【11-19】Daily Tip for Occupational Health

Healthcare measures. To prevent the harm of dust to human health, the first step is to eliminate or reduce the sources of dust generation; this is the most fundamental measure. Next is to reduce the concentration of dust in the air. Finally, it is to reduce the chances of dust entering the human body and to mitigate the harm caused by dust. Healthcare measures represent the final stage in prevention. Although they are considered auxiliary measures, they still hold an important role. They include the following types of measures: ① Personal protection and personal hygiene. For operations where, due to certain constraints, the dust concentration cannot reach the allowable levels for the time being, it becomes an important measure for operators to wear appropriate dust masks. Dust masks should have a high dust filtration efficiency and air permeability, be lightweight, and not interfere with workers’ vision or operations. Engaging in physical exercise and paying attention to nutrition are significant for strengthening the body and improving resistance. In addition, attention should be paid to personal hygiene habits, dust prevention procedures must be followed, and the rule of not working without wearing dust masks must be strictly enforced.

Wear dust-proof equipment, ensure ventilation, and take measures such as watering to reduce dust suspension

Ventilation and dust removal facilities should be installed in the workplace, and individuals should wear masks that meet dust protection requirements....

I. Reforming the manufacturing process and upgrading production equipment are the fundamental ways to eliminate dust hazards. It is necessary to start with various aspects such as the design of the production process, equipment selection, and ensuring that dust-generating machinery meets dust prevention requirements before it leaves the factory. If closed wind ducts are used for transportation, negative pressure can be employed to remove dust; silica-free materials can be used in place of quartz, and iron pellets can be used for sandblasting instead of quartz sand. 　　II. Wet operations are an economical and effective measure to prevent dust from flying. It can be used for any operation that can be carried out in a wet process. For example, wet drilling in mines, flushing of tunnels, and purification of incoming air; wet crushing or spraying of quartz and ores; wet mixing in the glass and ceramic industry; wet sand molding in the foundry industry, wet removal of sand from molds, and chemical sand cleaning. 　　III. Enclosure, air extraction, and dust removal: For dust-generating workstations where wet methods cannot be used, enclosed air extraction and dust removal techniques should be employed. All main equipment that generates dust should be enclosed as much as possible, and local mechanical ventilation should be used to maintain a certain negative pressure inside the enclosed equipment, thereby preventing dust from escaping. The dust-laden air drawn out must be purified before it can be released, in order to avoid contaminating the atmosphere. 　　IV. Health care measures. To prevent the harm of dust to human health, the first step is to eliminate or reduce the sources of dust generation; this is the most fundamental measure. Next is to reduce the concentration of dust in the air. Finally, it is to reduce the chances of dust entering the human body and to mitigate the harm caused by dust. Healthcare measures represent the final stage in prevention. Although they are considered auxiliary measures, they still hold significant importance. They include the following types of measures: ① Personal protection and personal hygiene. For operations where, due to certain constraints, the dust concentration cannot reach the allowable levels for the time being, it becomes an important measure for operators to wear appropriate dust masks. Dust masks should have a high dust filtration efficiency and air permeability, be lightweight, and not interfere with workers’ vision or operations. Engaging in physical exercise and paying attention to nutrition are significant for strengthening the body and improving resistance. In addition, attention should be paid to personal hygiene habits, dust prevention procedures must be followed, and the rule of not working without wearing dust masks must be strictly enforced. 　　②Pre-employment and regular health check-ups. Workers who start working with dust must undergo a health check. The purpose of regular health checks is to detect early any damage to health caused by dust, and to reassign workers promptly if they are found to have diseases that make them unsuitable for working with dust.

(1) Organizational measures: In accordance with the regulations, not only local authorities, but also the departments in charge of enterprises and institutions, as well as the leaders of factories and mines, must attach great importance to the prevention and control of pneumoconiosis. Organizational leadership for this work is necessary, and it should be incorporated into economic development plans; moreover, dedicated personnel should be assigned to carry out this work. The persons in charge of enterprises and institutions bear direct responsibility for the prevention and control of pneumoconiosis in their respective organizations. They should take measures to ensure that dust concentrations in the work environments of these organizations meet **health standards**, and they must also establish and improve systems for dust monitoring, safety inspections, and regular health checks. Additionally, efforts should be made to improve the management of patients with pneumoconiosis, as well as related publicity and education activities. (II) Technical measures: Adopting comprehensive measures such as leather protection, water control, sealing, wind prevention, and shielding to carry out dust prevention and reduction is the most fundamental preventive measure against pneumoconiosis. 1. Reforming the technological process and upgrading production equipment, that is, \"reform,\" is the fundamental way to eliminate the hazards caused by dust. Methods such as remote control, computer-based control, and compartmental monitoring are used to avoid contact with dust ； Use wind transportation and negative pressure sand suction to reduce dust emission ； Another example is the use of limestone with low quartz content to replace quartz sand as a molding material, in order to reduce the hazards of dust. 2. Wet methods of work are an economical, simple, and practical dust control measure. If wet grinding of quartz and refractory material raw materials is used ； Operations such as wet drilling in mines, mist spraying for underground transportation, and high-pressure water injection into coal seams can essentially prevent dust from flying and reduce environmental dust concentrations. 3. Sealing, exhaust ventilation, and dust removal. For areas where wet methods cannot be used, enclosed ventilation and dust removal methods should be employed. If a combination of enclosed dust drying and local exhaust ventilation is used, it prevents dust from escaping. The dust-laden air drawn in is further treated by a dust removal device before being released into the atmosphere. (III) Health care measures 1. Health examinations for workers exposed to dust: In accordance with the \"Regulations on Medical Prevention Measures for Workers in Dusty Environments,\" workers engaged in dust-related work must undergo pre-employment and regular health examinations; some of them also need to have examinations to assess their exposure to dust. (1) Pre-employment examination ； Workers who are about to engage in dust-exposed work (including those preparing for a shift to such work) must undergo pre-employment examinations. The items to be checked include occupational history ； Subjective symptoms and past medical history ； History of exposure to tuberculosis ； General clinical examination ； Take chest X-rays and any other necessary tests. Those under 18 years of age and those suffering from the following diseases are not allowed to engage in dust-exposed work: ① Active tuberculosis ； ②Severe chronic upper respiratory and bronchial diseases, such as atrophic rhinitis, nasal tumors, bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, and chronic bronchitis ； ③Thoracic diseases that significantly affect lung function, such as diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema, severe pleural thickening and adhesions, and thoracic deformities ； ④Severe cardiovascular diseases. (2) Regular examinations: The purpose is to identify patients with pneumoconiosis in a timely manner and monitor changes in their condition. The inspection interval is determined by the local health authorities depending on the circumstances. As a general rule, those with high levels of exposure are inspected every 1–2 years, those with lower levels of exposure are inspected every 2–3 years, and in some cases inspections can be carried out every 3–5 years. For employees who are no longer exposed to dust, the inspection interval can be determined based on the specific characteristics of the dust they were exposed to ； Patients with pneumoconiosis generally undergo follow-up examinations once a year; this interval can be shortened or extended as appropriate depending on the progression of the disease ； Those diagnosed as O+ should have a follow-up examination once a year. The physical examination should include a work history, subjective symptoms, and a frontal chest X-ray. Workers found to have diseases that make it unsuitable for them to continue working in dust-exposed environments should be transferred from such tasks promptly. Dust removal operation inspection. Employees who are transferred away from dust-exposed jobs for any reason should, before leaving such jobs, undergo a health examination as much as possible, have their occupational history recorded, and have chest X-rays taken. Its purpose is not only to understand the health status during dust exposure but also to maintain records for future follow-up to determine whether late-onset pneumoconiosis occurs.

　I. Reforming the manufacturing process and upgrading production equipment are the fundamental ways to eliminate dust hazards. It is necessary to start with various aspects such as the design of the production process, equipment selection, and ensuring that dust-generating machinery meets dust prevention requirements before it leaves the factory. If closed wind ducts are used for transportation, negative pressure can be employed to remove dust; silica-free materials can be used in place of quartz, and iron pellets can be used for sandblasting instead of quartz sand. 　　II. Wet operations are an economical and effective measure to prevent dust from flying. It can be used for any operation that can be carried out in a wet process. For example, wet drilling in mines, flushing of tunnels, and purification of incoming air; wet crushing or spraying of quartz and ores; wet mixing in the glass and ceramic industry; wet sand molding in the foundry industry, wet removal of sand from molds, and chemical sand cleaning. 　　III. Enclosure, air extraction, and dust removal: For dust-generating workstations where wet methods cannot be used, enclosed air extraction and dust removal techniques should be employed. All main equipment that generates dust should be enclosed as much as possible, and local mechanical ventilation should be used to maintain a certain negative pressure inside the enclosed equipment, thereby preventing dust from escaping. The dust-laden air drawn out must be purified before it can be released, in order to avoid contaminating the atmosphere. 　　IV. Health care measures. To prevent the harm of dust to human health, the first step is to eliminate or reduce the sources of dust generation; this is the most fundamental measure. Next is to reduce the concentration of dust in the air. Finally, it is to reduce the chances of dust entering the human body and to mitigate the harm caused by dust. Healthcare measures represent the final stage in prevention. Although they are considered auxiliary measures, they still hold an important role. They include the following types of measures: ① Personal protection and personal hygiene. For operations where, due to certain constraints, the dust concentration cannot reach the allowable levels for the time being, it becomes an important measure for operators to wear appropriate dust masks. Dust masks should have a high dust filtration efficiency and air permeability, be lightweight, and not interfere with workers’ vision or operations. Engaging in physical exercise and paying attention to nutrition are significant for strengthening the body and improving resistance. In addition, attention should be paid to personal hygiene habits, dust prevention procedures must be followed, and the rule of not working without wearing dust masks must be strictly enforced. 　　②Pre-employment and regular health check-ups. Workers who start working with dust must undergo a health check. The purpose of regular health checks is to detect early any damage to health caused by dust, and to reassign workers promptly if they are found to have diseases that make them unsuitable for working with dust.

Wear proper personal protective equipment and take measures to control dust

Personal protective measures: First, prevent dust from entering the respiratory system. Depending on the nature of the dust, different types of dust masks, respirators should be used (and for certain toxic dusts, gas masks are also necessary); secondly, it is necessary to prevent the dust from coming into contact with the skin. Wear work clothes properly (some require coveralls with hoods), helmets (the human head is an area with a high concentration of sweat glands, sebaceous glands, and hair follicles), glasses, etc.: Thirdly, eating, smoking, drinking water, and similar activities are prohibited in areas where dust is present.