Exposure of cleaning workers to chemical agents and physical conditions in swimming pools and spas

Abstract

Swimming pools and spas require a high hygiene level, and therefore constant cleaning. In this study, cleaning workers’ exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), trichloramine (TCA), and particulate matter (PM) in the swimming pools and spas were evaluated. Also, statistical methods were employed to determine what activities affect the exposure to disinfection byproducts (DBPs). The study was conducted in 32 swimming pools and spas. The measurement locations were pool areas, bathrooms, and locker rooms, both during cleaning and opening hours. During the cleaning, the total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentrations were low, on average 96, 251, and 91 µg/m3 for locker rooms, bathrooms, and pool areas, respectively. Similarly, during the opening hours, the TVOC concentrations were on average 78, 125, and 83 µg/m3, for locker rooms, bathrooms, and pool areas, respectively. This is in line with previous studies investigating cleaning work in other environments. The most prevalent compounds during the cleaning were 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol (DEGBE), 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethanol (DEGEE), 2-butyl-1-octanol, trichloromethane (chloroform), decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5), and carbon tetrachloride. The most prevalent compounds during the opening hours were D5, D-limonene, carbon tetrachloride (bathrooms and pool areas), and trichloromethane (bathrooms and pool areas). The TCA concentrations during the cleaning in the bathrooms and pool areas were on average 60 and 67 µg/m3, respectively, and during the opening hours, 28 and 122 µg/m3, respectively. The use of disinfectants was found to increase the TCA concentration in the bathrooms, while the other cleaning products did not. Even though the TCA concentrations were below the WHO’s guideline and the Finnish occupational exposure limit value of 500 µg/m3, the measured TCA levels were occasionally high enough to pose a risk of irritative symptoms. The PM concentrations were low, both in the real-time monitoring (aerodynamic diameter, Dae ≤ 15 µm) and inhalable dust samples (Dae ≤ 100 µm). Highest measured inhalable dust concentration was 350 µg/m3, well below the Finnish occupational limit value of 5,000 µg/m3 for organic inhalable dust.

Chemical and Health Risks of Swimming Pool Maintenance Workers

“…There is evidence that some of these workers do not use adequate protective equipment or have the necessary training to understand the health dangers of inappropriate protection [2][3][4]. This practice promotes sporadic or continuous inhalation of chlorine vapors and other volatile agents, and skin contact with acids and bases [1,2].…”

Safety culture and perception of warning signs of chemical hazards among hospital cleaning workers: a cross-sectional study

“…In the meantime, cleaning workers are one of the users who, due to the nature of their job (cleaning the surfaces and work environment from many types of pollution), are among the jobs exposed to the risks of chemical substances [ 4 ]. It is estimated that each cleaning worker uses about 110 kg of hazardous chemicals per year, depending on the nature of his job [ 5 ].…”

Cleaning in Times of Pandemic: Perceptions of COVID-19 Risks among Workers in Facility Services

“…In addition to chemical risks (Nan et al 2021;Ruokolainen et al 2022), these workers face other risks that cannot be ignored, particularly ergonomic risks (Naik and Khan 2020; Gonçalves and de Oliveira Sato 2020), health risks (Taş et al 2021;Furuya et al 2022), and psychosocial risks (Soo-Jeong et al 2021;Unge et al 2007).…”