The proposed research aims to critically assess the occupational exposure of crude oil tank cleaning workers in the Sultanate of Oman to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) and evaluate the effectiveness of existing control measures. Manual tank cleaning is considered the cheapest and most common method in the industry, which at the same time presents significant health-related risks to workers. Primarily, hydrocarbon vapor inhalation and sludge contact with skin are the main health hazards associated with tank maintenance. Ineffective safety and control measures regarding hazardous contaminants can cause acute or chronic adverse health effects to the worker due to the presence of carcinogenic elements and risks to the central nervous system (Rafiee et al., 2018). Therefore, it is essential to develop a relevant theoretical framework to determine the impact of BTEX exposure on workers and examine the effectiveness of control measures used in the manual tank cleaning operation.
The theoretical framework for this study involves relevant concepts and focuses on the occupational health and safety hazards involved in the crude oil industry in Oman. To address the study’s objectives, BETX toxicokinetics will be studied to understand the respiratory, reproductive, neurological, immunological, endocrine, cardiovascular, hepatic, and renal effects of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, as well as the associated carcinogenic risk. Confounding factors must be established posing additional risks for workers in the crude oil tank cleaning industry (Rafiee et al. 2018). The principle of modified stimulus can be applied to monitoring the workers’ activity.
Quantitative research was chosen as appropriate for obtaining exact measures and evaluating the occupational BTEX exposure among crude oil tank workers In Oman. It refers to collecting and analyzing data to confirm a thesis and produce generalizable knowledge regarding the causes behind an event or phenomenon (Politano, Walton, and Parrish, 2018). In this study, the sample will include 8-15 workers involved in tank cleaning in one of the oil production sites in Oman. Such a sample size will allow for collecting enough quantitative data for statistical analysis and measuring exposure levels.
The research methods chosen for this study include airborne active monitoring, biological monitoring, fit test for a respirator, and dermal exposure assessment. With this approach, the researcher will address the problem of occupational health and obtain diversified data for conducting a statistical analysis. To begin with, the active sampling method will be used to collect aerosols and particulates for exposure assessment. Furthermore, urine biological monitoring will be conducted to determine the BTEX contamination level among the workers of Oman’s oil tank cleaning sector. A quantitative fit test will assess the tight-fitting respirators in the oil production site to evaluate the quality of protection for workers. Finally, the patch method will be utilized for dermal exposure assessment and evaluating the effectiveness of personal protective equipment (PPE).
IHSTAT software will be used to analyze descriptive and inferential statistics. In particular, measuring the central tendency and dispersion will provide insight into exposure levels and the quality of protection provided for crude oil industry workers in Oman. Similarly, the relationship between BTEX contaminants and workers’ urine biomarker levels will be determined through principal component analysis. A Chi-square test will be conducted to establish the effectiveness of the current control measures in BTEX exposure. The results will be presented in the form of numbers, graphs, and tables.
Reference List
Politano, P. M., Walton, R. O. and Parrish, A. E. (2018) Statistics and research methodology: A gentle conversation. 3rd edn. Charleston SC: Hang Time Publishing.
Rafiee, A. et al. (2018) ‘Use of urinary biomarkers to characterize occupational exposure to BTEX in healthcare waste autoclave operators’, Science of the Total Environment, 631, pp. 857-865. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.090