Analysing Factors Influencing Occupational Benzene Exposure Concentration in Loading Operations at Gasoline Storage and Distribution Facility in Developing Countries

Abstract

<jats:p>Refined petroleum products are handled in gasoline storage and distribution facility to be conveyed to the end users. These are done through loading operations. During loading operations benzene vapor escape from various emissions sources and the level of benzene exposure concentration alter, based on several factors. However, the lack of monitoring data in some oil exporting developing countries, makes challenging the chemical exposure assessment in these facilities. Therefore, identifying, prioritizing and understanding the interactions of factors that influence benzene exposure concentration during loading operations at gasoline storage and distribution facility in developing country would help management to conduct a more comprehensive and accurate chemical risk assessment. The interpretive structural modeling methodology for identifying the direct and indirect relationships between the factors describe the situation far more accurately than an individual factor taken in isolation. Therefore, represents the suitable tool to conduct our research. The results of this study reveals that the identified factors such as: ‘’product’’, ‘’regulation’’, ‘’working practices’’ and ‘’installation’’ are the most influential for benzene exposure concentration level at gasoline storage and distribution facility in developing countries. Based on those results, management should tackle first these factors before others and emphasize on strategy to improve these factors with the view of providing a safe working place through a benzene exposure concentration level lower than the occupational exposure limit.</jats:p>