Health Risk Assessment: A Case StudyIn One of the Adhesives Manufacturing Industries of Alborz Province in 2020

Adhesive industry workers exposed to different harmful agents. Unfortunately, working conditions and related health issues have not improved. Therefore, a comprehensive risk assessment program seems necessary to identify the risk factors and tasks. Accordingly, this study was conducted to assess the health risk in one of the adhesive industries.

The cross-sectional case study was conducted in 2020 in an adhesive production and packaging industry. A total of 68 people were working in various parts. The instrument studied was the method provided by the Ministry of Human Resources of the Malaysian Department of Occupational Safety and Health and a sample of health risk assessment in the oil and gas industry.

Based on the results of this study, 24 chemical risks and 74 non-chemical risks identified and evaluated. The chemical risk assessment showed that 69.56% (16 people) were exposed to low and insignificant risk levels, 26.1% (6 people) with medium risk levels and 4.34% (1 person) with high-risk levels. The highest level of chemical hazards risk (risk degree = 3.87) is assigned to the tape printing unit and the job of the tape printing operator. Released toluene in this job is a significant factor in this level of risk. After toluene, benzene and methylene chloride had the highest risk. Among the non-chemical risks studied, ergonomic health risk was the priority, and the warehouse worker had the highest level of risk.

Although, there is no very high level of health risk (requiring immediate action). However, we may see adverse health effects on employees' health in the future, due to the chemical nature of the materials used and the synergistic effects between these materials and other harmful factors (such as sound).