Health risks from exposure to chemicals in Arctic enterprises

Abstract

Introduction. Chemicals of various hazard classes are among the most common harmful production factors. We aimed to study conditions for the occurrence, prevalence and structure of occupational diseases from exposure to chemicals at enterprises in the Arctic in order to exclude cases of early restriction or complete termination of the labour activity of workers. The study design was to analyze data of social and hygienic monitoring “Working conditions and occupational morbidity of the population” in the Russian Federation in 2007-2020. Materials and methods. We studied the data of social and hygienic monitoring “Working conditions and occupational morbidity of the population of the Russian Federation” in 2007-2020. Results. In the Russian Arctic in 2007-2020, the share of chemicals in the structure of harmful production factors was 7.6%. They were the cause of 7.8% of occupational diseases, the number of which tended to decrease. Characteristic for this group of diseases is the predominant damage to the respiratory organs (74.6%) in workers in the nickel industry (68.3%). Also, a feature of the diseases was the formation in a shorter time (24.3±0.4 years); greater risk in women (relative risk (RR) = 3.48, confidence interval (CI) 2.91-4.16; p<0.001); greater risk of malignancy (RR=3.55; CI 3.13-4.02; p<0.001). Out of five hundred seventy one case of occupational pathology of nickel production workers, 355 (62.2%) were caused by water-insoluble nickel compounds. Other 188 (32.9%) and 28 (4.9%) cases were due to hydroaerosols of nickel salts and nickel tetracarbonyl, respectively. Out of 164 cases of intoxication, 138 (84.1%) had a chronic course and were mainly caused by nickel compounds (87.7%). The main cause of acute intoxication (n=26) was carbon monoxide (76.9%). Limitations. Methods for determining concentrations of chemicals in the air of work areas do not provide an accurate exposure assessment in workers who use personal protective equipment. Conclusion. To reduce the occupational health risks from chemicals, first of all, it is necessary, to decrease concentrations of nickel compounds in the air of the nickel enterprise working areas. In the prevention of certain forms of occupational pathology, priority should be given to respiratory diseases from exposure to water-insoluble nickel compounds, malignant neoplasms and acute carbon monoxide poisoning.