Proposal for an epidemiological surveillance program for the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases in workers exposed to carbon dioxide (CO2) at a Venezuelan brewing company

Abstract

Introduction: in manufacturing companies, specifically in the brewery, there are processes that involve the handling and use of chemical agents, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), this is the reason why workers are exposed to this agent. In the studied company, an accident was caused by exposure to this substance. Objective: to propose an epidemiological surveillance program for the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases in workers exposed to carbon dioxide (CO2) in a Venezuelan brewery. Methods: a qualitative-quantitative, field, descriptive, feasible project-type research was carried out, with the epidemiological surveillance program as the unit of analysis. Documentary review, direct observation and the interview were used as data collection techniques, and the observation guide, the sociodemographic form and the field diary were used as instruments. Results: the machine room has 18 workers, which shows that the workforce is composed of men over 40 years of age. Among the main causes of consultation of workers to the medical service are headache with 24,1 %, followed by fatigue with 20,6 % and then dizziness with 13,7 %. Conclusion: we propose an Epidemiological Surveillance Program aimed at machine room workers exposed to Carbon Dioxide (CO2), since there is no system that collects complete information on the working conditions and health of its workers, thus failing to comply with the legal framework governing the subject.