Working conditions and occupational health risks for workers employed at bakeries

Abstract

Introduction. Workers employed at bakeries are exposed to hazardous occupational factors at their workplaces; however, issues related to occupational health disorders occurring in them have not been given sufficient attention.Material and methods. We accomplished complex hygienic research on working conditions and the health of workers employed at a bakery using a procedure for occupational health risk calculation.Results. Workers employed at a bakery are exposed to a set of adverse factors (heating microclimate, flour dust, in-plant noise, poor luminance in work areas, hard labor process) that make their working conditions hazardous (belonging to 3.1 – 3.3 hazard degree). It means their occupational risks rank from insignificant (moderate) to high (intolerable). Heating microclimate and physical overloads were determined as priority risk factors. We revealed a positive average correlation (r=0.56) between chronic somatic pathology prevalence in general and work experience. We also detected direct authentic correlations between work experience under hazardous working conditions and diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissues (r=0.34); upper respiratory tracts (r=0.31); circulatory system (r=0.26) (р<0.01, р<0.001, р<0.001, accordingly). We established a strong cause-and-effect relation between occupation and diseases of the eye and its adnexa (RR=2.2; EF =54.59; CI=1.66-2.92) and diseases of the circulatory system (RR=2.29; EF =56.38; CI=1.77-2.97); there was also an average cause-and-effect relation with diseases of the respiratory organs, digestive system, musculoskeletal system, as well connective tissue, as the genitourinary system and it means these pathologies are occupational. We substantiated a system of activities aimed at managing occupational health risks for workers employed at bakeries.Conclusion. Workplaces at contemporary bakeries involve exposure to a set of adverse occupational factors that cause occupational health risks for workers. It requires immediate measures aimed at reducing such risks.