Investigating the concentration of dust and fume in the air of an industrial company in Ahvaz city

Background: High concentrations of welding dust and fumes in workers' breathing air are among the most important environmental factors affecting health of workers, working in the industry. Considering the central role of workforce health in sustainable development, this study was performed with the aim of evaluating the amount of fume and dust in the ambient air of an industrial company in Ahvaz city.Methods : In this cross-sectional study,the concentration of dust and fume in the breathing air of the workers and the ambient air of the workshop was evaluated. An individual sampler pump was used for pollutant sampling and pollutant concentration was determined using the weight method. Finally, the results were compared with the reference standards.Results: In 4 stations, the pollutant concentration were higher than the standard. The average amount of dust and fume in the measurement stations were equal to 5.84 (mg/m3) and 2.55 (Mg/m3) respectively.Conclusion: According to the findings of the current research, the amount of exposure to fume and dust in some stations was more than permissible. so, intervention actions such as Engineering and managerial control should be taken to reduce the exposure.

Investigating the concentration of dust and fume in the air of an industrial company in Ahvaz city Keywords:

Occupational health , Worker health , Welding fume , Ahwaz.