Evaluation of occupational risk factors and laboratory workers’ health in biochemical and clinical laboratories of hospitals of Kaunas city

Rita Raškevičienė, Sigita Marozienė

Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania

Key words: laboratory work conditions, occupational hazards, work-related disorders, health of laboratory workers.

Summary. Impact of occupational risk factors on the health of hospital laboratories workers is not entirely assessed in Lithuania.

Objectives of the study were to evaluate the main health disorders of laboratory workers and to define the relationship between the health complaints and working conditions in biochemical and clinical laboratories.

Material and methods. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in 2002. The questionnaire with questions on the most frequent health disorders and main occupational hazards, lifestyle factors, etc., was distributed among workers of biochemical and clinical laboratories in 6 hospitals of Kaunas city. Odds ratios with significance level p≤0.05 were calculated.

Results. 112 laboratory workers completed the questionnaire. Laboratory assistants were exposed to higher number of workplace hazards rather than other workers. All health complaints were also more prevalent among laboratory assistants. Weakness, sleepiness at work, headache and sleep disturbances were the most prominent complaints among them to compare with other occupations. Skin irritation due to chemicals (chlorine compounds and hydrogen peroxide mainly) was more frequent among laboratory assistants as well. The most frequent localization of irritation was in hands. Complaints due to eyestrain were found in almost one third of responders. Neck pain, back pain, waist pain and joint pain due to long lasting fixed position was rather frequent among laboratory workers. Inconvenient work posture increased risk for waist pain (OR=1.65; p>0.05), neck pain (OR=2.32; p>0.05) and sleep disorders (OR=4.32; p<0.05). There was no significant relationship between health disorders and work experience. Mental stress is common in job of laboratory workers.

Conclusions. More than one third of workers work in inconvenient posture, most of them spent in this position more than a half of work time. Inconvenient work position significantly increases risk for hand numbness sleep disorders and joint pain. Skin irritation and rash, especially in hands, caused by chlorine compounds, soap and water is quite common among laboratory workers, mainly assistants. Mental stress is common in job of laboratory workers. No statistically significant relationship between health complains and work duration was found.

Correspondence to R. Raškevičienė, Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Kaunas University of Medicine, A. Mickevičiaus 9, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: rita.raskeviciene@med.kmu.lt

Received 30 August 2004, accepted 25 April 2005