Peculiarities in assessing occupational health risks for workers who are in contact with aerosols containing fine-dispersed dust particles

Abstract

In Russia there is a system for standardizing and control over aerosols with predominantly fibrogenic effects and dust particles with different structure. But at the same time there are no hygienic standards for fine-dispersed dust contents in working area air and it makes hygienic assessment of working conditions more complicated and impedes use of risk assessment methodology. Our research goal was to substantiate a concentration of aerosols containing fine-dispersed dust particles (РМ10 и РМ2.5) in working are air that were harmless for workers’ health. It was done via applying a procedure for determining dust burden and using it when calculating health risks for workers. We assessed dust content in working area air with focus on fine-dispersed dust particles РМ10 и РМ2.5 with a dust measuring device «OMPN-10.0». Chemical structure of dust particles was determined with atomic absorption procedure. Results were estimated according to HS 2.2.5.3532-18. Dust burden was calculated according to State standard GOST R 54578-2011. We established dependence between duration of working experience under exposure to fine-dispersed dust that was harmless for health and a value of excess in dust contents over the suggested concentration and work shift duration. To assess health risk for workers caused by exposure to fine-dispersed dust particles taking their chemical structure into account, we determined reference concentrations for working area air; 0.1 mg/m3 for РМ10, and 0.055 mg/m3 for РМ2.5. Use of calculated concentrations allowed suggesting models for calculating harmless duration of working experience under exposure to dusts in concentrations higher than recommended ones. The results enable substantiating organizational activities aimed at workers’ health preservation.