Efecto de la temperatura y humedad en piel y vías respiratorias de trabajadores de un rastro

Effect of temperature and moisture on the skin and respiratory tract of a slaughterhouse worker

Abstract

Health risks related to exposure to low temperature and humidity are frequent in the workers of slaughterhouses, where prevail cold environments and humidity conditions, which represent an additional effort for their work. The objective was to determine the relationship between temperature and humidity in the work environment, with affections in different areas of the skin and respiratory conditions in workers of a cattle slaughter. Temperature and humidity measurements were made in the different departments of the slaughterhouse, and these values ​​were related to the result of the assessment of skin lesions and airway conditions in 44 workers from the following departments: Slaughter, Beef boning, Processes, Shipments, Sales and Maintenance. The instrument used was the NOSQ-2002: Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire, adapted for our country. The workers of the beef boning department, where they work at low temperatures, had a greater incidence of allergies and eczema (62 %) in relation to the rest of the areas, where the conditions are more favorable. Exposure to low temperatures is a factor for the appearance of skin eczema, as well as a tendency to develop damage to the respiratory system as allergies in the workers.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54167/tch.v12i3.188