A priori assessment of occupational health risk for vegetables greenhouse workers

We performed comprehensive hygienic examination of working conditions in greenhouses at a greenhouse complex in Saratov region. Our research goal was to a priori assess occupational health risk for greenhouse workers on the basis of working conditions classification as per deviations of environment parameters and working process from the existing hygienic standards. We examined microclimate parameters in cold and warm seasons, contamination or working area air with hazardous chemicals and aerosols; we also performed occupational and time studies of work activities when basic working tasks were accomplished during an annual vegetables growing cycle in greenhouses. We detected that greenhouse workers during their working activity were exposed to a set of hazardous factors; the prevailing ones were heating microclimate, occurrence of hazardous chemicals and dust in increased concentrations in working area air, hardness of labor process which involved excessive physical exercise, long-term work in an inconvenient posture, frequent body bendings, and necessity to spend a lot of time standing. Overall hygienic assessment of greenhouse working conditions corresponded to 3 degree category of hazardous conditions (3.3 danger class) allowing for impacts exerted by a set of hazardous working environment factors and working process itself during annual working cycle. Hazardous working conditions caused occupational health risk for greenhouse workers which, in conformity with R 2.21766-03, corresponded to high (intolerable) risk when urgent activities aimed at its reduction were to be accomplished. Our research result prove that it is vital to perform further research on greenhouse workers health as per data on periodical medical examinations, more profound study of morbidity with temporary disablement, and other socially significant health parameters.