Asessment of Workplace Environment and Volatile Organic Compounds Concentration among Vinyl Printing Stores in Muang, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand

Abstract

Vinyl printing processes produce potential hazards to human health and the environment. This cross-sectional study was aimed to assess the workplace environment and determine the concentration of volatile organic compounds in 10 vinyl printing stores in Muang District, Nakorn Si Thammarat Province. The data were collected by using (1) questionnaires, (2) workplace environment measurements of tem-perature, humidity, air velocity and light intensity, and (3) volatile organic compounds concentration determination by the NIOSH Method. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results revealed that the average age of the vinyl printing businesses was 6.5±2.07 years. Fifty percent of vinyl printing stores had 2 workers, 90.0% were inkjet printing stores, and 20.0% were equipped with ventilation systems. The average temperature was 30.98±1.71 ๐ C, humidity 65.8±5.71%, and air veloc-ity 0.24±0.23 m/s, which exceeded the levels recommended in the ASHRAE guidelines. Light intensity of the measured areas was 88.6% lower than the standard. The concentration of toluene was 0.085±0.088 ppm, xylene 0.017 ppm, styrene 0.004±0.003 ppm, hexane 0.031±0.033 ppm, and ethylbenzene 0.016 ppm which did not exceeded ACGIH guidelines. Moreover, another 16 volatile organic compounds were identified which were harmful to human health. The results suggested that involved public sectors should provide measures to protect worker’s health, and strictly control their operationy.

Key words: workplace environment, volatile organics compounds, vinyl printing