Redução da exposição a compostos orgânicos voláteis no abastecimento de veículos: estudo de caso avaliando o posicionamento do trabalhador

Abstract

This study evaluated the work environment during a refueling of vehicles in a fuel station to assess, on the workers that are in the correct position during the refueling of the vehicles, the reduction of their exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOC) contained in the vapour gasoline. Among the volatile organic compounds stands out, due to their degree of toxicity, the organics benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylene (BETX). The controlled variables in the study were the temperature of the dry bulb, the temperature of the wet bulb, the globe temperature, the humidity, the atmospheric pressure, the velocity of the air, the tank level of the fueled car and the quantity of VOCs (average and maximum values). It was found that the higher values of the VOCS observed were during the refueled when the worker was back to the wind, that is, when the wind passed from behind the worker. However, it can be seen that in none of the positions evaluated, the values of VOCs were totally null, indicating that just this control measure alone cannot fulfill the Regulatory Standard NR-15 (It is considered that for benzene there is no safe exposure value).