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Work Environment and Ergonomics

Abstract

This course introduces students to the core principles of occupational hygiene, focusing on the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of workplace hazards. Through lectures and practical exercises, students will learn to assess and mitigate exposure to key risk factors, including chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic hazards. The course emphasizes practical skills in measuring workplace exposures and conducting health risk assessments, using tools like control banding. Students will also explore preventive measures to protect worker health, with a focus on ergonomic risks in office settings as part of a semester project.

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Work Environment and Ergonomics

Author: Kocůrková, Lucie
Year: 2024
Source: https://dspace.vsb.cz/bitstreams/ce6b014a-adc3-4d2b-ab9d-2d641e64c45e/download
Dus in he wo kplace
Lucie Koců ko á
Con en
1. In oduc ion
2. Co e de ini ions
3. Legal amewo k
4. Fac o cha ac e iza ion
5. En y, deposi ion and
e ec s on he human
o ganism
6. Occupa ional diseases
7. Heal h isk assessmen
8. P e en ion
9. Conclusion 2
Lea ning ou comes
•Cha ac e ize he isk ac o (RF) DUST
•Discuss he e ec s o he RF on he
human o ganism
•Cha ac e ize ela ed occupa ional
diseases
•De ine me hods o measu emen
(objec i ica ion) o he ac o
•Assess heal h isks
•P opose and ad oca e p e en i e
measu es
E alua ion
Syn hesis
Analysis
Applica ion
Comp ehension
Knowledge
3
1. In oduc ion
A signi ican ac o o (non)p o essional exposu e
5
Obsah ob ázku ex
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky
Obsah ob ázku ex , sníh, ex e ié , pří oda
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky

Raising impo ance
6
(ILO, 2021)
2. Co e de ini ions
O e iew o co e e ms
•Ae osol – dus , ume, smoke, ibe …
•F ac ion –inhalable, ho acic,
espi able, o al
•Occupa ional exposu e limi (OEL) –
Pe missible Exposu e Limi (PEL)
•Inhala ion exposu e –b ea hing zone,
size-selec i e sampling, g a ime ic
echnique, eal- ime sampling
(moni o ing)
•Occupa ional (Wo k- ela ed) diseases
–As hma b onchiale,
Pneumokoniosis, Silicosis, Asbes osis,
Meso helioma
8
… will be explained one by one du ing he lec u e
3. Legal F amewo k
Wo kplace haza ds
h p://ehqsconsul ing.com/wp-con en /uploads/2015/04/Occupa ionalSa e yHaza ds- low-cha .png
16

