The Association Between Chlorine and Caustic Soda Exposure and Respiratory Health among Factory Workers at GIHOC Distilleries

Abstract

Background: Chlorine and caustic soda are widely used in industrial processes and pose potential health risks to factory workers who are frequently exposed to these chemicals. In both humans and animals, poisoning symptoms have been documented and are comparable, including simple respiratory irritation, bronchial spasms, bronchial and alveolar damage, and pulmonary illnesses. In Ghana, disastrous effects and lifelong complications range from respiratory and gastrointestinal burns to death resulting from caustic soda ingestion. This study investigated the association between chlorine exposure, caustic soda and respiratory health among factory workers in Ghana. Methods: This research was conducted at GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited, located in the North Industrial area, 2 Dadeban Road, in the Greater Accra Region. Quantitative approaches were utilized in an observational cross-sectional study with 134 purposively sampled study participants. A Structured questionnaire, adapted from the OSHA Respiratory Medical Evaluation Questionnaire, was administered. Pulmonary lung function tests were carefully carried out on study participants. Results: The sex distribution revealed that 44.03% of the study participants were female and 55.97% of the study population were male. The majority (45.52%) of study participants were married. A significant percentage (55.22%) of respondents had a “Very good” knowledge on chemical usage, 12.68% of participants had "Moderate" understanding about chemicals and their usage. Chlorine (p =0.002) and caustic soda (p = 0.0076) exposure were significantly associated with respiratory symptoms of cough. However, chlorine and caustic soda exposures had no association (p > 0.05) with respiratory symptoms, chest tightness, breathing difficulty, and shortness of breath. Conclusion: This study highlights the correlation between chlorine and caustic soda exposure in the respiratory health of workers. These findings offer valuable baseline data for ongoing investigations into the adverse health effects experienced by workers at GIHOC distilleries. Therefore, it should be a top priority for production employees at GIHOC distilleries to monitor each other's adherence to safety regulations.