Chlorinated solvents in the pressings of Sfax (Tunisia)

Working in dry cleaners exposes you to the chemical risk (CR) of chlorinated solvents. The consequences are serious for health and the environment. The prevention passes by a primordial stage of evaluation of the risks.In order to evaluate the RC in the pressings of the region of Sfax (Tunisia) and the proposal of adequate preventive actions, the authors adopted the simplified method of the INRS, using the software SEIRICH. This tool simulates the RC for different scenarios, taking into account the frequency of exposure, as well as the type of process used and the protective equipment adopted. 47 pressings were studied. SEIRICH allowed the identification of two solvents: perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE). The overall risk to health and the environment is high for both products. The risk of inhalation of PCE and TCE is moderate, except for the dispersive process which entails a high risk.The proposed preventive actions are presided over by the elimination if not the substitution by other cleaning methods. Collective and individual protective equipment as well as organizational measures are essential.

Autorentext

Zina Hakim Gargouri ist Doktorin der Arbeitsmedizin und besonders von der Bewertung und Prävention chemischer Risiken fasziniert.Ich habe einen Masterabschluss in "Statistik und Datenanalyse in den Gesundheitswissenschaften" und habe analytische Chemie und Statistik im Dienste der Gesundheit am Arbeitsplatz kombiniert.