Occupational regulation for benzene: an approach on risk and exposure in gas stations

Abstract

Introduction:

workers are subject to risks from environmental and occupational exposure to benzene. This situation is even more critical when combined with social inequality, multiple exposure, individual susceptibility, environmental degradation, and possible interactions between environmental contaminants. In addition, regulations are not always established and/or updated only from scientific evidences, because they are processes permeated by conflicts of interest.

Objective:

to produce a critical analysis on risk identification and benzene exposure evaluation.

Methods:

literature and documentary review of the Brazilian and international regulatory standards on benzene exposure, toxicological aspects, occupational and environmental exposure, and risk evaluation.

Discussion:

benzene exposure control permeates the technical-political dispute of health and safety, resulting in a regulatory standard from consensus of understandings. These understandings are shaped by the dispute between health protection and business management of working conditions, to the detriment of scientific evidence. In this context, the Occupational Exposure Limits can vary significantly between countries and agencies, despite the universal recognition that there are no safe limits for benzene exposure, because it is a carcinogenic compound.

Keywords:
benzene; occupational exposure limit; regulatory standards; environmental exposure; occupational exposure