Metal working fluid exposure and diseases in Switzerland

Abstract

Background: Exposure to metal working fluids (MWF) is common in machining processes worldwide and may lead to diseases of the skin and the respiratory tract.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate exposure and diseases due to MWF in Switzerland between 2004 and 2013.

Methods: We performed descriptive statistics including determination of median and 90th percentile values of MWF concentrations listed in a database of Suva. Moreover, we clustered MWF-induced occupational diseases listed in a database from the Swiss Central Office for Statistics in Accident Insurance, and performed linear regression over time to investigate temporal course of the illnesses.

Results: The 90th percentile for MWF air concentration was 8.1 mg (aerosol + vapor)/m³ and 0.9 mg aerosol/m³ (inhalable fraction). One thousand two hundred and eighty skin diseases and 96 respiratory diseases were observed.

Conclusions: This is the first investigation describing exposure to and diseases due to MWF in Switzerland over a timeframe of 10 years. In general, working conditions in the companies of this investigation were acceptable. Most measured MWF concentrations were below both the Swiss and most international occupational exposure limits of 2014. The percentage of workers declared unfit for work was 17% compared to the average of other occupational diseases (12%).

Keywords:

• Metal working fluids
• Occupational disease
• Occupational exposure limit
• Respiratory disease
• Skin disease
• Suva
• Switzerland