title: Evaluating workers' exposure to metalworking fluids and effective factors in their dispersion in a car manufacturing factory.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Metalworking fluids (MWFs), which are widely used in metal working operations, can cause different adverse effects, e.g., dermal and respiratory disorders, and cancer. Evaluating workers' exposure to MWF mists and the effective factors in their dispersion were the purpose of this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five out of 300 workers working in metalworking workshops were randomly selected. MWF concentrations were measured with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 5524 method. Air temperature and velocity were also determined as the predicted effective parameters on the level of exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that exposure to MWF mists in one workshop was higher than in the other ones (p < .05). The findings also showed that temperature was an effective factor in the dispersion of MWF mists (p < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The exposure of almost all workers was under the threshold limit value of 5 mg/m(3), but it was over the value recommended by NIOSH of 0.5 mg/m(3). Air temperature was an effective factor in workers' exposure (r = .576).
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Safety, Islamic Azad University, Dehaghan, Iran. occp1979@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abbasali Mokhtari
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Andani
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farideh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Golbabaei
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Jamaladdin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Shahtaheri
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas Rahimi
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Foroushani
mesh_terms: D000392:Air Movements; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008669:Metallurgy; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013696:Temperature; D020711:Threshold Limit Values; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational