Control of welding fume exposures in shipbuilding confined spaces

描述（由申请人提供）：尽管有大量证据表明暴露于焊接烟雾会对健康产生不利影响，但船厂焊工的暴露水平仍然很高。稀释和局部排气通风策略旨在减少暴露水平，但不经常用于造船厂环境，焊工使用呼吸保护的情况差别很大。本研究旨在开发和评估培训干预的有效性，旨在增加造船厂工人使用简单的稀释通风策略，从而减少在密闭和封闭空间中的焊接烟雾暴露。我们将使用已出版的最佳实践指南以及通过使用基本箱模型对预期污染物分散进行简单建模来制定具体的通风策略。一旦制定了这些简单的指导方针，我们将在实际造船厂条件下评估其有效性，根据需要修改指导方针以达到预期效果，然后将这些指导方针纳入基于完善的健康促进模型的培训干预措施中。干预措施将强调克服通风使用的潜在障碍，并解决与组织支持通风和整体工作场所安全气候相关的问题。现场培训干预将包括课堂学习和通风策略的实际应用和评估。将确定三个造船厂进行干预，每个造船厂的目标是30名焊工。每个造船厂将进行为期六个月的基线评估，在此期间，受试者的暴露和通风使用将使用三种不同的技术进行多次评估：观察工作实践，空气污染物浓度和自我报告的通风使用。主要评估措施将是研究人员在基线期间每月观察每个受试者的工作活动和条件以及通风使用情况。在基线期间，还将收集关于每个主题的定量空气样本和通风使用、认知和知识的调查。培训干预结束后，将通过每月研究员观察、定量空气样本和访谈调查，再次评估受试者的焊接暴露情况，为期六个月。我们将使用三种评估措施来分析干预后焊接暴露的变化，以确定工人在培训干预中实施策略的有效性。研究结果将为制定以工人为导向的培训干预措施的决策提供信息，该干预措施旨在通过使用通风控制来减少职业暴露。研究结果将以一种形式编写，可作为船厂工业的实用通风和培训准则散发，并供科学出版物使用。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite substantial evidence of adverse health effects resulting from exposure to welding fume, shipyard welders continue to have very high exposure levels. Dilution and local exhaust ventilation strategies designed to reduce exposure levels are available but not often used in shipyard environments, and welders' use of respiratory protection varies widely. This study is designed to develop and assess the effectiveness of a training intervention designed to increase shipyard workers' use of simple dilution ventilation strategies - and thereby reduce welding fume exposure -in confined and enclosed spaces. We will develop specific ventilation strategies using published best practice guidelines as well as through simple modeling of expected contaminant dispersion using a basic box model. Once these simple guidelines are developed, we will evaluate their effectiveness under real-world shipyard conditions, revise the guidelines as necessary to achieve expected performance, and then incorporate these guidelines into a training intervention based on the well-established Health Promotion Model. The intervention will emphasize overcoming potential barriers to ventilation use and address issues related to organizational support for ventilation and overall worksite safety climate. The onsite training intervention will include both classroom learning and hands-on application and evaluation of ventilation strategies. Three shipyards will be identified for intervention, with a target of 30 welders per shipyard. Each shipyard will undergo a six-month baseline assessment, during which subjects' exposures and use of ventilation will be assessed multiple times using three different techniques: observed work practices, air contaminant concentrations and self-reported ventilation use. The primary assessment measure will be monthly researcher observations of each subject's work activities and conditions and use of ventilation during the baseline period. Quantitative air samples and surveys of ventilation use, perceptions and knowledge will also be collected on each subject during the baseline period. After delivery of the training intervention, subjects' welding exposures will again be assessed for a period of six months via monthly researcher observations, quantitative air samples, and interview survey. We will analyze post-intervention changes in welding exposures using the three assessment measures to determine the effectiveness of workers' implementation of the strategies in the training intervention. The results will inform decisions regarding the utility of a worker-oriented training intervention designed to reduce occupational exposures through use of ventilation controls. The results will be prepared in a form that can be disseminated as practical ventilation and training guidelines for the shipyard industry, as well as presented for scientific publication. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Although there is substantial evidence that exposure to welding fume results in adverse health effects, shipyard welders continue to have high exposure levels. Ventilation equipment and respirators designed to reduce exposures are available but not often used in shipyards. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention designed to increase shipyard welders' use of ventilation equipment in reducing welding fume exposure levels.