RESEARCH PAPER
Evaluation of work conditions in a pasta manufacturing plant with particular consideration of dustiness
 
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Physical Occupational Hazards, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin
 
2
Chair and Department of Technology Essentials, University of Natural Sciences, Lublin, Poland
 
3
Chair of Mathematics and Computer Science Applications, University of Natural Sciences, Lublin, Poland
 
 
Corresponding author
Agnieszka Buczaj   

Department of Physical Occupational Hazards, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin
 
 
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2012;19(4):810-816
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Objective:
The objective of the study was evaluation of work conditions in a pasta manufacturing plant, including: physical and psychological load and factors of material work environment. The main aim was determination of the level of employees’ exposure to our dust.

Methods:
Studies of work conditions were conducted in a our processing plant in the Lublin region at the workplace of an automatic production line – operator of the noodle production line, employees packaging pasta, and the manual line – employees responsible for the kneading of dough, cutter operators, and employees engaged in packaging. Energy expenditure, static load and monotony of the movements performed were assessed as a part of the physical load. Mental e ort and monotony of work were assessed as a part of psychological load. Measurements of dustiness, noise, microclimate and lighting were performed according to the Polish standards and regulations in effect. Dust concentrations at work were carried out in the respiratory zone of workers while performing work activities at individual workplaces. Measurements of weight concentrations were carried out in series for individual workplaces, and covered the measurements of concentrations of individual fractions of dust deposited in the sections of the airways (inhaled, thoracic and alveolar).

Results:
The evaluation of work conditions, which covered physical and psychological load and factors of the material occupational environment, showed that their values did not exceed the allowable values contained in respective standards. While kneading dough on the manual line, the highest concentrations of dust were observed of inhaled, thoracic and respirable fractions (12.96 mg/m3; 3.09 mg/m3 and 0.18 mg/m3 respectively), whereas the lowest – at the workplace of an operator of an automatic packer (0.39 mg/m3 0.14 mg/m3 and 0.03 mg/m3). At the workplace of an automatic packer the MAC values for inhaled dust were exceeded. At the remaining workplaces on the manual line, and all workplaces on the automatic line, the MAC values for inhaled and respirable dust were not exceeded.

 
REFERENCES (42)
1.
Bertolini M. Assessment of human reliability factors: A fuzzy cognitive maps approach. Int J Ind Ergonom. 2007; 37: 405-413.
 
2.
Central Institute For Labour Protection – National Research Institute. Develop rules for the monitoring of exposure to harmful and annoying at work, meeting the standards of the European Union in the frameworkof the activities of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions – Section 3. 2004; http://www.ciop.pl (in Polish).
 
3.
Hägg GM. Corporate initiatives in ergonomics—an introduction. Appl Ergonom. 2003; 34(1): 3-15.
 
4.
Jones RJ. . Corporate ergonomics program of a large poultry processor. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1997; 58(2): 132-137.
 
5.
Straker L, Burgess-Limerick R, Pollock C, Egeskov R. A randomized and controlled trial of a participative ergonomics intervention to reduce injuries associated with manual tasks: physical risk and legislative compliance. Ergonomics 2004; 47(2): 166-188.
 
6.
Young VL, Seaton MK, Feely ChA, Arfken C, Edwards DF, Baum CM, Logan S. Detecting cumulative trauma disorders in workers performing repetitive tasks. Am J Ind Med. 1995; 27(3): 419-431.
 
7.
Björing G. Ergonomics in the wood-working industry. Doctoral thesis. Department of Industrial Economics and Management, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. 1998.
 
8.
Norman R, Wells R. Ergonomic Interventions for Reducing Musculoskeletal Disorders: An Overview, Related Issues and Future Directions. Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo. 1998.
 
9.
CIDR Ergonomics in action. A guide to best practices for the food-processing industry. California Department of Industrial Relations. 2003. www.dir.ca.gov/dosh.
 
10.
Juslén HT, Verbossen J, Wouters MCHM. Appreciation of localized task lighting in shift work – A field study in the food industry. Int J Ind Ergonom. 2007; 37: 433-443.
 
11.
Mizoue T, Nishisaka S, Nishikuma K, Yoshimura T. Occupational and lifestyle factors related to musculoskeletal and fatigue symptoms among middle-aged female workers in a frozen food processing factory (Japa). Occup Health Ind Med. 1997; 36(1): 42.
 
12.
Björkstén MG, Boquist B, Talbäck M, Edling C. Neck and shoulder ailments in a group of female industrial workers with monotonous work. Ann Occup Hyg. 1996; 40(6): 661-673.
 
13.
Björkstén MG, Boquist B, Talbäck M, Edling C. Reported neck and shoulder problems in female industrial workers: the importance of factors at work and at home. Int J Ind Ergonom. 2001; 27: 159-170.
 
14.
Heran-Le Roy O, Niedhammer I, Sandret N, Leclerc A. Manual materials handling and related occupational hazards: a national survey in France. Int J Ind Ergonom. 1999; 24: 365-377.
 
15.
Lipscomb HJ, Epling CA, Pompeii LA, Dement JM. Musculoskeletal symptoms among poultry processing workers and a community comparison group: Black women in low-wage jobs in the rural South. Am J Ind Med. 2007; 50(5): 327-338.
 
16.
Ketola R, Toivonen R, Viikari-Juntura E. Interobserver repeatability and validity of an observation method to assess physical loads imposed on the upper extremities. Ergonomics 2001; 44(2): 119-131.
 
17.
State Sanitary Inspection. Chief Inspector report on the activities of the State Sanitary Inspection in 2006. Warsaw 2007 (in Polish).
 
