Identificación y evaluación del riesgo químico por inhalación en un laboratorio químico – analítico ambiental en el distrito metropolitano de Quito

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the chemical risk to inhalation in an Environmental Chemical-Analytical Laboratory that performs chemical, organic, inorganic and microbiological physical analysis, located in the Metropolitan District of Quito. It began by identifying the dangers of the chemicals to which they are exposed in the laboratory, an interview was conducted with the analysts who worked with each substance, to obtain the quantity and frequency data. With MSDS the VLA and its hazard classes were identified, and with the observation it was possible to verify the data on the procedure and collective protection that the laboratory has. After having identified the dangers of all these substances, we proceeded to obtain the sample of the study with the method of hierarchy of potential risks (NTP 1080). With the sample of chemical agents, the semi-quantitative method of the INRS (NTP 937) was used. A low level of risk was obtained in most of the substances due to their procedures and their collective protection, in which a high and moderate level of risk was obtained, the risk can be reduced through preventive measures applying the integral management of the risk from the source, medium and finally in the worker. Finally, we continued with the basic study where the necessary ventilation flow was calculated for each solvent in each work room and compared with the actual flow of these rooms where it could be verified that the natural ventilation or actual flow of each room fulfills the purpose of providing adequate ventilation to the workers since the actual flow exceeds the effective flow.