Diseño de una guía de valoración y prevención de riesgo químico aplicable a la empresa Curtiembre Galindo Barrio San Benito Bogotá

Abstract

The tannery industry has been characterized by presenting high levels of pollution not only for the environment but for the exposure of chemical agents dangerous to the health of workers. The design of a guide for risk assessment and prevention by chemical agents to the CURTIEMBRE GALINDO located in Carrera 17b No 59 a - 31 south, the San Benito neighborhood of the city of Bogotá was carried out by means of a qualitative observational descriptive study and was based in the initial diagnosis through the inspection of the different stages of the tanning process, applying a checklist where aspects such as substance used in each stage, knowledge and management of safety sheets, total exposed personnel, time of inspection were related exposure, use of personal protection elements and storage of chemical substances. For the risk assessment, the data obtained in the inspection list, the classification of the hazards of the substances based on the globalized harmonized system and the evaluation were compiled by means of the guide for the identification of the hazards and the assessment of the safety risks and occupational health (GTC45). Of the 20 chemical substances used in the 3 stages of tanning transformation, only 6 have a medium level of risk and level of acceptability d, which does not represent any significant risk to the health of workers. Of the remaining 14 chemical agents, 10 present a high level of risk and a non-acceptability of the risk, which indicates that there is no optimal control for the management of these substances, putting workers' health at risk, causing probable injuries instantly or in a moderate time. The last 4 substances including sodium chromate gave us an unacceptability because it represents a high risk of health effects and the possibility of acquiring diseases such as cancer, mutagenicity, harmful ingestion among many other serious health consequences. 11 The vast majority of workers are unaware of the characteristics, properties and risk of exposure to the chemicals they handle daily in their workday. It was observed that the protection elements that are used are not adequate for the handling of these chemical substances, in the same way the lack of training of responsible and due use of the substances is not carried out continuously. The guide design has a simple and essential structure that allows the worker as well as the employer to identify the properties of each chemical substance at each stage of the process, the classification of danger, the safety data sheet of each chemical supported by the globally harmonized system, characteristics and labeling, its safe handling, the personal protection elements with their specific characteristics and the prudent exposure time. All this to comply with the provisions of current Colombian regulations on hygiene, safety and health at work. Key words: chemical risk –birth-illness at work- accident at work-globally harmonized system – GTC45 Colombian technical guide