Probabilistic Approach for Assessing the Occupational Risk of Olfactometric Examiners: Methodology Description and Application to Real Exposure Scenario

Abstract

Human examiners, known as panelists, are exposed to an unknown occupational exposure risk while determining odor concentration (Cod) using dynamic olfactometry. In the literature, a few papers, based on a deterministic approach, have been proposed to establish this occupational risk. As a result, the purpose of this study is to develop and apply a probabilistic approach, based on the randomization of exposure parameters, for assessing and evaluating the occupational exposure risk among olfactometric examiners. In this methodology, the risk is assessed by computing the hazard index (HI) and inhalation risk (IR) to determine the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. To randomize the exposure parameters, a Monte Carlo simulation was described and then applied in real exposure scenario to establish the exposure risk in terms of probability. Therefore, a one-year survey of the working activity of olfactometric examiners of Laboratorio Olfattometrico of Politecnico di Milano university was conducted. Based on this data collection (exposure parameters and chemical data, divided according to sample categories), a randomized exposure scenario was constructed to estimate the probability and cumulative distribution function of risk parameters. Different distributions were obtained for different industrial samples categories and were compared with respect to acceptability criteria (the value of HI and IR at 95th percentile of distribution). The elaboration provided evidence that negligible non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks are associated with the panelists’ activity, according to an entire annual dataset. The application of probabilistic risk assessment provides a more comprehensive and effective characterization of the general exposure scenario for olfactometric examiners, surpassing the limitations of a deterministic approach. This method can be extended to future exposure scenarios and enables the selection of the most effective risk management strategies to protect the health of olfactometric examiners.