Exposure to organic solvents among car painters in Bergen, Norway

Car painters are exposed to organic solvents during their work. Several sets of official regulations have therefore been adopted in Norway in recent years to reduce the exposure. This study evaluated some of the effects of these regulations, by measuring the levels of exposure to organic solvents in six car-painting garages and relating them to the limit values in Norway. Both stationary and personal monitoring were performed. In addition, the occurrence of acute symptoms in the nervous system, skin and upper airways, the use of personal protective equipment and the workers' satisfaction with the ventilation were determined using the results of a questionnaire survey among the car painters from 11 car-painting garages (N=28). A control group of unexposed workers (N=18) was used for comparison. All air samples showed low levels of exposure, far below the limit values. The highest levels were found for toluene; about half the limit value in two garages (11.5 and 12.5 ppm). No significant difference was found between the exposed and unexposed workers in the frequency of acute symptoms. Most workers reported to always use gloves, overalls and respiratory protective equipment during the car painting. The study indicates that the exposure to organic solvents is low in the examined car-painting garages, and the risk of adverse health effects related to organic solvents is probably low in these workplaces.