Factors associated with lead exposure of informal worker of electrical and electronic equipment recycling waste in Khok Sa-at Subdistrict, Khong Chai District, Kalasin Province

Abstract

This study is a cross-sectional study aimed to study factors associated with lead exposure
of informal worker of electrical and electronic equipment recycling waste in Khok Sa-at Subdistrict,
Khong Chai District, Kalasin Province between 1 October 2018 - 30 September 2019. Data were collected by a questionnaire from 98 workers informal and the secondary data of lead in blood from
Khong Chai hospital. The associated between risk factors and lead exposure (blood lead levels ³ 5 μg/dL) by Simple logistic regression. The results were displayed as Odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (95%CI) and p-value at the significant level 0.05

The results showed that median of blood lead levels of the sample is 4.11 μg/dL (Min-Max=0.01-17.47). 40.82 percent of the sample had blood lead levels ³ 5 μg/dL. Factors that were significantly associated with lead exposure statistically were not wearing personal protective equipment (OR = 19.00, 95%CI = 4.18 – 86.20,  p-value = <0.001), occupational duration ³ 8 years
(OR = 4.31, 95% CI = 1.80-10.33, p-value = 0.001), without a ventilation system (OR = 3.83, 95%CI = 1.59 – 9.31,  p-value = 0.003) and battery separation (OR = 2.73, 95%CI = 1.19-6.26,  p-value = 0.018)

          The results of the study indicated that government agencies should be set measures to prevent workers from direct contact with lead by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) during work and provide ventilation systems in the work area to reduce the risk of lead exposure of informal worker of electrical and electronic equipment recycling waste.