Occupational risk to the health of dairy products manufacturing workers

Abstract

Introduction. The preservation of the health of workers employed in harmful working conditions is one of the essential strategic tasks of the Russian Federation’s policy in the field of protecting public health. Milk processing workers are exposed to many adverse factors in the work environment and the work process that negatively affect their health. However, in previous studies, assessing and managing occupational risk to their health is not adequately addressed. Purpose of the study. Hygienic assessment of working conditions and occupational health risks for workers in the production of dairy products. Material and methods. Authors give the quantitative and qualitative assessment of occupational health risk based on our own hygienic studies results and an in-depth medical examination. Results. During the work, dairy production workers were established to be exposed to a set of factors of the occupational environment (adverse microclimate, noise, vibration, insufficient lighting) and the labor process’s hardness. It forms harmful working conditions of the first and third degrees (classes 3.1 - 3.3), which corresponds to categories of occupational risk from small (moderate) to high (intolerable). The direct moderate (r = 0.53) reliable correlation relationship between the prevalence of chronic pathology in general and female workers’ work experience was revealed. A very high degree of causal relationship between the work, diseases of the ear and mastoid process (RR = 4.3; EF = 76.7%; CI = 1.6-10,93) and a high degree of relation connection of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (RR = 2.22; EF = 55.1%; CI = 1,21-4,08). It indicates their occupational conditionality. It is necessary to develop and implement many organizational, health-improving, and treatment-and-prophylactic measures to prevent the occurrence of work-related health disorders and minimize risk factors for their development. Conclusion. Many harmful factors in occu[ational conditions that create the risk of developing a professionally caused disease characterize modern dairy production. It requires urgent measures to reduce the risk.