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KMID : 0365220180550020001
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Korean Journal of Public Health
2018 Volume.55 No. 2 p.1 ~ p.11
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Assessment of formaldehyde exposure for hospital workers in Korea
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Kim Won
Park Ji-Hoon
Kim Sung-Kyoon
Yoon Chung-Sik
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Abstract
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Objectives: The aims of this study were to compare the exposure between formalin handing department and non-handling department, between direct handlers and indirect handlers, among several high exposure tasks, and to find influential factors to the high exposure.
Methods: Formaldehyde was measured in the histopathology, endoscopy room and outpatient department of four university hospitals in Korea. Mainly personal air sampling was taken and additional local samples were taken if necessary. For the determination of formaldehyde, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) No 2016 method was used. To determine the 8-hour time weighted average, the daily working time was measured and short-term exposure was also evaluated to see some tasks that were expected to be exposed at high concentrations. Multiple regression analysis was performed to find the variables that influence formaldehyde concentration.
Results: In addition to formaldehyde handling department, exposure to formaldehyde has also occurred at offices and nursing room desks. Within the department that handles formaldehyde, direct handlers have higher exposure levels than indirectly exposed workers. Short term formaldehyde exposure during formalin handling tasks in hospitals was much higher than whole shift exposure. Representative work of high exposure was tissue fixation work in tissue pathology, before and after heating work of fixed tissue, organizing of tissue storage room and outpatient dispensing work.
Conclusion: High levels of formaldehyde exposure have been identified in several tasks performed at hospital facilities. In order to reduce formaldehyde exposure, it is important to keep the formalin solution sealed, seal the tissue storage room and install the local ventilation system.
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KEYWORD
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Carcinogen, Formalin, Formaldehyde, Hospital, Histopathology
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