The Impact of Working Conditions on the Occurrence of Conjunctival and Corneal Diseases in Modern Oil Industry

Abstract

The problem of the development of eye diseases in people employed in hazardous industries, including the oil industry, remains relevant in Azerbaijan, as the health protection of the working population is a priority. This paper presents the results of a study on the impact of the severity of working conditions in the modern oil industry of Azerbaijan on the occurrence of conjunctival and cornea diseases. The objective of the study is to assess the working environment at the enterprises of oil and gas production profile of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) in terms of their impact on the occurrence of eye diseases. In total, 1852 employees from 13 SOCAR enterprises, who are willing to voluntarily participate in the study, were selected by random systematic sampling. The research was conducted in 2018-2019. According to the obtained data, 55.5% of workplaces in the enterprises belong to class A (optimal working conditions). However, in such industries as “Oil Rocks” and “Siyazan Oil”, on average, 30% of workplaces belong to a high hazard class C. Conjunctival and corneal pathologies were detected in 33% of all workers during the study. There was a statistically significant difference in the character of the conjunctival and corneal diseases, depending on the severity of working conditions. The percentage of occurrence of dry eye syndrome was significant in all conditions of labour severity and ranged from 65 to 79%. The majority of participants employed in the production group of “Class C – heavy working conditions” had a high incidence of conjunctivitis of various aetiologies (18%). To reduce the occurrence of conjunctival and corneal diseases, it is recommended to adhere to preventive measures for employees working in difficult working environment.