Chemical Factors Of Occupational Hazards Risk Assessment Index System And Its Application

BackgroundWith the rapid industrialization of China, the problem of occupational hazards has attracted more and more concern and attention. Preventing, reducing and eliminating the risk of occupational hazards and then protecting the workers'health have been considered into the legal management. These indexes have been used to measure the performance of the different level government. Chemical factor is one of the three major occupational hazards factors. It is also the most prominent and complex factor with adverse effects and consequences on the workers'health . So it is important to control the hazards of chemical factors in the prevention work of occupational diseases. Category management is an effective measure in prevention and control of the occupational hazards. Category management can give full play to the existing resources, and insure the existing resources benefit the most. "Category management" has become one of the important principles in the prevention and treatment of occupational diseases in "Occupational Disease Prevention Law". The category management needs scientific and feasible methods for classification of occupational hazards. Indicator system of risk assessment is an important premise and basis for the category management of occupational hazards.At the present, risk assessment is on the initial stage in the field of occupational hygiene. Various risk assessment methods are developing continuously, but simple and easy method of the quantitative risk assessment is still lacking. Therefore, it is important to explore a quantitative, scientific, rational and feasible method for the risk assessment of occupational hazards induced by the chemical factors. The risk assessment not only has great significance in the development of occupational hazards evaluation, but also can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and management of the occupational diseases and elimination of the major risk factors.Objects(1) To establish a indicator system which can fit our country's reality of the occupational hygiene. The indicator system should be scientific, concise, and feasible; it may also apply into risk assessment of occupational hazards in the basic treatment and provide a quantitative method for the evaluation of occupational hazards.(2) To apply the Indicator System of Risk Assessment on Occupational Hazards established in our study in different types of enterprises, and then evaluate its science, objectivity, reliability, and analyze its advantages and disadvantages. It will provide a scientific for improving the Indicator System of Risk Assessment on Occupational Hazards.MethodsEstablish the Indicator of Risk Assessment based on model of"chemical factors -laborers - influencing factors," and according to the domestic and overseas experience, combined with our country's practice work of occupational health. Consult to the experts about the weight of the indicator system established by using the investigation weight method. Analyze the indexes such as the positive coefficient, authoritative coefficient, kendall coefficient and the reliability of the experts consultation questionnaire. Then screen indicators by using methods of the boundary value and the number value transformation combined with the expert opinion. Calculate the Contribution rate through hierarchic analyzing method and determine the weights of each indicator. Create the indicator system of risk assessment and apply it into the different workplaces with the different harm degree. Analyze the hazards in every workplace and then compare with our indicator system and assess its scientific, objective, reliable, and feasible. Results(1) The positive coefficient was 84.8%. The authoritative coefficient, the kendall coefficient and the Cronbachαcoefficient of questionnaire was 0.79, 0.49 and 0.966, respectively. We modified and adjusted the indicators combined with the experts'advice by the methods of the boundary value and the value of the number transformation. This indicator system included three class A indicators, twelve class B indicators and thirty-eight class C indicators.(2) A indicator system of risk assessment on occupational hazards of the chemical factors has been established successfully.(3) The indicator system has been applied to evaluate the workplaces of an electronic materials factory and a shoemaking factory. The results showed that: our indicator system studied the effects on the risk of occupational hazards, taking "chemical factors - characteristics of contacts - factors" into consideration, and overcame the drawbacks that the qualitative evaluation method could not quantitate well. The assessment conclusion was comprehensive, scientific, objective, and feasible. Our study could reflect the actual levels of occupational hazards better, compared with the classification of occupational hazards at workplace and the singapore semi-quantitative method. In addition, this method was able to help the assessor to find out the existing specific problems of occupational hygiene in enterprises, and promote the managers take a way to prevent the occurrence of occupational hazards. This method was also suitable using by grass-roots unit.Conclusion(1) The "indicator system of risk assessment on occupational hazards of chemical factors" has been established successfully.(2) The indicator system was scientific, objective and operable, and suitable using by grass-roots unit.(3) Some weights of several indicators were smaller than expected, then needed further study and improvement.