Chemical risk and safety awareness, perception, and practices among research laboratories workers in Italy

Rosa Papadopoli; Carmelo Giuseppe Angelo Nobile; Alessandro Trovato; Claudia Pileggi; Maria Pavia

doi:10.1186/s12995-020-00268-x

Chemical risk and safety awareness, perception, and practices among research laboratories workers in Italy

J Occup Med Toxicol. 2020 Jun 16:15:17. doi: 10.1186/s12995-020-00268-x. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Rosa Papadopoli¹, Carmelo Giuseppe Angelo Nobile², Alessandro Trovato¹, Claudia Pileggi¹, Maria Pavia^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Sciences, Medical School, University of Catanzaro "Magna Græcia", Via T. Campanella, 115, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
² Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Science, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, 87036 Cosenza, Italy.
³ Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. Armanni, 5, 80138 Naples, Italy.
⁴ Department of Health Sciences, University of Catanzaro "Magna Græcia", Via T. Campanella, 115, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.

Abstract

Introduction: Exposure to chemical compounds occurs in numerous occupational settings, among which the research and healthcare laboratories have not been adequately investigated. These settings are characterized by an extreme variability of the used compounds and by the frequent turnover of young researchers. The main objectives of the study were to explore the occupational exposure to hazardous chemical substances among research laboratory workers; to assess their awareness and perceptions regarding chemical hazards; to investigate adherence to guidelines on safe handling of chemical compounds; and to analyze the effects of several factors on these outcomes of interest.

Methods: The survey was conducted among research laboratories workers who were exposed to chemical substances during their activity. Subjects completed a questionnaire exploring knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to chemical hazards involved in research activities.

Results: Enrolled subjects were 237, for an 81.7% response rate. More than 90 hazardous chemical substances were used in the surveyed laboratories. A correct knowledge on hazardous chemicals was significantly more likely in younger researchers, in those manipulating a higher number of hazardous chemicals, and in those with a higher number of years of training in the attended laboratory; 54.4% of the workers said they felt very exposed to chemical risk. Correct practices in the laboratories were significantly more likely in researchers who perceived to have a low exposure to chemicals, but a high exposure to biological risk, who agreed with the statement that colleagues handle chemicals following safety procedures and who perceived to have received an adequate training in the management of accidents and first aid.

Conclusions: Our results showed significant gaps in knowledge and scarce preparedness in the adherence to safety processes to prevent and contain risks related to use of chemical compounds in research laboratories.

Keywords: Cancerogenic; Chemical hazards; Chemical risk; Mutagenic; Occupational exposure; Safe handling; Toxic.