Dust and gas contamination of industrial premises. Occupational Safety and Health

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Free library / Occupational Safety and Health

Dust and gas contamination of industrial premises. Occupational Safety and Health

Occupational Safety and Health

Occupational Safety and Health / Legislative basis for labor protection

One of the widespread adverse factors that have a negative impact on the health of workers is industrial dust. A number of technological processes are accompanied by the formation of finely divided particles of a solid substance (dust), which enter the air of industrial premises and stay in it in a suspended state for a more or less long time.

Dust formation occurs during crushing, grinding, grinding, grinding, drilling, packaging, packaging, processing of agricultural products, warehouse handling of goods, loading and unloading operations, and transportation. Dust is also formed as a result of condensation of vapors of heavy metals and other substances.

High dust content of the air is found in mines, mines, porcelain and faience production, cement and foundry plants, metal processing workshops, wholesale depots, warehouses for bulk goods and agricultural products.

In recent years, with an increase in demand for the services of trade, banks, enterprises in the sphere of household and other services, large institutions of mass service to the population (super- and hypermarkets, service centers, beauty salons, exhibition complexes, halls for servicing clients of financial enterprises) have appeared, in which the movement of large human and commodity flows creates an increased dust content in the premises.

Industrial dust is called suspended in the air, slowly settling solid particles ranging in size from several tens to fractions of microns. Many types of industrial dust are an aerosol, i.e., a dispersed system in which the dispersed medium is air, and the dispersed phase is solid dust particles.

According to the particle size (dispersion), visible dust is more than 10 microns in size, microscopic - from 0,25 to 10 microns and ultramicroscopic - less than 0,25 microns.

According to the generally accepted classification, all types of industrial dust are divided into organic, inorganic and mixed. The former, in turn, are divided into dust of natural (wood, cotton, linen, wool, etc.) and artificial (dust of plastics, rubber, resins, etc.) origin, and the latter - into metal (iron, zinc, aluminum, etc.). .) and mineral (quartz, cement, asbestos, etc.) dust. Mixed types of dust include coal dust containing particles of coal, quartz and silicates, as well as dust generated in chemical and other industries.

The specificity of the qualitative composition of dust determines the possibility and nature of its action on the human body. The shape and consistency of dust particles are of certain importance, which largely depend on the nature of the source material.

So, long and soft dust particles are easily deposited on the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract and can cause chronic tracheitis and bronchitis. The degree of harmful effects of dust also depends on its solubility in body fluids. The high solubility of toxic dust enhances and accelerates its harmful effects.

The adverse effects of dust on the body can cause diseases. Usually, specific (pneumoconiosis, allergic diseases) and non-specific (chronic respiratory diseases, eye and skin diseases) dust lesions are distinguished. Among the specific occupational dust diseases, a large place is occupied by pneumoconiosis - lung diseases, which are based on the development of sclerotic and related other changes caused by the deposition of various kinds of dust and its subsequent interaction with the lung tissue. Among the various pneumoconiosis, the most dangerous is silicosis associated with prolonged inhalation of dust containing free silicon dioxide (510).

Silicosis - this is a slowly occurring chronic process, which, as a rule, develops only in persons who have worked for several years in conditions of significant air pollution with silicon dust. However, in some cases, a more rapid onset and course of this disease is possible, when in a relatively short period of time (2-4 years) the process reaches the final, terminal stage.

Industrial dust can also have a harmful effect on the upper respiratory tract. It has been established that as a result of many years of work in conditions of significant air dust, a gradual thinning of the nasal mucosa and the posterior pharyngeal wall occurs. At very high dust concentrations, marked atrophy of the turbinates, especially the lower ones, as well as dryness and atrophy of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract is noted. The development of these phenomena is facilitated by the hygroscopicity of dust and the high air temperature in the premises. Atrophy of the mucous membrane significantly disrupts the protective (barrier) functions of the upper respiratory tract, which, in turn, contributes to the deep penetration of dust, i.e. damage to the bronchi and lungs.

