[Occupational exposure to hazardous agents in enterprises supervised by the State Sanitary Inspection]

Abstract

The presented data concern occupational exposure understood as work performed in working conditions with exceeded values of maximum allowable concentrations/intensities (MAC/MAI) of hazardous/noxious agents. In Poland, the State Sanitary Inspection (PIS) is responsible for the occupational hygiene surveillance in the work environment. Information on occupational exposure to various hazardous agents (chemical and physical, as well as industrial dust, lighting or microclimate) is collected by the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine every three years on the basis of routine statistics of sanitary inspectorates. Information on occupational exposure apply exclusively to workers employed in PIS-supervised enterprises. In 2000, the Polish enterprises, registered and supervised by PIS, employed 4 321 312 workers, including 505 638 (11.7%) workers employed in working conditions with exceeded MAC/MAI values. In 2000, both the proportion of workposts with exceeded MAC/MAI values and the proportion of workers employed in exposure decreased. The data show a general improvement in working conditions in Poland.