[Hazardous substances and detrimental conditions at the workplace]

An artificially created working environment, conditioned by technological processes, puts people in circumstances unparalleled in the place of living. Working conditions exert an influence on the employee's health, thus affecting health status of the whole society. Risks occurring on the working stands may result from the presence of physical, chemical and biological agents. Their vicinity devastates the harmony of man's co-operation with the environment, activates defence mechanisms and enforces an introduction of protection systems. The target of this research was to estimate a sugar factory employees' exposure to the detrimental agents occurring in their place of work. The research was conducted in one of Lublin sugar factories and it involved an estimation of working conditions via a measurement of such physical agent parameters as microclimate, dust density, noise volume, light intensity and exposure to carbon oxide. The results of sanitary-epidemic services' inquiry into the issue were also included here. The estimation of the joint influence of the microclimatic elements in the working environment was made with the measures of temperature, humidity and air circulation were taken into account. The WBGT factor ranged from 18.80 degrees to 31.73 degrees and frequently stayed out of the limits of the thermal comfort. The measuring of the dust density showed an exceeding of the binding quotas on single working stands only. The highest weight average was 17 mg/m3. A comparison of these results with the findings of the previous years surveys shows a constant decrease in dust density. The most considerable bias from the binding quotas was noted while measuring noise level. The noise volume on some stands reached from 98 dB to 109 dB, which, taking into account the eight-hour working day, gave an average exposure level within the boundaries of 82 dB to 98 dB.

1. The presence of detrimental agents in working environment should lead to permanent monitoring of risks. 2. It is purposeful to undertake various preventive actions in order to minimalise effects to the employees.