EVALUATING LABOR ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS AT GS COMPANY, VIETNAM AND SUGGEST SOLUTIONS

ĐÁNH GIÁ MÔI TRƯỜNG LAO ĐỘNG RỦI RO AT GS CÔNG TY VIỆT NAM VÀ GIẢI PHÁP QUẢN LÝ đề nghị Y TẾ NHÂN VIÊN ". Tiếng Anh

INSTRUCTOR’S COMMENTS

-Hochiminh city , Jan 25 th , 2013

INSTRUCTOR’S SIGNATURE

International Master in Environmental Science & Management - IMES

UNIVERSIT

Y OF LIEGE

BELGIUM

HOCHIMINH UNIVERSITY OF INDUSTRY VIETNAM

EVALUATING LABOR ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS AT GS COMPANY, VIETNAM AND SUGGEST SOLUTIONS

FOR MANAGING EMPLOYEES’ HEALTH

Instructor : Prof Sc.D Le Huy Ba Student : Nguyen Thao Ngoc

Ho Chi Minh City, 2013

University of Liege in Belgium SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

HoChiMinh City University of Industry Independence - Freedom - Happiness

-

-THESIS MISSION

Full name: Nguyen Thao Ngoc Sex : Female

Date of birth: April 6th, 1981 Place of birth : Binh Duong

Major: Specialized Science & Environmental Management

Course: 2/ 2012

I. Thesis name: EVALUATING LABOR ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS AT GS COMPANY,

VIETNAM AND SUGGEST SOLUTIONS FOR MANAGING EMPLOYEES’

HEALTH

II. MISSION AND CONTENT:

Carry out the assessment of labor environmental risks and propose solutions forlaborers’ health

III. INSTRUCTOR: Prof Sc.D Le Huy Ba

Hochiminh City, ……… , 2013

TRAINING DEPARTMENT SPECIALIZED BRANCH DEAN OF SPECIALIZED BRANCH

I also thank you all administrators and relevant departments of UIH as well as Environmental Institutes created the best conditions for me to complete this course.

I especially send my best thanks to Vietnam GS Company gave me a chance to measure and interview the employees in order to have data for the research.

I would like to thank all Professors due to valuable comments and criticisms for my thesis.

Finally, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Board of Managers of Binhduong Centre of Labor Health and Environment, Doctor Ho Hoang Van, Doctor Nguyen Van Tho, and all staff of testing department in my process of measuring and examing, all my colleagues at the Centre, as well as my dear friends in my class

BinhDuong, May 2013Nguyen Thao Ngoc

SUMMARY OF THE THESIS

This thesis carried out to assess the risks of environment and laborers’ health in theenvironment where is contaminated by lead and to evaluate the rate of lead exposure onlaborers for a long time The thesis also investigated the contaminated sources in the airmainly from industrial manufacturing especially in battery industry

The first chapter consists of 20 pages, 1 structural diagram of GS Company, 2processes of battery production, general overview of lead such as some infiltrating routesinto human body, some symptoms when infected lead, as well as some concepts of laborsanitary

The second chapter has 6 pages to show research content and methodsas following:

1. Mornitoring and measuring environmental factors such as microclimate, light, noise, dustyconcentration, poisoning vapor concentration, … from 2009 -2011 at GS Company inorder to evaluate the contaminated level of labor environment at company

2. Reckon up the health and illness of workers who exposed to lead through retrospectingmedical records such as: recruitment medical exam, periodically medical exam,occupationally medical exam from 2009-2011

3. Reckon up biochemical tests, clinical examination for workers who exposed to leaddirectly and regularly to detect symptoms related to environment and work

4. Propose feasible solutions

The third chapter included 21 pages of results and conclusion:

1. The reality of air pollution

2. Result of labor environmental measuringfrom 2009 - 2011

3. Assess the risk of labor environment

4. Assess the exposure

5. Assess the risk of health

6. The reality of labor environment at Company

7. The issues of health, illness, and some occupational diseases of employees at GSCompany

8. Control comparison between the groups of people who exposed with lead vapor directlyand indirectly from 2009 - 2011

The chapter IV is about health management and consists of 6 pages It summariesthe reality of health and illness of employees at Company in 2011; the interviewing result

about the labor environmental factors effects on employees’ health including 3 tables ofknowledge, illess, and using personally protective equipments in manufacturing.