Industrial dust can penetrate the skin and into the openings of the sebaceous and sweat glands. In some cases, an inflammatory process may develop. It is not excluded the possibility of ulcerative dermatitis and eczema when the skin is exposed to the dust of chromo-alkaline salts, arsenic, copper, lime, soda and other chemicals. The action of dust on the eyes causes the occurrence of conjunctivitis.

Effective prevention of occupational dust diseases involves hygienic regulation, technological measures, sanitary and hygienic measures, personal protective equipment and therapeutic and preventive measures. The basis for carrying out measures to combat industrial dust is hygienic regulation. Compliance with the MPCs established by GOST for dust is the main requirement for preventive and current sanitary supervision.

Systematic control over the state of the dust level is carried out by the laboratories of the centers of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision, the factory sanitary and chemical laboratories. The administration of enterprises is responsible for maintaining conditions that prevent the excess of the MPC of dust in the air.

When developing recreational activities, the main hygienic requirements should be imposed on technological processes and equipment, ventilation, construction and planning solutions, rational medical care for workers, and the use of personal protective equipment.

Elimination of dust formation at workplaces by changing production technology and air humidification is the main way to prevent dust diseases. The introduction of continuous technologies, automation and mechanization of production processes that eliminate manual labor, remote control greatly facilitate and improve working conditions. The widespread use of automatic types of welding with remote control, robotic manipulators in the operations of loading, transferring, packing bulk materials reduces the contact of workers with dust sources.

For effective dust control in the technological process, briquettes, granules, pastes, solutions, etc. are used instead of powdered products; replace toxic substances with non-toxic ones; switch from solid fuel to gaseous; high-frequency electric heating and humidifiers are widely used, which significantly reduce the pollution of the production environment with fumes and flue gases.

The following measures contribute to the prevention of air dustiness: replacement of dry processes with wet ones; sealing of equipment, places of grinding, transportation; allocation of units that dust the working area to isolated rooms with a remote control device.

Measures of a sanitary nature play an important role in the prevention of diseases, for example, the shelter of dusty equipment with air suction from under the shelter. Sealing and covering the equipment with solid dust-tight casings with effective aspiration is a rational means of preventing dust release into the air of the working area.

Dust must be removed directly from the places of dust formation. Before being released into the atmosphere, dusty air must be cleaned.

In some cases, ventilation is created in combination with technological measures.

If measures to reduce the concentration of dust do not lead to a decrease in dust in the working area to acceptable limits, personal protective equipment is used. Personal protective equipment includes anti-dust respirators, goggles, special anti-dust clothing. Respiratory protection means are selected depending on the type of harmful substances, their concentration. The respiratory organs are protected by filtering and isolating devices, for example, a Petal-type respirator. In contact with powdered materials that adversely affect the skin, protective pastes and ointments are used.

Use goggles or goggles to protect your eyes. Closed-type glasses with durable non-shattering glasses are used in the machining of metals. In processes accompanied by the formation of small and solid particles and dust, metal splashes, goggles with sidewalls or masks with a screen are recommended.

From workwear, dust-protective overalls (women's and men's) with helmets are used to perform work associated with a large formation of non-toxic dust, suits (women's and men's) with helmets, as well as an autonomous suit for protection from dust, gases and low temperatures.

In the system of recreational activities, medical monitoring of the health of workers is important. In accordance with the current rules, it is mandatory to conduct preliminary (upon admission to work) and periodic medical examinations.

One of the main tasks of periodic examinations is the timely detection of the early stages of the disease and the prevention of the development of pneumoconiosis, the determination of professional suitability and the implementation of effective therapeutic and preventive measures.

Among the preventive measures aimed at increasing the body's reactivity and resistance to dust damage to the lungs, the most effective are ultraviolet irradiation in fotaria, which inhibits sclerotic processes, alkaline inhalations, which contribute to the sanitation of the upper respiratory tract, respiratory gymnastics, which improves the function of external respiration, and a diet with the addition of methionine and vitamins. .

Authors: Volkhin S.N., Petrova S.P., Petrov V.P.

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