[Occupational diseases among personnel at a radiology department]

Little attention has hitherto been paid to health injuries to personnel in X-ray departments after exposure to photochemicals. 24 out of 30 employees at the X-ray department in Molde were shown to have health problems related to their work, including symptoms relating to the eyes, the upper and lower respiratory tract, and headache and lassitude. Analysis of the work environment showed constant extensive exposure of the employees to chemicals over a long period. After improvements to the environment the health problems were reduced appreciably, but not nullified. Some personnel had acquired permanent impairments. Bronchial hyperreactivity was discovered in 19 of the personnel, 13 of whom had subjective symptoms of obstruction and asthma but no manifestation of allergy. The author discussed the relation between the work environment and the impaired health and gives advice on how to avoid similar problems in the future.