- 期刊
手工製香業健康危害評估：病例報告
Health Risk Assessment with Incense-Making Worker: a Case Report
摘要
隨著科技進步，自從半自動製香機出現後，台灣製香由早期的手工製香演變成機器代勞，目前純手工的製香廠愈來愈少見。製香的工作環境為高度粉塵暴露，實際現場測量顯示製香工廠暴露粉塵以大顆粒的粉塵居多。關於線香對人體的危害，先前國內調查以燃燒線香造成健康危害居多，一般認為線香本身並不含致癌性的苯，但點燃線香後會釋出對人體有害的苯以及多環芳香烴類（PAHs）。國外先前針對小型家庭式製香工廠調查發現線香可能含有鋇、錳及鉛的重金屬成份。在揉香的過程中，則可測得高濃度粉塵以及氣溶膠（aerosols）。本案例為手工線香製作工人，從事相關工作超過20年。作業時，由於擔心昂貴的粉料會被通風設備吸入，現場並未有通風設備，工作環境中瀰漫粉塵。由於原料皆為天然香料，從事該工作工人以為對人體無害，工作時並未配戴口罩以及其他個人防護具。個案疑似因為長期從事線香製作，造成肺功能減損以及前縱膈腔肺腫瘤（良性胸腺腫瘤）。本文的目的是希望藉此病例及文獻之回顧，並且針對現場採集七種原料（大黃、山奈、靈香、肉桂、甘草、小茴香以及甘松）之毒性調查結果，期使職業災害相關從事人員對手工製香作業危害能進一步的了解，在臨廠服務時，能對於相關工作性質的職業環境更加注意，避免危害。
並列摘要
In Taiwan, there are still some people working in the incense factories, which have many environmental and occupational hazards. The main ingredients used in making incense are wood powders, which are commonly 25 herbs used in Taiwan. Other ingredients are glutinous incense powder, fragrance powders, coarse sawdust, dye and perfume oils. Previous studies showed that chronic exposure to wood dust may affect respiratory function and cause asthma. Skin and eye irritation are also noted in some workers. Moreover, some study indicate that long term use of incense is associated with an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the respiratory tract2. This case is about a 55-year-old man, who works in an incense factory for more than 20 years. He didn't wear adequate personal protection equipment before because of all there ingredients seem to be nature. However, now he has respiratory function impairment and may cough easily. Besides, there is a mediastinal benign tumor noted. Therefore, we evaluate the workplace environmental and occupational hazards in incense factory to analyze the relationship between wood powders (dust) exposure and the risk of respiratory tract dysfunction or tumor in the incense-making workers.