Dus Included in Chemical Fac o s (Agen s)
17
(98/24/EC)
(OHTA, 2019)
Included OR no ? … in Czech legisla ion
18
Chemical ac o s a e di ided in o:
•subs ances and mix u es in gene al,
•lead,
•dus ,
•ca cinogens,
•mu agens,
•subs ances oxic o ep oduc ion and
•Asbes os
HEAD III: Condi ions o heal h p o ec ion while wo king wi h
chemical ac o s and dus
Di ision 1 - Gene al p ocedu es and p o ec ion agains
excessi e exposi ion (Sec ions 9 - 12)
Di ision 2 - Lead (Sec ions 13 - 15)
Di ision 3 - Chemical ca cinogens, mu agens, elemen s oxic o
ep oduc ion and chemical p ocesses wi h isk o chemical
ca cinogenici y (Sec ions 16 - 18)
Di ision 4 - Asbes os (Sec ions 19 - 21)
(Go Reg 361/2007 Coll. - §2, pa . 1)
Risk ac o s in Czech legisla ion
•Dec ee 432/2003 Coll. de ines wo k ca ego iza ion c i e ia o 13 RFs:
1. Dus
2. Chemical subs ances
and mix u es
3. Noise
4. Vib a ion
5. Non-ionizing adia ion
6. Physical load
7. Body pos u e
8. Hea s ess
9. Cold s ess
10. Men al load
11. Visual load
12. Biological agen s
13. Inc eased ai p essu e
19
Dus in Occupa ional hygiene
•Dus is a polydispe se solid ae osol ha is c ea ed by human ac i i y du ing he
mechanical p ocessing o solid ma e ials (ex ac ion o aw ma e ials, cu ing,
g inding, d illing), du ing comminu ion p ocesses (g inding, c ushing), bu also
wi hou in e en ion, e.g. by dispe sing pa icles om an un ea ed ea h's
su ace due o cu en s ai , olcanic ac i i y, ae osol o ma ion on he sea coas .
•The size o dus pa icles is 1 o 100 µm, pa icles la ge han 30 µm a e e e ed
o as coa se dus and hey sedimen quickly in he en i onmen unde no mal
condi ions.
•Du ing he mal p ocesses (combus ion o o ganic subs ances) smoke wi h
pa icles o 0.01 o 0.5 µm is p oduced, du ing chemical oxida ion p ocesses
(welding) ume wi h pa icles o 0.1 o 1 µm is eleased.
•In hygienic p ac ice, he e m dus e e s o all solid ae osols.
20
Asbes os
•Collec i e designa ion o a ious ib ous silica es, he common
ea u e o which is ibe spinabili y, hea esis ance and ela i e
chemical s abili y.
•In na u e, hey a e ound in wo main g oups: amphibole (mo e
dange ous o heal h), se pen ine.
•A ypical cha ac e is ic o asbes os is he o ma ion o a long hin
ib ous s uc u e, he ibe s end o spli along hei leng h.
•Asbes os was p e iously massi ely used as a e ac o y ma e ial (i s
non- lammabili y and signi ican hea esis ance we e used in he
p oduc ion o p o ec i e i e- esis an i e igh ing equipmen and in
he cons uc ion indus y).
•P o en g oup 1 human ca cinogen (IARC) → use o asbes os
p ohibi ed.
21
Ta o o ka od au o a Neznámý au o s licencí CC BY-ND

Ae osol
•A dispe sion sys em wi h a gaseous dispe sion medium and a solid o liquid
dispe sion componen .
•Suspension o ine solid pa icles o liquid d ople s in ai o ano he gas.
22
Classi ica ion o Ae osols (1)
Acco ding o he o igin o he pa icles:
•Na u al ae osols: clouds and ogs, a mosphe ic dus , plan pollen, bac e ial
and ungal spo es (Bioae osol)
•An h opogenic ae osols:
•Ae osols in en ionally p epa ed (e.g. du ing gasi ica ion o solid o liquid uels o
du ing he applica ion o pain s and a nishes, sp aying o insec icides, ungicides and
he bicides in ag icul u e, in medicine, e c.)
•Undesi able (accompanying) phenomenon o echnological / wo k ope a ions
(welding, cu ing, g inding, e c.)
23
Classi ica ion o Ae osols (2)
Acco ding o he s a e o dispe sion componen :
•Mis s wi h a liquid dispe sion componen
•Fumes and dus s wi h a solid dispe sion componen
•Smogs and smokes ha con ain bo h solids and liquids
24
Ta o o ka od au o a Neznámý au o s licencí CC BY Ta o o ka od au o a Neznámý au o s licencí CC BY
Classi ica ion o Ae osols (3)
Acco ding o he mechanism o o ma ion:
Dispe sion me hods:
•Mechanical comminu ion (c ushing, g inding, e c.) and subsequen
sca e ing o dispe sion pa icles in he gas s eam (e.g. coal, lime, cemen ,
lou , suga )
•Liquid sp aying
•Me al spu e ing in an elec ic a c o high- equency discha ge (e.g. oxide
umes)
•Fi ewo ks explosion
25
32

