An Integrated Approach to Initiate Preventive Strategies for Workers Exposed to Teflon Pyrolytic Gases in a Plastic Industry

Abstract: An Integrated Approach to Initiate Preventive Strategies for Workers Exposed to Teflon Pyrolytic Gases in a Plastic Industry: PerngJy TSAI, et al. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Medical College, National Cheng Kung University-This study illustrates an integrated approach for industries to find possible hazardous factors, to identify the causes of an accident, and eventually to start preventive measures after a fatal accident occurred in a Teflon heating process. A team consisting of experts from several disciplinary areas was formed for the purpose. Through literature review and the examination of clinical reports, possible hazardous factors were proposed, and then examined and confirmed through a field study. The technique of fault tree analysis (FTA) was adopted to investigate the causes of the accident logistically. Investigation of the causes of the accident was not limited to those which were directly relevant to it, but all potential causes were included. A preventive strategy was proposed with prioritized measures which were determined based on their importance from the practical standpoint. This study demonstrates the benefits of integrating expertise from a number of disciplines for accident investigation, especially for those accidents in which the scenario cannot be reconstructed. (J Occup Health 2000; 42: 297-303