Risk perception and accidents at work – a study with petrol station workers in Southern Brazil

Introduction
All around the world the human exposition to benzene is risky as it is seen as a public health problem. This study focuses on the exposition to it at petrol stations, specially by the workers filling up the cars. We aimed at identifying the workers’ risk perception and relate it to the time exposed to benzene and the self-referred occurrence of accidents at work by the workers. It aimed at the theoretical approach of risk perception.

Methods
Cross-sectional study with 221 workers from petrol stations in Southern Brazil, from October to December 2010. A structured interview concerning risk perception was conducted, the frequency of accidents due to exposition time. The time exposition variable was based on the weekly working hours exposed and on the time the worker serves as. Data was analyzed using the SPSS 19.0.

Results
The risk types mentioned were: chemical (93,7%); physical (88,2%); ergonomic (64,3%) and biological (62,4%). The risks self-referred were adjusted to exposition time, in which no difference was noticed. The accidents at work comprised 94,1% of the sample. The contact skin-fuel involved 25,2% followed by exposition to weather factors (18%) and fuel inhalation (14,1%). The accidents at work were adjusted to exposition time, in which there could be a difference (p=0,005).

Discussion
It is noticed that the risk perception exists by the workers and there is a trend to link it to accidents at work, as the work environment is dangerous. The study contributes to the occupational health policy, through the Benzene Permanent National Commission, intensifying the risk perception at the work environment as a complex social environmental phenomenon, as a preventive measure to occurrences of accidents at work.