In this study a diagnosis of occupational exposure related to xylol use by technicians in cytology and anatomic pathology was carried out in eight laboratories which care for the population of Recife and towns in the interior of the state of Pernambuco. Data were obtained by multiple choice questionnaires. Emphasis was given to information concerning occupational health and perception of risk when using xylol and disposing waste. The results showed that personal and collective protection equipment have being neglected. Eighty percent of the people interviewed had noticed changes in health after they had been exposed to xylol for some years. However, only 6.6% of them went through annual evaluation to check the presence of xylene in their organisms, by methyl hippuric acid determination in urine. It was noticed that 76.6% of the people interviewed disposed waste directly into a sink, as there was not a proper place for waste disposal. Data showed the need for workers' training on a preventive view in relation to occupational and environmental risks.
xylol; xylene; methyl hippuric acid; occupational risk