Chapter V is about summaries and proposals

CHAPTER I: OVERVIEW OF STUDY

1.1 Introduction about GS Company 5

1.2.4 Some concepts of labor hygiene management 19CHAPTER II: METHODS AND CONTENT OF STUDY

2.2.1 Time for investigating, surveying, and taking samples 26

2.2.4 Research methods 272.2.5 Deal with data, generalize and analyzis results 322.2.6 Petition and feasible solutions 32

CHAPTER III: RESEARCH RESULT AND DISCUSSION

3.1.2 The reality of air pollution at company 33

3.3 Evaluate the risks of labor environment 353.3.1 Methods to identify the dangers 35

3.4.1 Determine the exposuring routes 373.4.2 Describe and evaluate the risks 38

3.7 The issues of health, illness, and some vocational diseases at Company 49

3.8 Control comparision Control comparison between the groups of people whoexposed with lead vapor directly and indirectly 52

CHAPTER IV: HEALTH MANAGEMENT

4.1 The matter of health, illness of employees at Company 54

4.2 The knowledge about the effect of labor environment on employees at Company 56

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION, PETITION

5.1.3 Evaluating labor environmental risks 61

5.2.2 Proposals for reducing environmental pollution 635.2.3 Solutions for managing employees’ health 66

INDEX

SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Table 3.5: Matrix of pollution due to weight dust, lead vapor, and lead dust 41Table 3.6: Result of lead vapor concentration at GS Company from 2009 to 2011 43Table 3.7: Result of lead dusty concentration at GS Company from 2009 to 2011 45Table 3.8: Result of annually periodical health-exam 49Table 3.9: Reckon on infection diseases of workers through periodical health-exam 50Table 3.10: Result of occupational disease exam at GS Company through quantity ∆ALA

Table 4.1: Assessment of employees’ subjectiveness impacted on their health by labor

environment with 110 investigated-samples 57Table 4.2: The matter of illness of employees in the first six months through interviewing 110

Table 4.3: Employees’ awareness in using personally protective equipment

Chart 3.1: Factors of labor environmental measuring that exceeded the allowed standards

Chart 3.2: Lead concentration exceeded the allowed standards from 2009-2011 47

1. Abstract

Environment has been an urgent matter and has taken much attention from almostcountries in the world because environment and human being has had the reciprocalinfluence obviously Environment has affectted directly to human being and on thecontrary human being impact on environment considerably Therefore, environment andhealth at work are basic factors to determine employees’ as well as public health

Together with the social-economic development, the life of employees has beenchanged day by day with the rapid innovation of technology Although there have beencertain technological advances, the working condition of employee has not been goodenough to their health correlatively

Vietam has been in progress of industrialization and modernlization so far The rapidspeed of development has been also one of the main causes affected the environmental ingeneral and employees’ health in particular

However, the business institutions in Vietnam have not much attention to environmenteven some of them have not followed Vietnamese government’s rules on environmentwhile the others have done the actions as if they response against government’s rules Afew business institutions having a sense of environmental protection are facing withmonetary problem or their actions have not achieved the results as expected Moreover,employees’ awareness related to using labor safety for their health and community islimited

In producing firms such as wood, shoes, and battery, contaminated factors have been ahigh numbers If there are not any monitoring and controlling policies, employees areliable to be affected toxicant that are very hazardous to their health, public health, as well

as impact on productive effect of business institutions

Vietnam GS Company with a manufacturing process of many handicraft procedureswill have many contaminated risks of microclimate, noise, light, weight dust especiallydust of lead, vapor of lead that affect the human’s health directly Therefore, batteryproduction has been included many implicit risks for employees Although GS Companycarried out the checking process of labour environment and check employees’ healthannually, it only evaluates the level of polluted environment at work but the risks ofenvironment and employees’ health especially the long-term workers

In recent years, there have not had any researches on this matter in this area From thisreality, we carry out the project “Evaluating labor environmental risks at GS Company,Vietnam and suggest solutions for managing employees’ health”.

