Occupational exposure to carbon monoxide during charcoal meat grilling

Abstract

Charcoal meat grill workers are one of the many occupational groups that are subject to carbon monoxide exposure. This group have often been overlooked and not investigated. Carboxyhemoglobin (%COHb) levels in 100 male workers were assessed before work and after work the same day. Carboxyhemoglobin levels increased significantly after work in both smoking and nonsmoking workers. The mean COHb levels for smoking workers before work was 3.8% and for nonsmokers was 2.4%, whereas after work, the mean COHb level for smokers increased to 8.1% and for nonsmokers to 6.2%. These elevated mean COHb levels exceed the 5% COHb level recommended by WHO and NIOSH. With respect to smokers only, 36 (81.8%) workers after work exceed 5%, whereas the nonsmokers, 29 (51.8%) of the workers exceed 5%. These results indicate that charcoal meat grilling workers are exposed to significant levels of carbon monoxide. Several control measures have been suggested to mitigate exposure to carbon monoxide.