Working conditions and health status in workers in oil refining production

Introduction. Identification and minimization of production risk factors and occupational and work-related diseases associated with their impact is the basis for preventing health disorders in the working population.

Materials and methods. An analytical study of working conditions and health status (a cross-sectional continuous study based on periodic medical examination data) in workers in the oil refining industry with a fuel profile was conducted using hygienic and epidemiological analysis methods.

Results. Workers in key occupations have been shown to be exposed to the complex effects of chemicals of hazard classes 2–4, noise, heating microclimate, physical and emotional overloads that form harmful working conditions (classes 3.1–3.3), causing occupational health risks of moderate and high categories depending on their occupation affiliation. The leading rank places in the structure of general morbidity were occupied by diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (31.29%), eyes and their adnexa (25.07%), endocrine system, eating disorders and metabolic disorders (23.01%), and circulatory system (12.12%). The leading nosological diseases were dorsalgia of various locations (31.13%), refraction and accommodation disorders (23.31%), obesity (21.17%), and arterial hypertension (10.89%). Statistically significant cause-and-effect relationships of health disorders with working conditions were established: from medium to very high for diseases of the musculoskeletal system, connective tissue, and diseases of the eye and its adnexa; medium for diseases of the endocrine system, eating disorders and metabolic disorders, indicating the industrial causality of these pathologies. The levels of group occupational risk to workers’ health from exposure to working conditions ranged from medium (1.48 · 10^–2) to high (6.91 · 10^–2), being unacceptable and requiring the development and implementation of measures to eliminate them.

Limitations. The limitations of the study are determined by the boundaries of the study of working conditions and health status of workers of one oil refinery.

Conclusion. The research results form the basis for developing targeted preventive measures taking into account the occupational affiliation iw workers.

Compliance with ethical standards. The studies were conducted in accordance with the requirements of ethical standards and principles of the Declaration of Helsinki of the World Medical Association with voluntary informed consent of the participants. The study was approved by the local ethical committee of the Saratov Hygiene Medical Research Center (protocol No. 5 of 03/01/2024).

Contribution:
Novikova T.A. – research concept and design, text writing, editing;
Bezrukova A.G. – editing, approval of the final version;
Aleshina Yu.A. – collection and processing of material, statistical data processing;
Kochetova N.A. – collection and processing of material, statistical processing of data;
Raikova S.V. ‒ collection and processing of material.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: July 8, 2024 / Revised: October 8, 2024 / Accepted: November 19, 2024 / Published: December 17, 2024