33
Deposi ion o pa icles in he espi a o y sys em
34
Sel -cleaning sys em
▪Sel -cleaning o he lungs (clea ance) om solid pa icles has wo componen s:
▪In he uppe espi a o y ac , i esides in he mucus coa ing o he mucous memb ane and is anspo ed by cilia ed
mo emen .
▪The al eola componen depends bo h on a mobile co e ing ilm and on phagocy osis.
▪These physiological mechanisms anspo up o 90% o inhaled dus o he pha ynx.
▪Sel -cleaning can ail due o excessi e dus ing (o e -exposu e) o damage o he sel -cleaning
p ocesses.
▪„Dus depo “ is c ea ed when he al eola memb anes eac o dus pa icles ha ha e no been
emo ed by physiological mechanisms.
35
▪High concen a ions o dus in he ai cause dus pa icles o se le in he eyes, nose and mou h and he associa ed
discom o .Long- e mexposu e o heseconcen a ions,e en o dus wi hou speci ice ec s(some imescalled"ine "),
o e loads hesel -cleaningmechanisms o helungs, educes heo e all de ensecapaci yo ape son andcancon ibu e
o hede elopmen o ch onicb onchi is.In addi ion, hemechanicalac iono hesepa iclesand hei emo alcancause
inju y o heskino mucousmemb anes.
▪Fib ogenicdus is able o induce he o ma iono pulmona y ib osis,i.e.inc easedg ow ho issuein helungs.C ys alline
silica in he o m o qua z, c is obali e o idymi e, as well as he gamma o m o aluminum oxide, is conside ed a
ib ogeniccomponen .
▪Thee ec o i i a ingdus sis mos o enmani es edby mechanicali i a iono hemucousmemb aneso he espi a o y
ac , he conjunc i a o he eyes and he skin, and in mo e sensi i e people also by alle gic eac ions. Some dus s,
especiallyo o ganico igin,cancausehype sensi i i y,mani es ingasb onchialas hma, o example.
(SZÚ, 2008)
E ec s o dus on he human o ganism (1)
36
▪In ec ious dus , which con ains pa hogens apped on dus pa icles, can cause se ious illnesses, including bac e ial and
ungalin ec ionscausedbybioae osols.
▪In addi ion o locale ec son he espi a o ysys em, oxicdus scanalsocausesys emicin oxica ion.Dus scon aining oxic
subs ancesa eabso bedby heblood,which henleads o an ad e see ec on issuesando gans,e endis an om he
poin o en yo heha m ulsubs ance.
▪Ca cinogenicdus scancausecance wheninhaledinpeoplewhoa eexposed o hesedus s.
(SZÚ, 2008)
E ec s o dus on he human o ganism (2)
37
Classi ica ion o dus s acco ding o heal h e ec
A. Dus wi h a oxic e ec
B. Dus wi hou oxic e ec
C. Dus s wi h a p edominan ly ib ogenic e ec (qua z, g aphi e, black
coal, coke, alc)
D. Dus s wi h a possible ib ogenic e ec (amo phous SiO2, welding umes,
umes con aining ch omium (VI), ben oni e)
E. Dus s wi h a mos ly non-speci ic e ec (cemen , ma ble, b own coal,
cinde , limes one, ly ash)
F. Dus s wi h a p edominan ly i i a ing e ec (linen, cemen , u , lou ,
spices)
G. Mine al ib ous dus s (asbes os, a i icial mine al ibe s) (Go Reg 361/2007: A 3, Pa A)

6. Occupa ional diseases
Diseases caused by dus s
39
Obsah ob ázku ex
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky
Obsah ob ázku ex
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky
Eu opean Occupa ional Diseases S a is ics (EODS)
Obsah ob ázku ex
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky
Obsah ob ázku s ůl
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky
40
Occupa ional Diseases in he Czechia
Obsah ob ázku ex
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky
41
7. Heal h Risk Assessmen

