Chainsaw operators’ exposure to occupational risk factors and incidence of professional diseases specific to the forestry field

Abstract

Purpose. This article focuses on detailed studies regarding the analysis of occupational risk factors on health and occupational disease, namely, the influence of noise, hand–arm vibration, wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index and exposure to particulates. Methods. This study measured the equivalent acoustic level (LA eq), daily vibration exposure (A(8)), WBGT index and particulate concentration in the respirable area of the worker. The inferential analysis consisted of the application of specific statistical methods: a probability plot with 95% confidence interval, the Anderson–Darling statistic and 87th percentile estimation. A sample of 107 chainsaw operators was medically evaluated, out of which 30 workers were suspected of having professional pathologies and were hospitalized in the university clinic. Results. The measurements highlight: exceeding the legal limit for noise exposure; 13% of cases exceeding the limit of 2.5 m/s2 for hand–arm vibration; dust exposure generally within legal limits; WBGT shows the thermal stress of the workers. Following the medical evaluation, osteomusculoskeletal disorders (25.23%), Raynaud's syndrome (0.93%) and bilateral hearing loss (3.74%) were identified. Conclusions. Analysis of the levels of exposure to the risk factors, the typology and the incidence of occupational diseases requires the need to adopt new preventive measures.