Occupational health environment in workplace of dental technicians

Abstract

Various chemical substances are handled among the workplace of dental technicians, and highly harmful chemical substances such as cobalt, chromium, cristobalite and indium have been used. Since occupational health management of indium handling work has already been issued as a notification from the government, occupational health management are introduced separately from indium and general chemicals handling workplace. The main measures in the occupational health management of general chemicals are to perform concentration measurement of the chemicals, to prepare local exhaust ventilation, to use appropriate dust or gas mask, to conduct special medical examinations for chemicals include pneumoconiosis. The work environment of dental technicians is not listed as a dust workplace in Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards due to Dust Ministry of Labour Ordinance. However it is necessary to perform sufficiently the occupational health management because of case reports and epidemiological studies to induce the pneumoconiosis in the workplace of dental technicians.