Evaluation of work conditions in a pasta manufacturing plant with particular consideration of dustiness
Journal Title: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine - Year 2012, Vol 19, Issue 4
Abstract
Objective. The objective of the study was evaluation of work conditions in a pasta manufacturing plant, including: physical and psychological load and factors of material work environment. The main aim was determination of the level of employees’ exposure to our dust.Methods. Studies of work conditions were conducted in a our processing plant in the Lublin region at the workplace of an automatic production line – operator of the noodle production line, employees packaging pasta, and the manual line – employees responsible for the kneading of dough, cutter operators, and employees engaged in packaging. Energy expenditure, static load and monotony of the movements performed were assessed as a part of the physical load. Mental e ort and monotony of work were assessed as a part of psychological load. Measurements of dustiness, noise, microclimate and lighting were performed according to the Polish standards and regulations in effect. Dust concentrations at work were carried out in the respiratory zone of workers while performing work activities at individual workplaces. Measurements of weight concentrations were carried out in series for individual workplaces, and covered the measurements of concentrations of individual fractions of dust deposited in the sections of the airways (inhaled, thoracic and alveolar).Results. The evaluation of work conditions, which covered physical and psychological load and factors of the material occupational environment, showed that their values did not exceed the allowable values contained in respective standards. While kneading dough on the manual line, the highest concentrations of dust were observed of inhaled, thoracic and respirable fractions (12.96 mg/m[sup]3[/sup]; 3.09 mg/m[sup]3[/sup]; and 0.18 mg/m[sup]3[/sup], respectively), whereas the lowest – at the workplace of an operator of an automatic packer (0.39 mg/m[sup]3[/sup]; 0.14 mg/m[sup]3[/sup]; and 0.03 mg/m[sup]3[/sup]). At the workplace of an automatic packer the MAC values for inhaled dust were exceeded. At the remaining workplaces on the manual line, and all workplaces on the automatic line, the MAC values for inhaled and respirable dust were not exceeded.
Authors and Affiliations
Agnieszka Buczaj, Halina Pawlak , Joanna Tarasińska , Piotr Maksym, Wojciech Brzana
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP80558
- DOI -
- Views 145
- Downloads 0
Analysis of trace element in intervertebral disc by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry techniques in degenerative disc disease in the Polish population
Objective. Although trace elements are regarded crucial and their content has been determined in number of tissue there are only few papers addressing this problem in intervertebral disc in humans. Most of the trace elem...
Alantolactone and isoalantolactone suppress maximal electroshock-induced tonic seizures in mice
[b]Introduction and objective[/b]. The aim of this study was to perform the anticonvulsant screening test to determine whether two sesquiterpene lactones (alantolactone and isoalantolactone) isolated from herbs and medic...
A small scale survey of Leptospira in mammals from eastern Poland
Samples of 30 dead small mammals each were collected on area ‘A’ located in eastern Poland and exposed to floods by the Vistula river, and on area ‘B’, also located in eastern Poland, but not exposed to floods. Kidneys a...
Health-Related Physical Fitness, BMI, physical activity and time spent at a computer screen in 6 and 7-year-old children from rural areas in Poland
The objective of the study was determination of the effect of various forms of physical activity, BMI, and time devoted to computer games on the level of Health-Related Physical Fitness (H-RF) in 6–7-year-old children fr...
First case of imported African tick-bite fever in Poland – Case report
This is the first report of a case of African tick bite fever (ATBF) imported to Poland from South-Africa. The patient presented with fever of 38.4[sup]o[/sup]C, generalized maculopapular rash and single eschar. Diagnosi...