Soldadores: principais riscos e fatores de risco laborais, doenças profissionais associadas e medidas de proteção recomendadas

Introduction / framework / objectives: The professionals involved in welding are subject to several risks/ risk factors; however, the generality of the bibliography consulted addresses specific and piecemeal issues. Workers who do welding do not constitute a homogeneous group: some work in open, others in closed, but well ventilated or very confined. In addition, many other professionals, although not designated by welders, practice this act with some frequency, among other work tasks, that can present cumulative risks. Methodology: This is an Integrative Bibliographic Review, initiated through a survey conducted in January 2017 in the databases “CINALH plus with full text, Medline with full text, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Methodology Register, Nursing and Allied Health Collection: comprehensive, MedicLatina, Academic Search Complete and RCAAP “. Content: Welders are exposed to risk factors as diverse as chemical agents/ fumes, radiation (with cutaneous and / or ocular attainment), noise, vibrations, thermal discomfort, bad illuminance/ glare and/ or inadequate contrasts; maintained / forced postures, handling of loads/ falling objects and/ or the same level and the possible work in height or under water (with differences of atmospheric pressure), as well as the peculiarities working in confined spaces. The bibliography consulted highlights cardiovascular, respiratory and immunological damage. Some articles record data on collective and/ or individual protection measures, and the direct mention of occupational diseases in this sector (but still enhancing manganism, siderosis, pneumoconiosis, asthma, bronchiolitis, pulmonary fibrosis, oncological diseases- lung, pancreas and skin, as well as photoretinitis, photokeratoconjunctivitis, cataracts and pterygium. Conclusions: Welding occupies many full-time and many more part-time professionals, so the associated risks/ risk factors should be known in detail by the occupational health teams working in this sector.