Acute Intoxications in Chemical Production Conditions and Preventive Measures

Occupational diseases caused by the chemical factor, including acute intoxications, continue to be reported in enterprises of the petrochemical industry. In this regard, studying the etiological factor causing acute intoxication, as well as the circumstances and causes of its occurrence among various professional groups of employees is still urgent. A retrospective analysis of materials of the investigation of occupational diseases caused by acute intoxications that occurred within 50 years (from 1967 to 2022) at the largest petrochemical plant located in the Volga Federal District has been conducted. An in-depth analysis of acute occupational disease risk indicators at the plant has shown that for the analyzed period, 124 cases of acute occupational poisonings, both collective and with one victim were reported. The high professional risk of health disorders due to acute poisonings has been detected for employees of the main professions: operators, machinists, and process equipment repair mechanics. The most significant factors causing acute poisonings were ammonia (23.4 % of all cases), hydrogen sulfide (17.3 %), carbon monoxide (10.7 %), and aromatic hydrocarbons (9.8 %). The main areas of chemical factor risk minimization have been developed based on the analysis.