49
▪Heal h isk assessmen o employees who a e exposed o dus a wo k includes
a) de ec ing he p esence o dus in he wo kplace
b) de ec ion o dange ous p ope ies o dus ha may a ec he heal h o he employee
c) asce aining he le el, ype and du a ion o exposu e
d) desc ip ion o echnological and wo k ope a ions associa ed wi h he de elopmen o dus
e) use o da a on Pe missible exposu e limi s (PELs)
) assessmen o he e ec o measu es aken o p o ec he employee's heal h a wo k
g) use o conclusions om al eady pe o med medical examina ions and o he examina ions, use o conclusions om
ex ao dina y e en s and o he in o ma ion om a ailable sou ces
h) condi ions unde which excessi e exposu e o dus may occu as a esul o an eme gency
Gene al p ocedu e (1)
(Go Reg 361/2007: §10)
50
▪The HRA o dus mus also include wo k ela ed o main enance o cleaning and wo k du ing which
he employee may be exposed o excessi e dus exposu e.
Gene al p ocedu e (2)
(Go Reg 361/2007: §10)
51
Occupa ional exposu e limi (OEL)
(98/24/EC)
Pe missible exposu e limi (PEL)
The PEL o dus is he whole-shi ime-weigh ed a e age o he concen a ions o gases,
apo s o ae osols in he wo king a mosphe e o which, acco ding o he cu en s a e o
knowledge, an employee can be exposed in an 8-hou shi o sho e weekly wo king ime,
wi hou causing heal h damage e en wi h li elong occupa ional exposu e, o endange his
wo king abili y and pe o mance. (Go Reg 361/2007: §9, pa . 1-2)
52
▪Limi alues  o ae osols a e gi en in mg.m-3 o ac ual en i onmen al condi ions in e ms o
empe a u e and p essu e.
▪Limi alues  o ibe s a e gi en in numbe o ibe s/cm3 o in numbe o ibe s/cm3 o ac ual
en i onmen al condi ions in e ms o wo kplace empe a u e and p essu e.
PELs me ics
(Go Reg 361/2007: §9, pa . 9)
PELs o espi able and o al ac ions
▪Pe missible exposu e limi o he o al concen a ion o dus is deno ed PELc
▪Pe missible exposu e limi o espi able dus ac ion PEL
(Go Reg 361/2007: A3, Pa A)
53
PELs o dus s
(Go Reg 361/2007: A3, Pa A)

54
PELs o dus mix u es
Whe e
PELs is he PEL o he mix u e,
PEL1 o PELn is he pe missible exposu e limi o indi idual subs ances 1 o n,
%x1 o %xn is he weigh sha e o indi idual subs ances 1 o n in pe cen .)
•The pe missible exposu e limi o a mix u e o dus s (PELs) wi h di e en pe missible
exposu e limi s is de e mined by calcula ion om he pe missible exposu e limi o
indi idual dus s acco ding o he o mula:
(Go Reg 361/2007: A3, Pa A)
55
PELs a y wi hin he EU … illus a ion
Obsah ob ázku s ůl
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky
(Sou ce : IMA-Eu ope. Da e : Decembe 2020)
Obsah ob ázku ex
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky
56
57
▪Exe cices (class/lab) wi h Sa ka Be na iko a
Exposu e moni o ing and measu emen
Obsah ob ázku ex , osoba, in e ié , elek onika
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky
Measu emen o he inhalable dus ac ion
(Illus a ion)
Minimum measu es - excessi e exposu e
•I , in he e en o an eme gency, he a ailable echnical measu es a e no
su icien o limi he employee's excessi e exposu e o dus o an
accep able le el, hey mus be:
a) he numbe o employees a his wo kplace is limi ed o hose who pe o m
necessa y wo k
b) he employee who pe o ms he wo k acco ding o le e a), p o ided wi h PPE
app op ia e o he dus and he expec ed le el o exposu e
c) a con amina ed a ea de ined by a con olled zone
d) he ime o dus exposu e o an employee who pe o ms necessa y wo k in he
con olled zone, educed o he smalles possible ex en
e) a e he elimina ion o he causes o he eme gency, a con ol measu emen o
dus is always ensu ed
64
(Go Reg 361/2007: §12)

