On Exposure of Workers in Sections Handling Organic Solvents within Hospitals to Benzene, Xylene, and Toluene

병원 내 근로자 중 유기용제를 취급하는 부서에서 벤젠, 크실렌, 톨루엔의 노출 여부에 관한 연구

Due to the development and expansion of industries and medical standards, the number of workers who handle organic solvents within hospitals is increasing. The authors in this study intended to investigate the actual conditions of the handling of the solvents and to encourage the recognition that the exposure to such solvents may be possible because of insensitivity to safety. In order to investigate the actual conditions of exposure of workers within hospitals, the experimental group included the three sections (Pathology department, Central Supply Room, and Operating Room), which handle organic solvents most frequently. Meanwhile, university interns were selected to be the control group. This study was conducted between May 1 to May 30, 2007, and urine was taken as samples. Hippuric acid, mandelic acid, methylhippuric acid, and phenylglyoxylic acid were analyzed through gas chromatography, and a total of 52 subjects of the experimental and the control groups were performed of the analysis. As for the results of the analysis of the experimental group, the exposure to benzene was $42.27{\pm}3.70mg/g$ creatinine, that of xylene was $1.30{\pm}0.18g/g$ creatinine, and that of toluene was $2.36{\pm}0.24g/g$ creatinine. Meanwhile, the results of the analysis of the control group showed that the exposure to benzene was $15.54{\pm}2.85mg/g$ creatinine, that of xylene was $0.52{\pm}0.02g/g$ creatinine, and that of toluene was $0.85{\pm}0.20g/g$ creatinine. The amount of exposure to benzene, xylene, and toluene was shown to be under the maximum permitted level, but as for Pathology department, it was required to educate on working conditions, to educate workers on prevention management about their health, and to install fume hood and exhaust system to improve the environments.