Benzin İstasyonlarında Çalışanların Maruz Kaldıkları Kimyasallar ve Bunların Sağlık Üzerine Etkileri

Abstract

Gas station workers are at risk because of the chemicals in the fuel. The aim of this study is, to determine the chemical factors and related health problems faced by the gas station workers. Data of this descriptive study were collected in 10 gas stations in Ankara between 10 th October 2010 – 04 th August 2011. The research group constituted of 57 workers (11 grocery employees, 46 gas pump attendants). Workplace environment measurements, individual gas exposure measurements, laboratory tests were conducted and a survey was administered. In the environment measurements whereas isopropyl alcohol, methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol were undetected, some of the measured values for carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide were over the limit. The mean age of the study group was 27.64 ± 5.13 years, four of them were women, 68.4% were high school or college graduates. The workers were working at the gas station for 4.8 ± 4.7 years, 45.6% were obese, 65.7% were smokers. Anemia was detected in 42.5% of men and half of the women. In the personal exposure measurements toluene and xylene measurements were found below the limit values, whereas benzene (3 workers), ethyl benzene (1 worker), formaldehyde (8 workers), urinary phenol (16 workers) and hippuric acid in urine (4 workers) were detected to be higher than the reference values. There was no statistically significant relation in urinary hippuric acid and urine phenol levels according to smoking status, the tasks of workers and working duration in the gas station (p> 0.05). The correlation between individual benzene exposure level and the level of phenol in urine was also not statistically significant (p> 0.05). In gas stations preventive and protective arrangements should be made as needed and medical, technical and administrative measures should be taken