Occupational risk for the glutaraldehyde exposition in endoscope services workers

Abstract

The glutaraldehyde widely used in the reprocessing of endoscope for the advantages and low cost presents high toxicity and can expose the professionals to occupational risks. Descriptive research carried through digestive endoscope services in Goiânia-GO/ Brazil by means of a questionnaire and direct observation registered in check list, characterized the occupational exposure in professionals who reprocess endoscopes verifying the clinical manifestations reported by them and the environment ventilation. The clinical manifestations reported had been gastric, ophthalmic, dermatological, neurological and respiratory origins, more frequent in the three last ones. Amongst respiratory, the most cited ones had been: cold (72.73%) and nasal constipation (59.09%), between the neurological ones: chronic headaches (72.73%), sleepiness (72.73%) and tension (54.55%) and dermatological: dry skin (59.09%) and pruritus (54.55%). The majority of the services does not have windows nor exhaust fan, and the air conditioning devices beyond not having appropriate chemical filters produce air turbulence, impeding the emanated toxic vapors elimination. The data of the work environment, the incorrect use of the Individual Protection Equipment and the clinical manifestations reported by the workers suggest evidences that the studied endoscope services may offer occupational chemical risk to the workers during the management of glutaraldehyde.