Assessment of working conditions and health conditions of employees of non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises

Abstract

The production conditions of non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises can be characterized by a high severity of the labor process due to excessive physical exertion, constant exposure to intense noise, increased vibration levels; inhalation of industrial aerosols, dust and chemicals; exposure to unfavorable industrial microclimate. The most common types of professionally conditioned and occupational pathology in employees of non-ferrous metallurgy departments are sensorineural hearing loss, vibration disease, radiculopathy, lung and upper respiratory tract diseases, diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
 In order to summarize the information and identify the peculiarities of working conditions and health status of employees of non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises, the researchers analyzed the relevant scientific literature on the bibliographic databases Scopus, Web of Science, MedLine and RSCI using theoretical methods of scientific cognition.
 The most intense impact of production factors is characterized by the working conditions of workers of underground divisions of non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises.
 At the same time, the presence of a specific chemical factor associated with exposure to dust and gas mixtures and aerosols of non-ferrous metals causes the development of morbidity in workers of metallurgical industries for processing and enriching raw materials of non-ferrous metals with toxic alveolitis, bronchial asthma, malignant neoplasms, diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, blood and central nervous system. In this regard, at non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises, when planning a set of preventive measures, the identification of groups of diseases associated with working conditions and caused by the presence of a specific chemical factor of exposure to dust and gas mixtures and aerosols of non-ferrous metals should be considered a necessary condition for preserving the health of workers.
 Ethics. This study did not require the conclusion of the ethics committee.