Exposure to Chemical Risks and its Relationship with Absenteeism in Personnel in the Fertilization Area of an African Palm Company, 2024.

Abstract

Agriculture is one of the productive sectors with the highest levels of occupational exposure to chemical agents, including fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs used to increase crop yields. The main objective of this study was to evaluate exposure to chemical risks and its relationship with occupational absenteeism among personnel in the fertilization area of an African palm company in 2024. A quantitative, descriptive-correlational approach was adopted, using a non-experimental, field-based, and documentary research design. Chemical products were identified, risks were assessed using the INRS methodology, and their relationship with occupational absenteeism was examined without manipulating the variables. The study population consisted of 92 workers in the fertilization area; therefore, a census sampling method was applied. Four fertilizers and three herbicides were identified. The herbicides presented the highest risk levels, particularly paraquat, with a score of 5,000, followed by glyphosate (1,800) and 2,4-D (1,200), whereas the fertilizers presented moderate risk levels. Regarding absenteeism, the high-risk group recorded 18 cases and 96 lost workdays, compared with 14 cases and 47 lost workdays in the moderate-risk group. It was concluded that the findings helped prioritize preventive measures, particularly during the handling and application of herbicides, without establishing a causal relationship between chemical exposure and occupational absenteeism.