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Med. Pr. 2007;58(3):223-229

EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL HAZARDS IN MECHANICAL PROCESSING OF METAL ACCESSORIES

NARAŻENIE NA SZKODLIWE CZYNNIKI W PROCESACH OBRÓBKI MECHANICZNEJ WYROBÓW METALOWYCH

Ewa Gawęda, Dorota Kondej

Abstract

Background: The aim of this paper is to assess occupational exposure to harmful hazards at workposts where fittings and metal accessories are mechanically processed with particular reference to occupational exposure to metals and their compounds. Material and Methods: The studies covered 16 wokposts of mechanical processes of metal accessories (grinding, deburring, threading, polishing). Metal air concentrations at the workposts were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) with a graphite tube and by AAS with air-acetylene flame. To determine free crystalline silica-containing dusts, standard methods (PN-91/Z-04030/05, PN-91/Z-04030/06, and PN-91/Z-04018/04) were applied. Air samples were collected according to the principles of personal dosimetry and noise measurements were conducted according to PN-N-1307:1994. Results and Conclusions: It was found that the main alloy metals, aluminum and zinc, can be hazardous at studied workposts. Copper was also found in the ambient air of the workposts at the measurable level. Other alloy metals (Fe, Pb, Ni, Cd) were not found. The rate of combined exposure at all workposts was lower than 1. Noise was a serious problem at the majority of workposts of mechanical processing, especially at grinding anddeburring ones. The threshold limit value (TLV) for total dust containing free crystalline silica was exceeded only at two workposts. It was observed that TLVs for respirable dust containing free crystalline silica above 2% were exceeded (3 workposts). Med Pr 2007;58(3):223ś229

Key words

metal fittings, mechanical processing, metal dusts, hazards at work