Qualitative assessment of air pollution in the working area of energy-intensive materials production by nanoscale aerosols with a solid dispersed phase

The presence of grinding, mixing, and fractionation of solid components of formulations leads to the formation of aerosols in the air of the working area with a wide range of dispersion of the solid phase - all this characterizes the organization of technological processes for the production of energy-intensive materials. The study aims to give a qualitative assessment of possible air pollution of the working area of energy-intensive materials production by nanoscale aerosols with a solid dispersed phase. The researchers carried out the sampling of the working area air and flushes from solid horizontal surfaces to produce energy-intensive materials. We carried out the sampling by forced circulation of the test air through the absorption devices of Polezhaev. Scientists used Triton TX-114 solution with a mass concentration of 2.0 mg/dm3 as an absorption medium. The researchers performed flushing from surfaces using cloth tampons moistened with Triton TX-114 solution with a mass concentration of 2.0 mg/dm3. We determined the particle sizes in the samples using NanotracULTRA (Microtrac). Scientists found aluminum and nitrocellulose particles with sizes from 36 to 102 nm in the air of the working area and flushes from horizontal surfaces. The study of the fractional composition of RDX and aluminum powders of the ASD-1 brand showed the presence of nanoscale particles in them. Nanoscale dust particles pollute the air of the working area and solid horizontal surfaces at certain stages of the production of energy-intensive materials. There are nanoscale particles in the composition of powders of some standard components of formulations. Flushes from solid horizontal surfaces are an adequate qualitative indicator of the presence of nanoaerosols in the air of the working area.

Risks of health disorders in pedagogical, medical workers and preventive measures

The formation of a healthy lifestyle and a healthy lifestyle in the work of various activities, developing a program that includes appropriate measures to correct the functional state of employees of nervous and emotional labor, is currently one of the essential areas of occupational health. The study aims to assess the prevalence of behavioral risk factors for health disorders and the effectiveness of measures to correct overstrain in pedagogical and medical workers, depending on the personal level of anxiety. The researchers conducted comprehensive physiological and hygienic studies. We described behavioral risk factors, awareness of health-saving issues based on a questionnaire (346 teachers), a professional graphical assessment of the intensity of efforts. Psychophysical studies help to study the states of various functions of the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system, psychological testing, and general physical performance (GPP) according to the RWC170 test when evaluating the implemented model of motor activity and assess the effectiveness of relaxation in the shungite room. We performed static processing of the data obtained using statistical programs EpiInfo 3.5.2., Statistica 10, Microsoft Excel 2010 using adequate methods of statistical analysis. The study of the prevalence of the factors risky cheek of life for the health of teachers revealed insufficient physical activity (61.1% (95% CI 54.7-67.2)), inadequate sleep duration (46.1% (95% CI 40.0-52.4)), eating disorders (16.2% (95% CI 11.9-21.5)) tobacco smoking (15.8% (95% CI 11.5-20.9)). The developed and implemented regime, which increases the volume of motor activity to 8-9 hours a week instead of 3-4 hours, contributed to an increase in resistance to stress effects, a decrease in the percentage of identified teachers with a low level of physical fitness. A high degree of nervous and emotional tension in the work of general practitioners, the possibility of infection with COVID-19 leads to the formation of a high level of anxiety in a significant part (63.7-72.2%) of medical workers, which indicates the purposefulness of a psychological correction measure. The conducted production studies have shown the usefulness of using in programs for correcting the functional conformity of pedagogical and medical workers, an increase in motor activity using physical culture and sports, and relaxation in the shungite room.

Features of temporary disability of various categories of employees

The purpose of the study was to analyze the materials of temporary disability due to illness or injury of employees engaged in various types of activities. The data is presented for two years (2018-2019). One group - employees of offices, the second group-employees of working specialties. In each group of employees, temporary disability sheets received in connection with an injury or illness for two years (2018-2019) were analyzed. A number of relative indicators that do not depend on the number of employees of these organizations are determined: the multiplicity of disability (the number of cases of disability per 1 employee with disability); the duration of disability (the number of days of disability per 1 case of disability). It is shown that the share of sick leaves for diseases and domestic injuries among employees of the office and industrial organization differs in the age groups: 20-29 years and 30-39 years: making up, respectively: 10.1% and 83.7%; 60.6% and 77.7%. The multiplicity of domestic injuries in employees of a production organization is 1.4 times higher than the corresponding indicator of office employees, equal to 1.0, and the average duration of each case of domestic injuries in employees of a production organization is shorter than in office employees by 2.3-2.6 times. The average duration of each case of the disease is longer in office employees than in employees of a production organization: 9.9 days and 6.3 days on average per year, respectively.