18.
Burdorf A, Lillienberg L, Brisman J, Burdorf A, Lillienberg L, Brisman J. Characterization of exposure to inhalable our dust in Swedish bakeries. Ann Occup Hyg. 1994; 38(1): 67-78.
 
19.
Houba R, Heederik D, Doekers G. Wheat Sensitization and Work-related Symptoms in the Baking Industry Are Preventable. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1998; 158: 1499-1503.
 
20.
Meijster T, Tielemans E, Patter N, Heederik D. Modelling exposure in flour processing sectors in the Netherlands: a baseline measurement in the context of intervention program. Ann Occup Hyg. 2007; 51(3): 293-304.
 
21.
Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Sandiford CP, Lowson D, Tee RD, Venables KM, McDonald JC, Newman Taylor AJ. Dust and flour aeroallergen exposure in flour mills and bakeries. Occup Environ Med. 1994; 51: 584-588.
 
22.
Zotti R, Larese F, Bovenzi M, Negro C, Molinari S. Allergic airway disease in Italian bakers and pastry makers. Occup Environ Med. 1994; 51: 548-552.
 
23.
Patouchas D, Sampsonas F, Papantrinopoulou D, Tsoukalas G, Karkoulias K, Spiropoulos K. Determinants of specific sensitization in our allergens in workers in bakeries with use of skin prick tests. European Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2009; 13: 407-411.
 
24.
Mounier-Geyssant E, Barthélemy J-F, Mouchot L, Paris Ch, Zmirou-Navier D. Exposure of bakery and pastry apprentices to airborne flour dust using PM 2.5 and PM 10 personal samplers. BMC Public Health 2007; 7: 311.
 
25.
Cullinan P, Cook A, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Sandiford C, Tee RD, Venables KM, McDonald JC, Newman Taylor AJ. Allergen and Dust Exposure as Determinants of Work-Related Symptoms and Sensitization in a Cohort of Flour-Exposed Workers; a Case–control Analysis. Ann Occup Hyg. 2001; 45(2): 97-103.
 
26.
Kania J. Ergonomic methods. PWE, Warszawa 1980 (in Polish).
 
27.
Górska E. Ergonomics, designing, diagnosis, experiments. Warsaw University of Technology Publishing House. Warszawa 2007 (in Polish).
 
28.
PN-N-01307:1994. Noise. Limit values of noise in the work environment. Requirements for measurement. Polish Committee for Standardization (PKN), 1994 (in Polish).
 
29.
PN-EN 12464-1:2011. Light and lighting – Lighting of work places – Part 1: Indoor work places. Polish Committee for Standardization (PKN), 2011 (in Polish).
 
30.
PN-EN 27243:2005. Environmental hot. Determining the thermal load acting on the man in the work environment, based on the WBGT index. Polish Committee for Standardization (PKN), 1985 (in Polish).
 
31.
PN-EN 481:1998. Atmosphere workplace. Size fraction definitions for measurement of air bone particles. Polish Committee for Standardization (PKN), 1998 (in Polish).
 
32.
Bianchi B, Cassano F, Mongelli C. Experimental trials to evaluate risk from noise and particulate matter in a pasta factory. International Conference “Innovation Technology to Empower Safety, Health and Welfare in Agriculture and Agro-food Systems”. 2008.
 
33.
Pawlak H. Ergonomic aspects of pasta manufacturing. Agric Engineer. 2001; 13 (33): 337-339 (in Polish).
 
34.
Baatjies R, Meijster T, Lopata A, Sander I, Raulf-Heimsoth M, Heederik D, Jeebhay M. Exposure to Flour Dust in South African Supermarket Bakeries: Modelling of Baseline Measurements of an Intervention Study. Ann Occup Hyg. 2010; 54(3): 309-318.
 
35.
Kolopp-Sarda MN, Massin N, Gobert B, Wild P, Moulin JJ, Bene MC, Faure GC. Humoral Immune Responses of Workers Occupationally Exposed to Wheat Flour. Am J Ind Med. 1994; 26(5): 671-679.
 
36.
Bohadana AB, Massin N, Wild P, et al. Respiratory Symptoms and Airway Responsiveness in Apparently Healthy Workers Exposed to Flour Dusts. Eur Respir J 1994; 7: 346-371.
 
37.
Jauhiainen A, Louhelainin K, Kinnainmaa M. Exposure to dust and alpha-Amylase in Bakeries. Appl Occup Environ Hyg. 1993; 8(8):721-725.
 
38.
Massin N, Bohadana AB, Wild P, et al. Airway Responsiveness to Methacholine, Respiratory Symptoms, and Dust Exposure Levels in Grain and Flour Mill Workers in Eastern France. Am J Ind Med. 1995; 27: 859-869.
 
39.
Burstyn I, Teschke K, Kennedy SM. Exposure levels and determinants of inhalable dust exposure in bakeries. Ann Occup Hyg. 1997; 41(6): 609-624.
 
40.
Elms J, Robinson E, Rahman S, et al. Exposure to flour dust in UK bakeries: current use of control measures. Ann Occup Hyg. 2005; 49: 85-91.
 
41.
Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Sandiford CP, Lowson D, Tee RD, Venables KM, Newman Taylor AJ. Peak Exposure Concentrations of Dust and Flour Aeroallergen in Flour Mills and Bakeries. Ann Occup Hyg. 1995; 39(2): 193-201.
 
42.
Buczaj A. Studies of the level of dustiness in selected industrial mills in the Lublin Province. Science Nature Technologies 2012; 6(2): 25 (in Polish).
 
eISSN:1898-2263
ISSN:1232-1966
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top