Annals Of Work Exposures and Health最新文献

Objective: To estimate the association between lifetime occupational exposure to select combustion by-products and postmenopausal breast cancer (BC) risk.

Materials and methods: Data from a population-based case-control study among postmenopausal women residing in Montréal, Quebec were used. Cases included 661 women aged between 47 and 75 yr, diagnosed with incident malignant BC between 2008 and 2011. Controls comprised 587 women randomly selected from the Quebec Electoral List, frequency-matched to cases by 5-year age groups. Information on risk factors and lifetime occupational histories was collected by interview. Two industrial hygienists used job histories to assign exposure to 293 agents, including 6 combustion by-products (cooking fumes, diesel engine emissions, leaded and unleaded engine emissions, natural gas combustion products, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs]). Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for BC risk, both for all tumours and by tumour molecular subtypes, in relation to occupational exposure to the 6 selected combustion by-products.

Results: No association was observed between occupational exposure to the 6 selected combustion by-products and postmenopausal BC. However, when considering molecular subtypes, women ever occupationally exposed to PAHs had a suggestive higher risk of Luminal B tumours (ORmodel6 = 2.09, 95% CI: 0.87 to 4.60) compared with those never exposed. Additionally, women ever occupationally exposed to cooking fumes compared with those never exposed had a suggestive higher risk of HER2-enriched tumours (ORmodel6 = 2.63, 95% CI: 0.98 to 6.40).

Conclusion: Occupational exposure to the 6 selected combustion by-products was not associated with postmenopausal BC. Suggestive higher risks of certain molecular subtypes of BC were observed with exposure to PAHs and cooking fumes. Future larger studies should consider the role of occupational exposures in the aetiology of BC across different molecular subtypes.

Using a mixed-methods approach, we assessed understanding of risks from exposure to the non-threshold carcinogen hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) among workers (n = 113) and occupational health and safety managers (n = 13) at 14 worksites with potential exposure to Cr(VI). We found that 55% of the workers had a measurable concentration of inhalable Cr(VI), with 19% exceeding 1 µg/m3, a level that corresponds to an "upper risk level" for future EU binding occupational exposure limits over a working lifetime. Additionally, 52% of workers had red blood cell (RBC) Cr concentrations exceeding the 95th percentile of an unexposed control group. Among responding workers (n = 91), 35% reported to perceive to be at no or low risk due to Cr(VI) exposure, 47% to be at some or large risk while 18% stated to be unsure. No correlations were found between reported risk perceptions and measured inhalable Cr(VI), urinary Cr, or RBC-Cr, but a weak correlation to years employed was found. Observations indicated that the hierarchy of controls was not strictly followed. Furthermore, 42% of respiratory protective equipment users used it incorrectly, and only two out the 50 (4%) needing a fit-test reported having performed one. Interviews with the managers revealed a lack of knowledge about the health risks of Cr(VI), and that expectations about exposure levels did not always match measured exposures. Our findings identify knowledge gaps regarding the health hazards of Cr(VI) and highlight the difficulty of estimating workplace exposure and risk without measurements. Based on our findings we recommend efforts to improve knowledge about Cr(VI) health hazards, strengthen the adherence to the hierarchy of controls, and incentivize quantitative exposure assessments.

Exposure to dust and respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is a continuing concern in the construction industry when working with silica-containing materials, such as concrete, brick, or stone. Increased knowledge of the dust characteristics can be used to improve measures to reduce potential exposure. This study aimed to characterize dust collected from indoor demolition in terms of particle size distribution and mineral content, including quartz. Airborne dust was collected with Sioutas cascade impactors at five different construction sites involved in indoor demolition and renovation. Four of the locations had workers demolishing concrete, while at the fifth location brick structures were demolished. An aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) was used to continually monitor the particle number concentrations in the size range 0.54 µm to 17 µm. Material samples of demolished material were collected from each location to determine mineral content. The filters from the Sioutas cascade impactors were weighted to determine dust concentrations in five size fractions ranging from 10 µm down to less than 0.25 µm. Quartz concentrations were quantified with X-ray diffraction using the NIOSH 7500 method and Rietveld refinement was further used to determine other mineral content in the Sioutas impactor samples and material samples. Respirable dust and quartz concentrations were calculated from the Sioutas data. The mass- and number-based particle size distributions measured by the APS were similar for the four locations involved in concrete demolition, whereas the location working with brick had a different distribution. The concentration levels varied widely, and the highest levels were observed at an enclosed location with no natural ventilation where concrete demolition took place. Limited natural or mechanical ventilation led to an accumulation of smaller particles around 1 µm and a lower mass median aerodynamic diameter for RCS, down to 1.2 µm, compared to locations with ventilation. The quartz percentages of the dust collected by Sioutas impactors were found to increase with increasing particle size. The dust contained less quartz than the source material, and an up-concentration of softer minerals like calcite was observed. The knowledge of particle size distributions and concentration levels occurring in the field during indoor demolition is important to ensure effective measures to reduce worker exposure. The results highlight the importance of effective ventilation to reduce the accumulation of airborne particles.

Background: Occupational allergy to soluble chlorinated platinum (Pt) salts, also known as chloroplatinates, poses a serious health problem in precious metal refineries. We aimed to assess the exposure-response relationship between soluble Pt salts exposure and Pt salt sensitization (PSS) in a 16-yr retrospective cohort study (2000 to 2015).