This research is done at GS Company as per the regulations of testing laborenvironment and annual health examining from 2009 to 2011 The research results will bethe major basics for the confirmation “ GS Company has seriously used the results ofenvironmental checking annually as a basic for improving the working environment andtesting employees’ health periodically so that there will have preferentially exploratorypolicy and treatment for the employees who have affected lead during a long workingtime” From that, this thesis will suggest suitable policies and methods for improving laborenvironment for protecting and upgrading laborer employees s’ health in battery field inparticular and in laborers of Binh Duong province in general

2. The new points of the thesis

There were many researches about labor environment but any research of evaluatingthe risks of labor environment and the health of employees We carry out this research inorder to enhance the sense of employees and propose the solutions for their better health.Specific targets:

- Carry out the assessment of labour environment at Vietnam GS Company

- Propose the solutions for labourers’ health

Content of the research

CHAPTER I THE GENERAL CONTEXT OF STUDY

1.1. Introduction about Vietnam GS Company

1.1.1. General information

Vietnam GS Company, a foreign-owned company with 100% foreign capital which is

a joint-venture one among GS-Yuasa - the lead acid battery producer; Mitsubishi group –the strongest business group in Japan; and Ztong Yee - the biggest battery company inTaiwan manufactures especially battery for motorcycles and cars

GS Vietnam Company was established in May 12, 1997 and it has started its operationand business since 1999

GS Company has imported and produced for trading many kinds of car battery MFMassive of GS – Yuasa since 2009

Operating areas: all cities and provinces in Vietnam

GS Company has produced battery for cars and motors under the technology of Yuasa of Japan and supplied battery for almost potential customers like TOYOTA,HONDA, YAMAHA, SUZUKI, MITSUBISHI, PIAGGIO

GS-1.1.2. Chart of gs company

1.1.3. Position on map

Picture 1: GS Viet Nam in Vietnam Singapore Industrial Place (VSIP)

1.1.4. Battery manufacturing process

Including 2 processes:

Picture 2: Battery manufacturing technology process

Picture 3: Battery manufacturing technology process

1.2.1. General context of study

Together with the process of industrialization and modernlization of Vietnamcountry, various industries has been enlarged and developed rapidly Although thisdevelopment has been contributing into the general situation of Vietnam effectively, it hasbeen impacting on environment and peoples’ health by eliminating amount of waste intoenvironment

To environmental safety, there have been a lot of books mentioned about this matter.For instance, a book of Ly Ngoc Minh named “Managing the safe, the health, the labourenvironment, and the fire prevention at companies”, published in 2006 systematized thesafe management including the labour safety, system of current law in the labour safety,dangerous factors in production, simultaneously proposed the methods of safe techniques,

of labour hygiene, and of management in labour safety; the author Le Thi Hong Tran in

“Evaluating the risks of labour environment” and in “Evaluating the risks of health andecological system” in 2008; Che Dinh Ly in “Analysis the environmental system”introduced some models of evaluating the risks for peoples’ health and environment due tothe absence or the usage of materials causing pollution.

In 1997, the author Nguyen Van Dung finished his master thesis on “Air pollution inair and testing the model of lead processing in air with PILOT at the small firm of batteryproducting in Hochiminh City”

In 2003, Ph.D Trinh Hong Lan and colleagues carried out the research “The reality oflabour environment and cotton-lung disease at some enterprises in Hochiminh City”

In 2009, Ly Ngoc Minh completed his doctor’s thesis with the topic “Building themethod of assessing the environmental risks when using liquid gas (LPG) in Vietnam” thethesis proposed the assessment methods of environmental risks and methods for preventingthe environmental risks when using LPG in suitable condition of Vietnam, it was notcarried out in the management of deleterious waste

This thesis would like to introduce some foreign researches about lead infection asfollowing:

1.Blood lead monitoring in a decorative ceramic tiles factory in Singapore

Choy KD, Lee HS, Tan CH

Occupation Health Department, Ministry of Manpower

Singapore 059764 Kenneth-CHOY @ mom.gov.sg

2.Environmental and risk screening for prioritizing pollution prevention opportunities in the

US printed wiring board manufacturing industry

Lam CW, Lim CR, Schoenung JM

J Hazard Mater 2011 May 15, 189 (1-2):315-22 Epub 2011 Feb 23

3.Assessment of lead in cosmetic products

Al-Saleh, Al-Enazis, Shinawari N

Epub 2009 Feb 27

It is obviously that through the above-mentioned researches, there have had manyactivities referring to the management of risks as well as the assessment of environmentalrisks However, these works have not mentioned adequately or thoroughly the assessment

of environmental risks in battery production

1.2.2. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT LEAD

Lead has been used widely in life activities from the ancient Roman Empire inmaking tools such as plumbing and kitchen appliances Nowadays, lead plays an importantrole in manufacturing and economics activities of human being such as car industries,internal combustion engins as well as in crystal and paint industries Although humanbeing has been contacted with lead for a long time, studying of the exposure routes andtheir roles has only been carried out for recent decades Both water and foodstuffs can becontaminated by lead and caused negative affects on public health.