Elimina ion/Subs i u ion
•Change in echnology → eplace dus -p oducing echnologies wi h
echnologies in which lowe dus iness o dus is less se ious, o no dus is
c ea ed a all (e.g. sho -blas ing s. sand blas ing, wa e -je d illing, using
pas es ins ead o powde ma e ials)
65
Enginee ing con ols
•Enclosu e o dus sou ces (e.g. hooding o machines, o e lows, e c.)
•Local ex ac ion (e.g. ock d illing wi h ex ac ion, g inding wi h ex ac ion)
•P ecipi a ion o dus by wa e sp inkling o wa e wi h we ing agen s (no e:
does no gua an ee su icien e iciency o cap u e small pa icles o he
espi able ac ion)
•Dilu ion o dus by gene al en ila ion o he space (no e he di ec ion o ai
low should be chosen so ha he wo ke is in a s eam o unpollu ed ai )
•Isola ing he wo ke om he dus y en i onmen , o example by placing him
in a closed cabin.
66
67
▪Local Exhaus Ven ila ion
Ta o o ka od au o a Neznámý au o s licencí CC BY-SA-NC
Obsah ob ázku osoba, ys a ač
Popis byl y ořen au oma icky
Enginee ing con ols → Illus a ion (1)
h ps://pa agon ools.com.au/g inding-conc e e-wi h-angle-g inde /
68
▪Maximum co e ing and he me iciza ion (i.e. isola ion om he ex e nal
a mosphe e) o p oduc ion acili ies (sou ces o pollu an s)
Enginee ing con ols → Illus a ion (2)
(Siko o á, 2008)
69
▪Adjus men o wo k aids
Enginee ing con ols → Illus a ion (3)
(Siko o á, 2008)
▪Sepa a ion o he wo ke om he
sou ce
(Siko o á, 2008)

Adminis a i e con ols
•Obse e he speci ied me hod and mode o wo k (e.g. do no emo e
deposi ed dus by blowing wi h comp essed ai )
•P e en accumula ion o se led dus by cleaning, sp aying loo s wi h wa e ,
e c.
•Limi a ion o he o al wo king ime in a dus y en i onmen : one o he basic
measu es o he p e en ion o silicosis and pneumoconiosis o coal mine s.
Fo wo k in mines whe e he e is an inc eased isk, he highes pe missible
exposu e is de e mined by an indi idual decision o he Occupa ional Heal h
Au ho i y (de ined by he numbe o shi s ha a mine is allowed o wo k in
a gi en job - a e i is exhaus ed, he mus be ans e ed o a non- isky job)
70
(Málek e . al., 2014)
71
▪Hygiene loop
Adminis a i e con ols → Illus a ion (1)
(Siko o á, 2008)
„Di y“
changing oom
„Clean“
changing oom
Wash oom wi h
showe s
A e wo k shi Lea ing wo k
72
▪Cleaning –d y s. we
Adminis a i e con ols → Illus a ion (2)
(Siko o á, 2008)
O he (Indi idual) con ols
•Use o pe sonal p o ec i e equipmen (PPE) o p o ec he espi a o y
sys em om dus (No e: PPE a e always a empo a y solu ion – educing
exposu e o dus mus be undamen ally add essed by echnical and
o ganiza ional measu es)
•P e en i e medical examina ions (in oduc ion, pe iodic and exi ) + ollow-
up examina ions a e he end o „ isky“ wo k
73
(Málek e . al., 2014)
NPO_VŠB-TUO_MSMT-16605/2022
Thank you o you a en ion
lucie.kocu ko [email p o ec ed]
This wo k is licensed unde CC BY 4.0