Assessment of occupational intoxication with aromatic hydrocarbons of the blood of oil and gas industry workers in modern conditions

The oil and gas sector is an essential part of the technical and economic complex of the Russian Federation. The most significant hygienic significance in the oil and gas processing industry is the chemical factor, represented by a complicated complex of harmful substances of hazard class 1-4 with different effects on the body. The study aims to assess the content of benzene and its homologs in the blood of workers of the oil and gas processing industry due to the industrial exposure of chemical factors for five and more than 20 years. Materials and methods. Researchers carried out whole blood samples of 380 oil and gas processing industry workers. They selected two groups for comparison: the main groups of professions (observation group, n=290) and workers not employed in the technological process (comparison group, n=90). During the survey, the scientists have found that with an increase in work experience in the industry up to 10 years, the average group content of toluene, o-xylene, and p,-m-xylene in the blood of workers of the main groups of professions increased from 0.00075 mcg/cm3, 0.00028 mcg/cm3, and 0.00006 mcg/cm3, respectively, to 0.00083 mcg/cm3, 0.00039 mcg/cm3 and 0.00013 mcg/cm3 with more than 20 years of experience in the industry. Those working in the industry in contact with arenas for five and more than 20 years have an increase in the content of cyclic organic compounds in the blood up to 2 times, with an increase in the percentage of blood samples from workers of the primary professions with the content of toluene, o-xylene, and p,-m-xylene up to 83%, 26%, and 13%, respectively. This position confirms the established linear relationships and indicators of the correlation between the content of benzene and o-xylene in the blood of workers of the leading professions and work experience. Workers interacting with risk factors for more than 20 years may get occupational diseases (R2=0.82). With a work experience of more than 20 years, the concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons in workers' blood is 1.5-2 times higher relative to the group of workers not engaged in the technological process. Under experimental studies, we established a correlation between the level of aromatic hydrocarbons (hazard class 1-3 with unidirectional effects on the body) in the blood and work experience in the industry. It is pretty apparent the need to introduce biomonitoring in production to assess the complex intake of substances into the body of workers.

The experience in studying the health status of liquidators to eliminate environmental pollution associated with the production of chemical products

Introduction. Maintaining health and achieving professional longevity is a priority task of medical support for specialists in the power and civil structures of Russia. It is especially important to take into account the impact of several factors of the labour process, as, for example, in the work to eliminate environmental pollution from enterprises producing chemical products, in particular, in the shop of mercury electrolysis. The study aims to explore the health status of employees of law enforcement agencies and civilian personnel involved in the elimination of environmental pollution in the city of Usolye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk region as a result of economic activities associated with the production of chemical products. Material and methods. The study examined 370 people, whose average age was 28.4±5.5 years, with an average work experience of 6.0±1.05 years. The method of clinical observations was used, the analysis of the results of an in-depth medical examination was carried out in the conditions of the professional center of the clinic of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution VSIMEI. The level and structure of morbidity by the main classes of chronic diseases have been studied. Results. As a result of the analysis of the data of the periodic medical examination, the structural composition of nosological forms of diseases was presented as follows: diseases of the cardiovascular system - 10%, ophthalmological diseases - 5%, endocrinological diseases - 5%, diseases of ENT organs - 10%, practically healthy persons - 70%. The mercury levels were determined at zero values, with the exception of 4 samples, in which the mercury content in the studied urine samples did not exceed the permissible level established by WHO (10 μg / L), the mercury levels in hair samples did not exceed the biologically permissible level (0.0-2,0 μg/g). Conclusion. This study showed the importance of medical examinations using extended examination methods and the need to monitor the health status of liquidators, since the safety of the work carried out also depends on the quality of workers' health.

Social and hygienic problems and mortality of the population after the liquidation of a city-forming enterprise for the production of chemically hazardous substances (on the example of Usolye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk region)

Introduction. In Usolye-Sibirskoye, after the liquidation of the town-forming enterprise "Usoliekhimprom", the socio-economic and demographic situation sharply worsened, and environmental problems accumulated since the 30s of the twentieth century aggravated. For the period 1990-2019, the city's population decreased by almost 30%. The study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the mortality rate of the male and female population of Usolye-Sibirskoye, the Irkutsk Oblast and Russia and assess the contribution of a certain age and gender groups (children, working-age, and post-working age) to the formation of super-mortality in the population. Materials and methods. The study base was the primary data of the Federal State Statistics Service (Table C-51 "The number of deaths by sex, age and specific causes of death" and 2PN "Population by sex and age"). We calculated the age-specific for 5-year age groups and age-standardized mortality rates from all causes of death separately for the male and female population of Usolye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk Oblast and Russia for ten years (2010-2019) and traced them dynamics. Standardization was carried out by a direct method (the standard is the population of Russia according to the 2010 census). Considering the small population of the city and the resulting fluctuations in the mortality rate in individual years, to obtain stable indicators, we summarized the data on mortality for ten years (2010-2019) and calculated the average coefficients. We performed similar calculations for the region and country. We also assessed the contribution of certain age and gender groups (children, working and post-working ages) to the formation of excess mortality. Results. During 2010-2019 among the male and female populations of Usolye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk Oblast and Russia, there was a steady decrease in mortality, but in the city, higher rates and slower rates of their decline were recorded compared to the region and the country. As a result, at the end of the observation period, the gap between the city's mortality rate and the compared territories increased even more. The most significant demographic losses occurred in the working age, where the average mortality rate for men and women over ten years was 28 and 37%, respectively, higher than the regional and 1.8 and 2.2 times the national average. Conclusion. Thus, the main contribution to the excess mortality of the population of Usolye-Sibirskoye is made by men and women of working age (from 53.6% to 72.5% depending on the comparison area), which, on the one hand, maybe a consequence of the influence of harmful and dangerous working conditions. In combination with a polluted environment, on the other hand, it may be due to the termination of the operation of a city-forming enterprise and the inevitable increase in unemployment and socio-economic tension in these conditions.

