Attention: ozone!

Summary

The authors present the case report describing a mass occurrence of health problems in employees of a company dealing with printmaking on the disposable child paper nappies (diapers). The company has a contract with the Clinic of Occupational Medicine to provide occupational medical services since 2010, when the production of the firm started. All employees underwent entry examination at that time. In subsequent follow-up examinations the employees reported various health complaints related to the stay at the workplace. The systematic search of the hygienic services repeated confirmed elevated concentrations of ozone in the working atmosphere of the production hall. Ozone develops during the activity of plasma device which is a part of the printing machine. It has become obvious that air-conditioning was not functioning reliably and the inflow of air into the production hall was insufficient especially during the cold periods of the year. At the beginning of 2012 the family physician sent the first employee to the Clinic for specific complaints and simultaneously indicated suspicion of an occupational disease. A chronic damage of nasal mucosa in the patient was indeed proved. A subsequent hygienic survey again proved ozone concentrations exceeding MAC at work. In succession to these results as well as the acknowledged occupational disease an extra follow up occupational medical check-up was performed in all employees, when 38 employees were examined (37 men and one woman).

Subjective complaints possibly related to increased exposure to ozone were reported by 21 persons (55%). Altogether, the occupational disease was recognized in three persons (chronic damage to nasal mucosa caused by ozone according to chapter I and item 58 in valid list of occupational diseases – diseases from other substances and mixtures).

Key words:
ozone – printing workplace – ozone in working environment – chemical damage to respiratory tract – occupational disease