Lead is a soft metal with white color and its melting point is low The corrosiveresistance is high while the ability of electrical conduct is poor Lead is a highly toxicsubstance due to its less degradation or loss of toxicity into the environment

Lead is a kind of soft metal with a light white color Its melting point is low, thecorrosion resistance is high and the electric conducting is poor Lead is a highly toxicsubstance due to its less degradation or loss of toxicity in the environment In nature, lead

is found in ores with high content besides its absence in most of environmentalcomponents with small content From the air, lead is transfered into soil, water, and plantsthrough the dry or wet process of accumulation The lead dust particles in over 2µm kineticdiameters often deposit fast and closely to the originals meanwhile smaller particles mayspread in longer distance

Lead in soil and dust are stable and their contents depend on the process of depositionfrom the atmosphere In addition, lead in the atmosphere is a significant source of leadpollution in surface water Only a certain amount transfers from water to land Theterrestrial and marine plants have the ability to accumulate lead biology from land andwater highly at the areas polluted by industrial lead Lead also can participate in the foodchain through herbivores

In natural condition, lead content in the atmosphere is often about 5x 10-5 µm/m3 Intown the lead content in air is 0.5 µm/m3 but the average content in town with the hightransportation density is about 3x 10-5 µm/m3 or 3 µm/m3 or more to cities where the stucktraffic happened regularly (WHO 1987)

Due to the special physical characteristics, lead is commonly used in the field ofwater supply and lead pollution in drinking water Lead Carbonate (white lead) is verypopular such as a substance of paint coloring was banned from using in many countriesaround the world in the first half of the 20th century However, lead paint is still a source

of pollution and impact on human health in many countries Lead acid battery is asignificant contribution to environmental pollution through the producing process,decomposition and combustion Other products contain lead including the substance of boxwielding for food, ceramic enamel, glass, crystal and cosmetics

Source [20]

1.2.2.1. General context of infiltrating path of lead into human body.

Although the toxicity of metals is recorded with much especial care, their roles inthe biological systems should be recognized reasonably It is necessary to concern ofdifferent contaminated sources that human contact, its quantities from this source, theintellectual and the process of metabolism of metals in human body and the negativeeffects on health condition lastly

Lead is a soft metal that melts at 3270C, boils at 15150C, evaporates at 550-6000Cand becomes a very toxic substance when contacts with air

• If amount of 10 mg lead enters the adult body daily, he can be poisoned after a fewweeks

• If a person intakes 1 mg everyday after a long period, he can infected chronically

• The limit of lead in the air at work is 0.01 mg/m3 and in the residential area is 0.005mg/m3 (TCVN 5937-2005)

Human are affected lead through food, drink and atmosphere as well as a number

of other sources Trying to minimize the penetration of lead into the human body actuallyhas not been resolved due to the diversity of entry routes and lead content as well as theability to lead excretion of different individual

However, it is very important to study the different entry routes with the aim ofsearching for effective measures to prevent the potential for lead poisoning exposure

Entry routes of lead mainly through the digestive and respiratory tracts Childrenunder six years of age are affected by lead poisoning from the gastrointestinal tract mainlyfor the following reasons:

1. Develop nervous system of children are very sensitive to lead

2. Rate of food per body weight is high

3. Ability to lead poisoning through dirt, rocks and lead paint by hand - to - mouth habits

4. Lead absorption through the gastrointestinal tract (4 - 5 times higher than adults)

Source [20]

1.2.2.2. The origin of lead contamination.

There are three causes:

1. Inhale directly

2. Digest lead dust (in street, at home, …)

3. Digest food that inflected lead or involved lead dust

The first and third way can be impacted on labourers in battery manufacturingfirms

Asthenic ParaesthesiaeMental symtomsDiarrhea

Torpid state Irritation Vomit Enteritis Imbalance Dullness Tiredness

Unusual sleeping Vomit

Anorexia Vertigo Weak muscles Weight loose Hoarseness Diarrhea Have stomach Being excited strongly Being mad