Adapting the Form of the sanitary and hygienic characteristics of working conditions to the new Sanitary Law

Introduction. The current Form No. 362-1/y-2001 "The sanitary and hygienic characteristics for the working conditions of an employee having suspicion of an occupational disease (poisoning)" does not meet the requirements of Sanitary Law developed within the framework of the "regulatory guillotine". It complicates the investigation of occupational diseases and carrying out an objective examination of the connection between the disease and the profession. The study aims to analyze the Form for the sanitary and hygienic characteristics (SHC) of working conditions and substantiate proposals for its adaptation to the current regulatory legal acts to objectify the investigation of occupational diseases cases and the examination of the connection between the disease and the profession. Materials and methods. We carried out the expert-analytical study. We analyzed and compared data from Rospotrebnadzor (2001-2020) on occupational morbidity and Rosstat (2014-2020) on employment in harmful and (or) hazardous working conditions. We also studied the SHC (503) submitted for examination of the connection between disease and profession (including forensic medical examination). The structure of the Form for the completeness of the presentation of issues on various aspects of working conditions, the quality of the compilation and content of the SHS was determined in accordance with the current Sanitary Law. The authors evaluated the structure of the Form for the presentation of questions on various aspects of working conditions, determined the quality of the compilation and content of the SHC in accordance with the current Sanitary Law. Results. With a decrease in the number of newly registered cases of occupational diseases over 20 years by more than 3.7 times, the share of workers in harmful and(or) hazardous working conditions in the main types of economic activity decreased in 2020 relative to 2014 in 1,1 time (37.3%). A comparative assessment of the standardized indicators of harmful production factors specified in the SHC and the ones approved in SanPiN 1.2.3685-21 revealed their complete inconsistency. The results of in-depth analysis of 503 SGH allowed us to determine the most typical errors in assessing production factors at workplaces: incorrect assessment of standardized single-digit noise indicators (equivalent sound level A for an 8-hour working day), vibration (equivalent level corrected along the Z-, Y-, X-axes ); lack of data on dust load and the average value of air temperature - THC-index; assessment of the labour severity without considering the technological operations performed, etc. We noted the predominant assessment of working conditions by the main factor developing an occupational disease, without considering the accompanying risk factors that aggravate its effect. We also noted a significant underestimation of the levels when assessing the general transport, technological and technological vibration due to the differences between hygienic standards and the norms adopted in the Methodology for conducting a special assessment of working conditions. SCH contains no information on lighting, biological factor, labour intensity in 67.0-75.0% of cases. Conclusion. We substantiated proposals for improving Form No. 362-1/y-2001 of the SHC of working conditions, considering an electronic form of the document, revising the instructions for filling out the SHC.

On assessment of Rospotrebnadzor surveillance and control activities efficiency and effectiveness aimed at preserving the health of workers

In order to achieve the national development purposes of the Russian Federation for the protection and improvement of public health as declared in the strategic documents, under conditions of limited budgetary resources it is relevant to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public administration, including that of organizations carrying out control and supervision functions. The aim of the study was to develop methods for assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of Rospotrebnadzor control and supervision activities and the interpretation of the assessment results, as well as to test the proposed approaches in the analysis of the regional distribution of efficiency and effectiveness indicators in the Russian Federation Regions. Using methods of mathematical statistics, the cause-effect relationships between medical and demographic indicators, environmental quality indicators and Rospotrebnadzor activities in the triple system "Rospotrebnadzor activities - environmental quality - public health" were established and parameterized. The actual and prevented health and demographic (morbidity and mortality) economic losses associated with the negative impact of environmental factors have been assessed as a result of control and supervision activities. The calculation of indicative indicators of effectiveness and efficiency of control and supervision activities of Rospotrebnadzor in the Russian Federation Regions and the Russian Federation in general, has been carried out. The analysis of the regional distribution of the indicator of the effectiveness of the control and supervision activities of Rospotrebnadzor is performed. Using the method of k-means cluster analysis, typology of the Russian Federation Regions was carried out according to a set of indicators characterizing the performance of Rospotrebnadzor, the level of macroeconomic development of the region and the amount of funds allocated for control and surveillance activities to ensure sanitary and epidemiological welfare in the Russian Federation Regions. The results obtained from the analysis of the regional distribution of indicative indicators and the typology of the Russian Federation Regions (compared with the national average) can be used as a reference point for the Russian Federation Regions when assessing management reserves and developing programmes of measures to reduce risks to public health.

