Objective To detect main occupational hazards in electronic welding environment and propose feasible preventive measures.
Methods Sixteen welding workshops were selected in 2011 for occupational hazards detection.
Results In the manual welding environment, the mean noise level was 85.6 dB(A) and the noise levels in 5 monitoring sites (5/7, 71.4%) were higher than the national occupational hazards limits (NOHL); of manganese and its chemical compounds, the mean concentration was 0.13 mg/m3 and the results in 2 monitoring sites (2/5, 40.0%) exceeded the NOHL; the mean content of electronic welding smoke was 3.18 mg/m3 and 1 monitoring site (1/5, 20.0%) was unqualified. In the gas shielded arc welding environment, the average level of manganese and its chemical compounds was 0.03 mg/m3 and the levels in 6 monitoring sites (6/10, 60.0%) exceeded the NOHL; other results included noise intensity with a mean value of 84.5 dB(A) and 5 unqualified sites (5/11, 45.5%); electronic welding smoke with a mean value of 2.28 mg/m3 and 3 unqualified sites (3/10, 30.0%). The other occupational hazards including nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, and ultraviolet ray were also detected and within the NOHLs. The concentrations of ultrafine particles were associated with the distance from welding operation spot, working hours, and wind speed.
Conclusion It is an effective measure to wear appropriate personal protective equipment in addition to general ventilation and local ventilation at the welding spots to reduce occupational hazards. Masks with ultrafiltration material are critical to protect workers from ultrafine particles.
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