Lead is a solubly heavy metal in adipose tissue (with high bio-accumulation) andeffects negatively on the central nervous system After entering the body from 10 - 12hours to 7 - 8 days, there will have clear symptoms of poisoning A sizable amount oflead in the body will cause acute damage with symptoms that harm the nervous systemsuch as the strong excitement, the delirium, the sight and hearing illusion, the feeling tosuicidal, then reduce body weight significantly due to anorexia Besides, the liver isaffected considerably

In the case of acute poisoning, vegetative nervous system will be disordered(heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature decrease), even the central nervoussystem is also affected that causes trouble in sleeping

The clinical symptoms of chronic poisoning such as: slow heartbeat with pulse of

45 - 60 beats/minute, decreasing blood pressure, body temperature of 35 - 35.80C, beingthin, losing weight, sweating, being sleepy, being tired, and body asthenic

The symptoms of chronic poisoning:

• Color of skin turn pale

• Buzton selvedge: the dark grey at the fangs touches with gums Lead selvedge is actually

a touching symptom because of absorbing much lead not a symptom of poisioning

• Lead abdominal pain: a sign of severe poisoning, abdominal pain with vomiting

• Paralytic symptoms at head and fingers

• Brain accident: severe headache, convulsion, seizure, coma, even causing death

• Inflammation of the kidney develops slowly with erythrocyte and leukocyte in the urine

• Rheumatology for lead appears fit by fit, paint at articulation around and notconcentrated at vertebral column with long paint It may be hurt at muscles or aroundthe articulations without swelling and redness

Source: [20]

1.2.3.2. Main mechanisms of lead penetration into human body [11]

a. Through digestion.

Lead absorption from the gastrointestinal tract is relatively low and the majority

of lead will be excreted through a direct way and not involved in the metabolic process inthe human body Therefore the lead isotopes are used to study the adsorption capacity oflead through the digestive process The result stated that the amount of adsorpted leadvolatizes strongly depends on the chemical state of lead and lead can be served with orwithout food Results also showed that there are differences between differentindividuals in the same conditional lea d exposure In addition, children absorb a largeamount of lead than adults

Source [11]

b. Though respiration.

Lead exits in the air in the form of fine aerosols of inorganic lead salt and areeasily inhaled into the lung cysts Only a part of inhaled lead kept in follicles will bebreathed out The remaining depends on both the size of its particle and the breathingfrequency of 15 times per minute Lead is stored in lung about 24% of aerosol particleswith the size of 0.09 µm and 68% for aerosol of 0.02 µm Results to volunteers indifferent conditions shows that lead remained is about 48-64%

be cleaned in the washing process or food preparation However levels of lead

contamination in foods derived from the air have not been quantified Lead can also bepenetrated through the water used for cooking the vegetables.

For the food of animal origin, lead is mostly stored in the bone issues although theanimals also accumulate a certain amount of lead Therefore, the impact of lead in this case

is less However, the ability of accumulation in fishes is higher and the lead content in fish

is about 1 - 2 dm3, so the amount of lead is about 1 - 2000 µg, the average value is about

< 20 µg /day

Source [11]

1.2.3.3.3. Amount of typical lead penetrates into human body daily from food and drinks.

Amount of typical lead penetrates into human body daily through ingestion can beestimated by various methods The first method is to repeat food The second is to usesynthetic method in which the lead content in the food and drink component is determinedand the total of penetrated lead is equal to the sum of the lead content of each ingredientused This showed that the results depend heavily on factors such as individual,countries, However, it can be concluded temporarily that the quantity of absorpted lead

by adults one day is an average of about 100 - 200 g/day and by children is about

50 - 150μg/day

Source [11]

1.2.4. Concepts of labor hygiene management.

1.2.4.1. Managing labor hygiene

1.2.4.1.1. Labor hygiene

Labor hygiene includes factors of microclimate (temperature, humidity, wind speed,radiation), factors of physics (light, noise, shaking), dust and chemical factors, factors oflabor psychophysiology, pathogenic microorganisms and others in the area of GSCompany

+ Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air It is the relative humidity of the air,only the level of water vapor in the air

+ Wind Speed is the movement of the air from high pressure area to the low pressureone