Hygienic analysis of violations of sanitary and epidemiological requirements for working conditions in the field of "Mining" before and after the introduction of a risk-oriented model of control and supervisory activities (on the example of the Perm Region)

In the Russian Federation, "Mining" is a priority activity in the group "Activities in the field of industry and agriculture" for the potential risk of harm to health. The study aims to perform a hygienic analysis of violations of sanitary and epidemiological requirements for working conditions in the field of "Mining" (on the example of the Perm Region) before and after the introduction of a risk-oriented model of control and supervisory activities to manage risks to the health of the working population. Scientists performed a study according to the data of 49 inspection acts by the Rospotrebnadzor Department in the Perm Region to facilities operating in the field of "Mining," before and after the introduction of a risk-based approach (for the periods 2013-2016 and 2017-2019), using standard analysis methods. Implemented in practice in 2016, the risk-oriented approach to the control and supervision of working conditions provides for the attribution of the activities of a legal entity, an individual entrepreneur, and (or) production facilities used by them in the implementation of this activity to a particular risk category under MP 5.1.0116-17. The study used data from the Federal Register of economic entities (legal entities/sole proprietors) subject to sanitary and epidemiological supervision as of 2020; data from Rosstat and Permstat on the number of employees engaged in work with harmful and(or) dangerous working conditions, data from Rospotrebnadzor and the Department of Rospotrebnadzor in the Perm Region on occupational morbidity for 2019. The average number of violations of sanitary and epidemiological requirements to working conditions per year per economic entity in the field of Mining in the Perm Region since 2017 (since the introduction of the risk-based model of sanitary and epidemiological surveillance) has significantly decreased (p<0.05) from 62 violations (in 2013-2016) to 31 (in 2017-2019), mainly due to a significant 2.5-fold decrease in the number of breaches of the requirements of Federal Law No. 52-FZ per entity - from 30 violations to 12. In 2017-2019, the average number of violations of the requirements for working conditions per year per subject significantly decreased compared to 2013-2016 (p<0.05) due to a reduction in violations of the requirements for the maintenance of industrial and household premises (by 11.9 times). In the period 2017-2019, regarding 2013-2016, the contribution of violations under requirements for the maintenance of industrial and household premises, ventilation decreased by an average of 5.37 and 6.07 times, respectively, increased to overalls and PPE, production control by 3.16 and 1.67 times. The results obtained indicate that introducing a risk-based approach has led to a decrease in the number of violations of sanitary and epidemiological requirements for working conditions in the field of Mining in the Perm Region since 2017. As well as an increase in the overall structure of violations of the proportion of violations of requirements, non-compliance with which can lead to severe consequences for human health (increased the proportion of violations of requirements for overalls, PPE, working conditions with a PC, production control).

New coronavirus infection as an occupational disease: complex expert cases

Introduction. The professional activity of medical workers (MW) is in close contact with daily contact with various factors of the production environment: physical, chemical, biological, and labor processes. Until 2020, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis prevailed in the structure of occupational diseases (OD) of the medical workers in the Russian Federation. According to the State report "On the state of sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population in the Russian Federation in 2020," the first ranking the second place in the structure of occupational diseases, depending on the impact of harmful production factor took the illnesses associated with the action of biological factors - 20,19%, while the main reason for the growth in the incidence of healthcare workers in coronavirus infection COVID-19 (further COVID-19). The study aims were to identify problematic aspects in the establishment of the COVID-19 work from MW. Materials and methods. We have given descriptions of clinical cases, as well as a retrospective analysis of issues of OD according to the patient registers of the following medical institutions: the Center of Occupational Pathology of Sechenov University, the Republican Center of Occupational Pathology of the Ministry of Health, Republic of Tatarstan, the Regional Center of Occupational Pathology of the Samara Region. Results. In 2020, COVID-19 was the most common OD with fatal outcomes and complications in healthcare workers. Today, difficulties in determining the connection of COVID-19 with the profession arise when assessing the epidemiological history, the consequences after a coronavirus infection, and the formulation of the diagnosis. Conclusions. For a qualitative examination of the connection of COVID-19 with the profession, it is necessary to develop a list of clinical conditions with the definition of the timing of complications.