[DIFFERENT APPROACHES FOR CHEMICAL RISK ASSESSMENT IN LABORATORIES].

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Environmental Science
• Toxicology

Background:

• Chemical risk assessment is crucial in hospital research laboratories.
• Understanding operator risk perception is vital for safety protocols.
• Existing assessment methods require validation against real-world exposure data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare algorithmic chemical risk assessment models (Movarisch, Inforisk, Archimede) with monitoring data.
• To evaluate operator risk perception concerning manipulated hazardous substances.
• To assess combined exposure risks in a hospital research setting.

Main Methods:

• Collected data on chemicals used for three algorithmic risk assessment models.
• Conducted environmental and biological monitoring.
• Administered a questionnaire to assess operator risk perception.
• Analyzed combined exposure to multiple chemicals using WHO guidelines.

Main Results:

• Algorithmic risk estimations exceeded monitored airborne and urine concentrations, which remained below exposure limits.
• Potential cumulative risks from multiple chemical exposures were identified but often reduced by usage conditions (volume, time).
• Workers demonstrated accurate risk perception for all monitored hazardous substances across all laboratories.

Conclusions:

• Algorithmic risk assessment may overestimate exposure compared to direct monitoring in hospital labs.
• While cumulative risks exist, practical usage factors significantly modulate actual exposure.
• Effective communication and training lead to accurate operator perception of chemical hazards.