Occupational exposure to benzene and haematological changes

U ljeto 1984. godine radnice u tvornici "INA-OKI Drnišplast" učestalo su se tužile na glavobolju, mršavljenje i poremećene menstruacijske cikluse. Budući da su inženjeri u tvornici pretpostavili da je tome uzrok promijenjen sastav boja i ljepila koje su se te godine upotrebljavale bez deklaracije, pozvan je Institut za sigurnost iz Zagreba da izmjeri koncentracije organskih otapala u radnoj atmosferi. Analize su potvrdile da su koncentracije benzena i do pet puta više od maksimalno dopuštenih, toluena do tri puta i cikloheksana i do deset puta. Pogon je zatvoren, radni proces je izmijenjen (boje nisu upotrebljavane, za lijepljenje je rabljeno ljepilo koje ne sadržava benzen, primijenjena je odgovarajuća ventilacija) i sve radnice podvrgnute su liječenju. Nakon tri mjeseca pogon je ponovno počeo s radom. Kontrolni pregled obavljen 1989. pokazao je znakove subjektivnog i objektivnog oporavka svih dvadeset radnica. Svi nalazi krvi bili su u normalnim granicama i sve radnice nastavile su raditi, osim jedne, koju je 1988. godine Invalidska komisija uputila u mirovinu zbog profesionalne bolesti - otrovanja benzenom. Ovaj prikaz događaja potvrđuje da je pri radu s benzenom važno dosljedno pridržavanje uputa iz Pravilnika o utvrđivanju radne sposobnosti za obavljanje poslova s posebnim uvjetima rada i Zakona o zaštiti na radu.In the summer of 1984 workers in the "INA-OKI Drnišplast" factory frequently complained about headaches, weight loss and irregular menstrual cycles. According to the factory engineers that might have been due to an altered composition of the paints and glues that were used in the manufacturing process that year. Those had been found to lack specifications of chemical composition. Experts from the Institute for the Safety at Work from Zagreb were called in to perform measurements of organic solvents content in the workroom air. Benzene concentrations were found to be up to five times higher than the maximum permissible levels, those of toluene up to three; times and of cyiclohexane up to ten times higher. The polluted part of the factory was closed down, changes were introduced into the working process (use of paints was stopped, only glues without benzene content were allowed and proper ventilation was installed) and all the workers, twenty in all, received medical treatment. After three months the working process was resumed. In 1989 all the twenty workers underwent a control medical examination. All showed signs of recovery, both objective and subjective. Their blood tests values were within normal range. All the workers continued working, save one who retired in 1988 upon recommendation of a disability commission. The cause of disablement was occupational disease - benzene poisoning. On the basis of this experience emphasis is placed on the importance, in working with benzene, of complying with the legislation on working capacity assessment for jobs requiring special working conditions and with the Safety at work act