Behaviors for protection against toxicity of lead
Walk through survey in the workplace before occupational
health education revealed that the workers had worn short
sleeved shirt and that they unsuitably used cotton mask as
personal protective equipment. After occupational health
education, thirty (96.8%) workers were accustomed to
wearing long sleeved shirt and trousers. Thirty-one (100.0%)
always washed their hands before lunch and after the work.
Twenty-nine (93.5%) regularly took a bath and changed
dresses after the work. Thirty (96.8%) had a regular habit
to use the appropriate mask (3M, 9322) all day long except
pause and lunch.
Personal hygiene
From interview and walk through survey, some workers
had smoked in the workplace, washed hands by water, and
taken no bath after the work before occupational health
education. After occupational health education, many
workers changed their styles of personal hygiene, for example
no smoking in the workplace, washing hands by a detergent
before drinking water or having lunch, and taking a bath
after the work. They took off working clothes at an office
outside the workplace and washed them everyday.
Airborne lead level in the workplace
Table 3 shows distribution of airborne lead levels (personal
sampling) at the assembly section. Airborne lead level was
between 26–603.2 µg/m3
. Eight (36.3%) samples were more
than the standard level of the Ministry of Labor and Social
Welfare of Thailand (200 µg/m3
). Average of airborne lead
level was 216.2 µg/m3 and exceeded the Thai standard level.
This Thai standard level is more than the standard levels of
NIOSH (