半導體廠員工之砷暴露健康風險管理研究

Abstract

摻雜(Doping)為積體電路半導體製造之重要技術，主要有擴散(Diffusion)及離子植入(Ion Implant )法，這些製程應用含砷物質為摻質(Dopant)，而與這些製程相關的作業人員便有砷暴露的可能。 本研究針對三個半導體廠可能砷暴露的人員及作業進行調查，其中離子植入及擴散爐管機台維護保養作業，處理離子植入機台零件的噴砂機清理作業，相對的砷暴露風險較高。針對這些作業的量測結果顯示，相關作業空氣中砷濃度均遠低於我國法令標準(0.5mg/m3)。從個人接觸物品擦拭採樣結果顯示，供氣式呼吸防護面罩、廠內的行動電話、無塵衣有微量的砷微粒殘留，應加強個人相關物件的清潔。 從尿中無機砷代謝物種的分析顯示，以T-檢定105人次對照組與639人次暴露組尿中總砷含量並無顯著差異。兩個年度兩次的取樣分析結果尿中總砷量，並未見到有累積的趨勢。進行48名暴露組及217名對照組，15項健康檢查數據統計比對，結果顯示並無顯著差異。不過對照組與暴露組無機砷含量的比率，卻有統計上的差異，這一點離子植入及擴散爐管均相同，設備工程師仍有微量砷暴露的可能，在進行維護保養工作時必須要做好個人防護，作業完畢時也要注意個人的衛生，盡量將砷暴露的可能降到最低。對於經營者，每年可從健康檢查資料及進行定期尿中無機砷代謝物種分析，瞭解人員狀況，對於異常人員，則進一步了解其作業環境、防護具穿戴與衛生習慣，協助員工做好預防砷暴露之健康管理。

Impurity doping is an important technology in integrated circuit semiconductor industry. Generally used methods are diffusion and ion implant. In these processes, arsenic compounds are used as dopant, thus workers on this process may have the chance to expose to arsenic compounds. This research investigated workers in three semiconductor plants who may expose to arsenic compounds. Among these operations, the maintenance of ion implanter and diffusion furnace, and the sand blasting machine which cleans ion implanter parts are at higher arsenic exposure risk. By air sampling around these operations, the results show that the arsenic concentrations in air of the surrounding area are far more less than our law requirement (0.5mg/m3). The results from wiping tests of the personal belongings show that there are some residues on air masks, mobile phones, cleanroom suits therefore further cleaning on the personal belongings is needed. The analysis of the inorganic arsenic metabolite in urine shows no significant difference from the 105 people in comparison group and the 639 people in exposed group via T-test. No trend of accumulation is observed from the analysis of the two sampling groups for the analysis of arsenic in urine within two years. The results show no significant difference from the statistic analysis of 48 people in exposed group and 217 people in comparison group from 15 different types of health examination data. However, there is statistical difference in the comparison group and exposed group on the inorganic arsenic containing compound ratio. The difference can be found from personnel both in ion implant and in diffusion furnace process. The equipment engineers still have the potential of exposing to trace amount of arsenic compounds. Personal protection equipment is necessary when performing planned maintenance work. Good personal hygiene practice is also a key to minimize the arsenic exposure. The employer can know employee’s condition from the yearly health examination data and periodic urine inorganic arsenic metabolite analysis. For employee with abnormal test results, further understanding of his/her work environment, personal protection equipment and personal hygiene habit are needed to help them preventing the arsenic exposure.