Evaluation of health risk for workers engaged into processing of titanium-containing and rare-earth materials

The authors defined occupational risk level and relations of health disorders in workers engaged into processing of titanium-containing and rare-elements materials with forecasting risk changes in accordance with length of service and its realization evaluation. Work conditions are characterized by exposure to chemicals (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, chlorine and hydrochloride, vanadium compounds), noise, general vibration, heating, work hardiness - and are evaluated as hazardous, jeopardy degree 3 and 4. Results of a priori assessment of occupational risk define it as high. Modelling of health risk evolution outlines that after 15 years of service (by 35 years of age) the share of cardiovascular disease will approach 65% in total workers' health risk. Prevalence of arterial hypertension in the studied group by 15 years of service equals 44,5% (p = 0,04), in the reference group no reliable prevalence of arterial hypertension with length of service was seen. Realization of health risk due to chemicals manifested with higher prevalence of upper respiratory tract diseases that were significantly more frequent (p = 0,037) among the studied group (62,23%), than in the reference group (38,30%). The authors determined length of service criteria and health disorders, that outline priority contribution into the health risk, to specify a system of preventive measures for risk minimization.