Saf Health Work.  2012 Jun;3(2):130-139.

Work Environments and Exposure to Hazardous Substances in Korean Tire Manufacturing

• Lee N
• Lee BK
• Jeong S
• Yi GY
• Shin J

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the tire manufacturing work environments extensively and to identify workers' exposure to hazardous substances in various work processes.
METHODS
Personal air sampling was conducted to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon disulfide, 1,3-butadiene, styrene, methyl isobutyl ketone, methylcyclohexane, formaldehyde, sulfur dioxide, and rubber fume in tire manufacturing plants using the National Institute for Occupational Safety Health Manual of Analytical Methods. Noise, carbon monoxide, and heat stress exposure were evaluated using direct reading instruments. Past concentrations of rubber fume were assessed using regression analysis of total particulate data from 2003 to 2007, after identifying the correlation between the concentration of total particulate and rubber fume.
RESULTS
Workers were exposed to rubber fume that exceeded 0.6 mg/m3, the maximum exposure limit of the UK, in curing and production management processes. Forty-seven percent of workers were exposed to noise levels exceeding 85 dBA. Workers in the production management process were exposed to 28.1degrees C (wet bulb globe temperature value, WBGT value) even when the outdoor atmosphere was 2.7degrees C (WBGT value). Exposures to other substances were below the limit of detection or under a tenth of the threshold limit values given by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
CONCLUSION
To better classify exposure groups and to improve work environments, examining closely at rubber fume components and temperature as risk indicators in tire manufacturing is recommended.

Keyword

Rubber; Occupational exposure; Aerosols; Carbon disulfide

MeSH Terms

Aerosols
Atmosphere
Butadienes
Carbon Disulfide
Carbon Monoxide
Cyclohexanes
Formaldehyde
Hazardous Substances
Hot Temperature
Humans
Limit of Detection
Methyl n-Butyl Ketone
Noise
Occupational Exposure
Occupational Health
Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic
Rubber
Styrene
Sulfur Dioxide
Threshold Limit Values
Aerosols
Butadienes
Carbon Disulfide
Carbon Monoxide
Cyclohexanes
Formaldehyde
Hazardous Substances
Methyl n-Butyl Ketone
Polycyclic Hydrocarbons, Aromatic
Rubber
Styrene
Sulfur Dioxide