The historic use of asbestos-containing materials during the manufacturing of automobiles has resulted in a perception of an increased risk of asbestos-related pulmonary diseases within mechanics. This study was conducted to assess the potential asbestos exposures mechanics encounter while servicing vehicles assembled with parts containing asbestos, in addition to compare the cumulative lifetime asbestos exposures for different maintenance activities against theorical threshold exposures for asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Exposure data were assembled from four independent exposure assessments performed to elucidate the airborne asbestos levels generated during the removal and replacement of brakes, gaskets, clutches and seam sealants containing asbestos. The phase contrast microscopy (PCM) and phase contrast microscopy equivalent (PCME) fiber concentrations for personal samples and air sampled identified to contain asbestos fibers through Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis were applied to calculate the cumulative lifetime asbestos exposures. This index of exposure was compared to no-effect exposure thresholds identified through an extensive literature review for the selected pulmonary diseases. The results of this study indicate that mechanics encounter PCM fiber concentrations approximately 10 to 100 times lower than the current Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Limit Exposure (PEL) of 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc). Additionally, the cumulative lifetime asbestos exposures ranged from <1 fiber-year/cubic centimeter of air (f-yr/cc) to 2.0 f-yr/cc, and did not exceed the no-effect exposure thresholds for asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. The findings of this study provide additional support to previously published epidemiologic investigations and exposure assessments against an increased risk of asbestos-related disease within mechanics historically employed to service vehicles containing asbestos fibers.

This diploma thesis elaborated on the subject „Contemporary Health and Safety at Work Problems and their Influence on the Functioning of an Organization“ focuses on the description of contemporary state of Health and safety at work problems in work activities, where the source of risk is represented by chemical substances, from the point of view of a company. The thesis sets out a view of legislative definition for the mentioned topic and also the possible application of safety at work management programs. This part also includes a summary description of risk analysis methods. In the practical part of the thesis, there is an organizational directive for a fictive company engaged in chemical production made. This directive will identify possible occupational risks resulting from the manufacturing process, and it will also evaluate the amount of risk for particular work activities in conjunction with hazard factors. The next part of the thesis contains a proposal of measures for risk reduction, based upon the previously mentioned evaluation. In the final part of the thesis, the author contemplates the possibilities of health and safety at work system improvement.