[Exposure to harmful hazards in mechanical processing of metal accessories]

The aim of this paper is to assess occupational exposure to harmful hazards at workposts where fittings and metal accessories are mechanically processed with particular reference to occupational exposure to metals and their compounds.

The studies covered 16 wokposts of mechanical processes of metal accessories (grinding, deburring, threading, polishing). Metal air concentrations at the workposts were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) with a graphite tube and by AAS with air-acetylene flame. To determine free crystalline silica-containing dusts, standard methods (PN-91/Z-04030/05, PN-91/Z-04030/06, and PN-91/Z-04018/04) were applied. Air samples were collected according to the principles of personal dosimetry and noise measurements were conducted according to PN-N-1307:1994.

It was found that the main alloy metals, aluminum and zinc, can be hazardous at studied workposts. Copper was also found in the ambient air of the workposts at the measurable level. Other alloy metals (Fe, Pb, Ni, Cd) were not found. The rate of combined exposure at all workposts was lower than 1. Noise was a serious problem at the majority of workposts of mechanical processing, especially at grinding and deburring ones. The Maximum Admissible Concentration (MAC) for total dust containing free crystalline silica was exceeded only at two workposts. It was observed that MACs for respirable dust containing free crystalline silica above 2% were exceeded (3 workposts).