Abstract. The article analyzes the state of the air environment in workshops of footwear industry enterprises based on the dust factor and identifies health risks for workers resulting from inhalation exposure to this industrial aerosol. A total of 453 studies of occupational dust in the air environment of footwear enterprises were analyzed. The assessment of working conditions was carried out in accordance with Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 1192 dated July 9, 2024, «On approval of state medical and sanitary standards for the permissible content of chemical and biological substances in the air of the working zone» and the criteria of the Hygienic classification of labor based on the content of chemical substances in the air, including aerosols of fibrogenic action (Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 248 dated April 8, 2014). Risk assessment was performed in accordance with the Methodology for risk assessment of workers health (Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 358 dated March 2, 2024).

Results. The air in the production premises of cutting, preparation, and assembly workshops of footwear enterprises is contaminated with organic dust, including leather, textile, fur, paper, polymer, synthetic material, and rubber dust. Additional chemical exposure to workers is created by impurities of adhesives, solvents, tanning agents, and dyes that are components of the dust. With respect to the dust factor, the working conditions of detail manufacturers and cutters, roughing and buffing machine operators, and footwear bottom molding workers predominantly fall into the harmful category (Classes 3.1 and 3.2), while the calculated risk levels are defined as increased or significant (hazard quotient HQ = 1.1–4.15). The working conditions of upper assemblers, footwear bottom detail processors, and footwear finishers are characterized as permissible (Class 2), and health risk levels are considered acceptable (HQ < 1).

Conclusions. Although occupational dust in the footwear industry is a low-intensity factor, the assessment of working conditions based on dust exposure and the determination of the risk of air contamination in the working zone make it possible not only to predict the likelihood the health disorders for workers, but also to develop risk management measures at both the individual and occupational population levels.

Keywords: occupational dust, footwear manufacturing, dust exposure, occupational risk

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