cluster Analysis Applied to Workers' Exposures in Fiberglass Insulation Manufacturing

摘要

The objectives of this study were to explore the application of cluster analysis to the charac- terization of multiple exposures in industrial hygiene practice and to compare exposure groupings based on the result from cluster analysis with that based on non-measurement-based approaches commonly used in epidemiology. Cluster analysis was performed for 37 workers simultaneously exposed to three agents (endotoxin, phenolic compounds and formaldehyde) in fiberglass insulation manufacturing.