Abstract:
Objective To understand the occupational health status of workers exposed to benzene, and to provide orientation for the main preventive and control measures.
Methods Occupational health surveillance data of workers exposed to benzene in Shenzhen City from 2015 to 2016 were collected and analysed.
Results In 2015 and 2016, 27 952 and 22 087 workers exposed to benzene were received occupational health examination respectively. The detection rates of low count number of white blood cell, platelet and neutrophile granulocyte were 6.21%, 2.01% and 4.45% in 2015, and 4.11%, 0.52%, and 1.40% in 2016, respectively. In addition, 1.67% workers in 2015 and 1.24% workers in 2016 were found to suffer with occupational contradictions, 6.69% workers in 2015 and 3.80% workers in 2016 needed to be re-examined, respectively. It showed there were differences of such indicators between male and female workers and there was a trend that the results in 2016 were better than those in 2015(P < 0.05). The rates of low count number of white blood cell and neutrophile granulocyte, and the rate of workers needed to be re-examined increased with working age(P < 0.05). The detection rates among workers came from micro-enterprise were the highest(P < 0.05).Totally 23 cases in 2015 and 10 cases in 2016 were diagnosed as occupational chronic benzene poisoning or benzene-induced leukemia. Among these cases, 19 cases in 2015 and 6 cases in 2016 applied for the working injury insurance, and 5 case in 2015 and 2 cases in 2016 got the compensation.
Conclusion The adverse effect of occupational exposure to benzene is not optimistic in Shenzhen. It is necessary to pay more attention to working environment.The ability of early detection, early prevention and early control of such hazards and consequences should be improved.