-Physical factors

+ Light: In the literal sense, light is visible radiation It is the electromagnetic waves in

the frequency range that the human eyes can percept

In the broad sense, light is optical radiation including visible radiation,ultraviolet radiation, and infrared radiation

Light radiation affects the human body, the central nervous system andmentality Lighting can change the pulse, the intensity of some metabolic reactions

In life and work, the human eyes require proper lighting conditions.Appropriate lighting will protect vision, resist fatigue, prevent occupational accidentsand occupational diseases, and increase labor productivity

+ Noise: Noise is chaotic sounds of different intensity and frequency, unit to measure

noise is dexibel, denoted dB

To physiology, noise is the sound causes discomfort to the listeners So noise isdefined as all the unadaptable sound.

The job or task exposures to noise regularly such as textile fibers, production ofconstruction materials, mechanics (engine, metal cutting machines, forging machines),carpentry (sawing, planing), operating air compressor

as well as amplitude, velocity, and acceleration

- Chemical factors (poisoning gas)

In the working environment, chemical elements play important roles due tothousands of different substances Those factors could harm health and cause inflecteddiseases in production, threat the lives of workers

In the production, most of toxic chemicals enterring the body could cause changes

in physiology, biochemistry, lose biological balance, disrupt the normal functions of thebody leading to the pathological state of organs in the whole body

In the professional working environment, workers exposed to toxic and can beinfected acutely or chronically Source [18].

1.2.4.1.2. Planing of managing labor hygiene.

- Planing of managing labor hygiene

Managing labor hygiene is to avoid undue risks for workers as well as businessowners and to avoid environmental disasters caused by production

Plan of environmental monitoring is implemented through the following steps:+Monitoring the working environment is to detect harmful factors in the workplace byperiodic inspection, survey from employees about their health and work environment,reflections on working conditions and health of workers based on the documents relating

to the raw materials and technological process

+Determine the level of risk - the risk of occupational harmful factors It is necessary tomeasure the level of risk to health workers based on standards of State and establish thelist of occupational harmful factors

+Choose the preventive measures for each occupationally harmful element defined

+Plan for the implementation of preventive measures

+Evaluate and consider the entire process of monitoring the working environment, evaluate

if preventive measures have been applied effectively or not Moreover, it is necessary tocheck the precautions creating new factors that are disadvantageous to workers in theworkplace Source [7]

1.2.4.1.3. Measuring labour environment.

Measuring labour environment is to assess the dangers when occupationally harmfulfactors defined

The measuring of toxic elements in the working environment should be carried out

by the technical offices of labour hygiene in medical field Business institutions mustmeasure environmental elements in working place at least once a year When toxic factorsexceed the standard of labour hygiene as per Declaration 3733/QD BYT of Ministry ofHealth, it is urgent to repair immediately If there is the possibility of unusual risks forworkers’ health and lives, company’ activities must be stopped and inform the authority

of the situation to get the solutions timely Source [19]

1.2.4.1.4. Setting up the file of labour hygiene.

Occupational health record is an important tool for managing occupational healthcondition, health status, disease, labor accident and occupational diseases of employees of

a manufacturing enterprise According to regulations of the Ministry of Health, allproducers are required to have occupational health record as per the prescribed form.Occupational health record must be made annually and be kept at least 10 years afterthe relevant production lines no longer operated.

1.2.4.1.5. Examine the health during recruiting.

Employees must be examined when recruiting The employer shall not employworkers without health certificates Based on the results of a medical examination,medical facilities proposed to the employer for suitable job of employees

1.2.4.1.6. Examine the health periodically

Annually, the employer must organize periodic health examination for workersincluding trainees and apprentices To people making the heavy and hazardous work, thisactivity shoud be organized one time 6 months It is a must to have personal health recordand general record in accordance with the regulations of Ministry of Health The healthworkers having the health of type IV and V and chronic diseases should be monitored,treated, rehabilitated and arranged the work accordingly

1.2.4.1.7. Testing occupational diseases.

Occupational diseases are diseases caused by harmful labor conditions impact onworkers "Professional Pathogens" are harmful elements arising in the production processimpact on the health of workers badly Occupational disease occurred acutely or slowlyand some of them could not be cured and leaved sequelae However, occupationaldiseases can be prevented

In Vietnam nowadays, the Ministry of Health has recognized the 28 occupationaldiseases insured (1976: 8, 1992: 8 diseases, 1997: 5, 2006: 4 diseases)

