Asbestos exposure at workplace / Шинэ санаа Шинэ нээлт

ABSTRACT

Asbestos is a human carcinogen, and prohibited to use in 55 countries. Thermal power plants, construction industries, locomotive repair shops and analytical laboratories in Mongolia use asbestos as thermal insulation material. This study investigated exposure to airborne asbestos in workplaces. Total of 85 air sampleswere collected from thermal power plants (n=4), locomotive repairshop (n=1), construction renovation workplace (n=1), construction material shop (n=1) and analytical laboratory (n=1).The air samples were collected and analyzed by NIOSH 7400 and 7402 standard analytical methods. The average of airborne asbestos concentration (0.72f/cm3) in the workplaces was 7.2 times higher than the occupational exposure limit (0.1f/cm3). Exposure to airborne asbestos was exceeded in insulation workplaces of the thermal power plants and locomotive repairshop.Airborne asbestos was detected from construction renovation worksite, construction material shop and analytical laboratory, but did not exceeded the occupational exposure level.