Occupational health risk assessment of pure methanol fuel

OBJECTIVE: To assess the occupational health risk of pure methanol fuel( M100) during the methanol fuel pilot stage. METHODS: The subjects are workers who are exposed to M100 in pilot areas for methanol vehicles, southwest of China. Use field investigation and detection to get the information of production technology, exposure level of methanol and prevention measures and facilities. Use Singapore Occupational Exposure to Harmful Chemicals Semi-Quantitative Method to assess the health risk of the methanol. Use "Classification of occupational hazards at workplace " to classify the occupational hazard of methanol. RESULTS: The main occupational hazard factor existing during the use procedure of M100 is methanol. The concentration of methanol in M100 filling station, methanol automobile repair shop and methanol automobile driver 's cab( up to47. 90 mg/m~3) and main methanol exposure post( up to 10. 25 mg/m~3) are accord with occupational exposure limit. According to the methanol occupational health riskassessment result, the risk of filling worker( R = 2. 4), methanol loade( R = 2. 0) r and maintenance worker( R = 2. 0) are low, and the risk of the driver( R = 1. 4) is negligible risk, which are basically identical with the occupational hazard classification result. CONCLUSION: Under the current production process and protection level, the occupational health risks of M100 can be controlled at low level. The chronic health effects and occupational exposure limit of methanol should be further studied.