1.2.4.1.8. Give first aid at work.

- There are a lot of toxic and dangerous elements that are easy to cause accident, theemployer must be equipped with:

- The appropriate health technical means put at place to timely emergency such as:emergency medicine, antidote, emergency protocols, cotton, bandages, gauze, scissors,clamps Kose, tool box, tourniquet, stretcher, masks, ambulance

- There should have standby plans for dealing with the urgent emergency that can beapproved by local health authorities such as: chemical poisoning, electric shocking,

wounding, cardiac, stop breathing, stop bleeding temporarily, immovable for breakingbones, burns due to heat or chemicals

- Organize the emergency forces The employer must organize first aid training courses formembers to join emergency forces and workers such as emergency methods in placeunder the guidance of the health sector

- Every business must establish health centers that are responsible for first aid in place foraccident labourers before moving to the nearest medical center Source [18]

CHAPTER II RESEARCH METHODS AND CONTENT

2.1.Methodology

In the battery manufacturing industry there are many factors impacting on theenvironment terribly If they are not checked, monitored and handled well, the employeesworking in a long term will catch the occupational diseases that affecting their health,community health and production efficiency of the business On the other hand, workers'awareness of labor protecting usage is not high Therefore, we conduct this research withthe aim of assessing the environmental risk of lead pollution and risks of employees’ healthand then propose solutions to improve the working environment each year after having theenvironmental test results and implementation of incentives such as examining and treatingfor those infected occupational diseases and having allowances for health Raisingawareness of employees about protecting their health through using labor protection atwork and always put labour sanitation safety at the top

2.2.Specific methods

2.2.1.Time for investigating, surveying and taking samples

- The samples of microclimate, light, noise, toxic vapour had been taken as per thesatandards of the Ministry of Health at the manufacturing areas of GS Company

- Time for sampling is from 10a.m to 11a.m

- Employees at GS Company have been working here continuously for over

2 years

- Time for collecting data is from 2009 to 2011

- Place for taking samples: GS Company at 18, Street 3, VietNam Singapore IndustrialZone, Thuan An town, Binh Duong Province

2.2.2.Researching place

Researching place is the whole producing area where the manufacturing process hasbeen stable with staff of over 2 working years

- Taking gas samples at the producing area

- Taking the urine and blood

- Do survey on paper at GS Company

- Clinical examing at GS Company

2.2.3.Researching objects

They are both male and female employees with the age of over 20 and the workingtime of 2 continuous years, including two groups:

- Direct working group at the stages contacting with lead

- Control group working at stages contacting with less lead

2.2.4.Research methods

- Methods are used in the thesis are belows:

a.Retrospective method: is to collect information and data on the results of the labourenvironmental measuring and employees’ health examing from 2009 to 2011

b.Inheritance method is to inherit and develop the research results of domestic and overseaauthors of evaluating the influance of lead and dangerous waste on the environment inorder to support the research results practically and thoroughtly

c.Cross-sectional method to describe

d.Survey method at the real area is to survey the reality of labour environment by measuringthe labour environment of engineers at testing department of Labour Environmental andHealth Center – Binh Duong Province The standards evaluated annually aremicroclimate, light, noise, and dusty concentration

e.Analysis the concentration of lead dust, acid vapour, and ∆ALA urine is carried out at theenvironmental laboratory of Labour Health and Occupational Disease Department of theHygiene and Public Health Institution in Hochiminh City

f.Expert method:

• Consult Prof Ph.D Le Huy Ba

• Consult Director – Doctor Ho Hoang Van, Doctor Nguyen Van Tho – Dean ofOccupational Disease Department of Labour Environmental and Health Center - Binh Duong

• Consult Director of GS Company

g.Method of evaluating the risks quantitatively and qualitatively

h.Survey and interview method: do survey with over 100 employees to appreciate theirhealth for all employees with over 2 working-years (except for employees chosen but notjoined in or agreed but absent on that interview day)

i.Direct examing and diagnose the lead affection of employees made by doctors of LabourEnvironment and Health Center

j.Analysis and compare method aims to analysis and compare between departmentscontacting with and no contacting with lead gas

k.Assessment of predictable risks is to determine latent affects caused by the existingelements and arising ones in future including:

+Determine the objects contacted with risk elements

+Determine the contacted levels

+Determine the affection of risk elements