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Improving the occupational safety
among workers at pharmacies in Guatemala Objectives To quantify and improve the knowledge of the risks in handling chemical substances by the workers in the laboratories of the pharmacies in national hospitals in Guatemala.
Methodology The knowledge of the workers was determined by a written evaluation at the beginning and at the end of the project. A complete list of all the chemical substances used by the laboratories of the pharmacies in four state hospitals was elaborated. We reviewed the information available about risks in handling each substance; later, easy-to-use charts were composed into a manual with the information. Finally, the workers of all levels were trained to use the instrument and the applicability of it was determined.
Results Of the 188 chemical substances used in the laboratories in the pharmacies, 26% presented at least one specific risk of inhalation, contact, or ingestion in similar amounts. Specific ways of disposal are required for 43% of the substances. The more dangerous kind of chemical reactions was found among only 7% of those substances of common use yet the workers did not know the correct way of handling them. In the beginning of the project, only 31% of the workers knew how to handle the different substances; by the end 88% of them had adequate knowledge to work with those chemcial substances.
Conclusion With the training and the implementation of the manual, the risks to the workers in the laboratories of the pharmacies in national hospitals were greatly diminished. Moreover, the correct handling and disposal of chemical substances will lead to less environmental damage. Acknowledgements: National Institute for Working Life for scientific support through courses and bibliographical references.
References Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety. CCINFO. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH of U.S. Ontario, Canada. 1994. J.T. Baker 1995/96 catalog. College of Science. Texas A & M. http://joy.tamu.edu/nanweb/bakerlabel.html Laboratory safety manual, procurement, distribution and storage. http://www.dccutexas.edu/safety/labman/ contents/c fundamentals.html Statute book of the Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health. Occupational exposure limit values. 102 pp. 1973.
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