Occupational accidents involving biological material: demographic and occupational profile of affected workers

Abstract

Introduction: Work accidents involving biological material are characterized as those whose exposure involves direct or indirect contact with human or animal blood and biological fluids, with a potential degree of contamination. Objectives: To investigate the sociodemographic and occupational profile of workers, as well as data on occupational accidents with exposure to biological material in the municipalities that make up the Centro de Referência em Saúde do Trabalhador da Região dos Vales do estado do Rio Grande do Sul (Cerest-Vales/RS). Methods: Documentary, retrospective, descriptive, quantitative research, where 1,260 Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (Sinan) notifications were analyzed, between 2014 and 2018. Data were collected in a unit specialized in worker health care. Results: The sex most affected by accidents was female, with 80.2% of cases, age group of 28 to 33 years (26.4%), and level of education represented mostly by complete high school (55.4%). Health professionals concentrated 84.1% of accidents, most of which occurred with nursing technicians, followed by nurses and doctors. Professionals from different occupations, such as veterinarians, students, janitors and garbage collectors were also exposed. Blood was the organic material that prevailed (81.1%) between accidents and exposure, percutaneous (70.3%). Clinical data revealed the prevalence of patients vaccinated for hepatitis B (90.6%), but 62.7% with (hepatitis B surface antigen, HBsAg) negative; 49.5% of the injured were discharged with a negative source patient and 66% the Comunicação de Acidente de Trabalho (CAT) issued. Conclusions: Accidents occurred more frequently among females, individuals with low education and health professionals. The weakness in the reports of accidents with professionals with no presumed risk is reiterated, which generates underreporting rates.

Hepatites virais por acidentes de trabalho: distribuição dos casos no Brasil, 2007-2014

“…In the work environment, accidents with biological materials are responsible for exposure to HBV and HCV in different occupations that are exposed in daily life to blood, fluids and blood products and, mainly, contact with sharps. 8,10,11 such as manicures and pedicures, 22 domestic workers and garbage collectors, 12 household and health waste collectors, 11 police officers 23 and maritime officers. 24 Service workers, market and store trade vendors include those who perform laundry services, domestic servants, chamberlains/housekeepers, street sweepers, healthcare and household waste collectors, community health workers, health laboratory assistants, beautification and hygiene, caregivers, funeral services, firefighters, police officers, sex workers, among others, are related to service work, which also expose workers to biological material or sexual activity.…”

“…24 Service workers, market and store trade vendors include those who perform laundry services, domestic servants, chamberlains/housekeepers, street sweepers, healthcare and household waste collectors, community health workers, health laboratory assistants, beautification and hygiene, caregivers, funeral services, firefighters, police officers, sex workers, among others, are related to service work, which also expose workers to biological material or sexual activity. Studies indicate the occurrence of accidents with biological materials and hepatitis B and C in household and health waste collectors, 11 garbage collectors 12 , domestic workers, 12 as well as police officers 23 and maritime officers 24 are different occupations, but with risks to contact with biological materials.…”

“…8,13,19 This may be linked to the occupation developed by women with greater exposure as technicians in the health sector. Age is also a major factor, the older the age, the longer the length of service, the greater the risk of OABM and, consequently, hepatitis occurrence, [11][12][13]15 when considering that these workers develop self-confidence and lose the discernment of precaution. The non-black skin color showed a reduction due to greater social inclusion of the black race in the labor market and, with that, greater exposure and risk for viral hepatitis.…”

“…For HCV, in the adult population, it was 4.52%, 15 among health waste collectors, 3.3%, 11 household waste collectors, 0.9%, 11 health workers, 0.5% 8 , cases reported in the state of Amapá/Brazil, 1.0% 9 and cases reported in the state of Bahia/Brazil, 0.1%. 13 For HBV, among waste collectors, it was lower than 0.05%, 11 firefighters, 6.5%, 9 cases reported in the municipality of Santa Cruz/Rio Grande do South, 0.5%, 12 health workers, 0.8% 7 and 0.6%, 8 cases reported in the state of Amapá/ Brazil, 1.6% 9 and cases reported in the state of Bahia/Brazil, 0.2%. 13 Frequencies were low, as in the present study, and the proportion between occupations are similar, although some professional categories have not been studied.…”

“…This system needs to be operated properly and with quality data to guarantee coverage of essential data for decision-making and contribute to improving workers' health situation. 6 Studies point to the risk of acquiring hepatitis B and C by occupational accidents with biological materials among health workers, 7,8 general services, 9 household and health waste collectors, 10,11 garbage collectors, 12 domestic workers 12 and mid-level technicians in the biological and health sciences. 13 Although the studies pay greater attention to health workers, other categories are also exposed to occupational accidents and, as a result, infectious diseases.…”