Methods: We analyzed routinely collected data from 5 Pt refineries. In total, 1,614 newly hired workers who entered the industry since 2000 regularly underwent skin prick tests. Exposure to soluble Pt salts was modeled using 2,982 personal air samples. The relationship between time-varying exposure levels and PSS development was analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for smoking, atopy, and facility.

Results: PSS was diagnosed in 117 workers (1.48 per 100 person-years of follow-up time) with median time to PSS of 1.9 yr, and with an estimated median exposure level of 53 ng/m3 (P5-P95: 8 to 302 ng/m3) at the time of PSS development. Statistically significant quantitative exposure-response relationships between PSS and cumulative and current exposure were found. Exposure-response curves showed a steep increase in PSS incidence at exposure levels up to 100 ng/m3, with no or only a slight further increase at higher levels.

Conclusions: We found a clear exposure-response relationship between soluble Pt salts exposure and PSS incidence among newly hired workers. Despite the limitations inherent to the retrospective study design, this cohort study contributes to the growing body of evidence that the widely adopted occupational exposure limit of 2,000 ng/m3 does not adequately prevent PSS and should be reevaluated.

Extreme heat poses a growing threat to occupational health and safety in the New York City (NYC) metropolitan region with projections indicating substantial increases in heat wave events and heat-related mortality in the coming decades. We, therefore, aimed to identify NYC occupations at greatest heat stress risk using publicly available data. Two databases were mapped and merged to compile available occupational information for job titles in the NYC metropolitan region. Two certified industrial hygienists identified variables within these databases to include in a heat stress risk model and weighted these accordingly. Inter-rater reliability and agreement statistics were calculated. The final model was applied to the merged database to identify the scope of the NYC-region worker population potentially impacted by heat stress. The final merged database included 717 Standard Occupational Classification codes with data for 407 categories from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), as well as employment and wage data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Regarding the risk model, the raters' variable selection and weighting were generally consistent and entailed the inclusion of 11 variables. Upon applying the final risk model to the merged database, 178 880 total workers were found to constitute the top 25 at-risk job titles with total employment n > 500, with more than half of this identified workforce classified as landscaping and groundskeeping workers (n = 51 790) and construction laborers (n = 46 390). Our analysis successfully identified NYC occupations at greatest risk of heat stress, achieving our aim and providing a foundation for targeted mitigation strategies. The success of any extreme heat mitigation policies will depend on effective enforcement and outreach to impacted workers.

The occupational exposure limit value (OELV) currently in force for the concentration of asbestos fibres in air in most of the world is 0.1 f cm-3. This value has been considered in some methods as the limit of detection (LOD) for the membrane filter method with phase-contrast microscopy (PCM). There is a directive within the European Union (EU Directive 2023/2668) to lower the OELV in member States to 0.01 f cm-3 from 21 December 2025. In the EU, OELVs are established with specific requirements for the expanded uncertainty around the target value, and to meet those requirements the OELV should not be a simple LOD. A value of approximately one-half of the OELV, if determined accurately, can give reasonable assurance of compliance with the OELV. There are several options available which can allow modification of the membrane filter method with PCM to measure 0.005 f.cm-3 as a time-weighted average (TWA) over a period of hours. As there will be fewer fibres on a sample, greater precision in counting is required. To achieve greater precision, (i) the filter background must be below 2.5 f.mm-2, which is achievable where filters are manufactured in a clean environment, (ii) microscopists must receive training and evaluation, e.g. through participation in a proficiency test program, and (iii) the sample size for counting will need to be increased by increasing the volume of air sampled and counting additional graticule areas. These modifications to the methods, taken together, should allow accurate measurements at 0.005 f cm-3, thus demonstrating compliance with an OELV of 0.01 f.cm-3 for a 4-h or 8-h TWA sample. Although these changes bring some additional cost in sampling and analysis, the PCM method could be retained. Continuing with the PCM methods has the advantages of low cost, capability for on-site analysis, and traceability to risk assessments based on prior PCM data.

Employees in the woodworking industry, including carpentry workshops, wood product factories, and the wooden house industry, are exposed to wood dust at work. In Norway, this industry is exempt from regulations banning air recirculation, intended to prevent harmful substance buildup in working environments. While wood dust exposure is linked to increased risks of cancer and respiratory diseases, eliminating the exemption could have significant economic consequences for companies reliant on heated air recirculation during winter. A detailed characterization of the exposure is needed to evaluate the health risks associated with recirculated air. Wood dust contains components like resin acids, endotoxins, fungi, bacteria, monoterpenes, and aldehydes, which can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. Understanding these exposures is crucial for evaluating whether existing occupational exposure limits (OELs) adequately protect workers' health. This study aimed to assess wood dust and associated exposures in companies with and without air recirculation or humidification. Between 2019 and 2023, full-shift personal aerosol sampling was conducted in 23 companies during winter. Samples were analyzed for wood dust mass, endotoxin, bacteria and fungi, resin acid, monoterpenes, and aldehydes. Log-transformed exposure data were analyzed by mixed models using company types and work-related conditions as fixed effects. Results showed average exposure below OELs but with significant variability. About 25% of measurements exceeded the OEL for inhalable wood dust of 1 mg/m3. Air recirculation had mixed effects; it lowered the monoterpene exposure by 95% (from GM 597 µg/m3 to GM 27 µg/m3) but increased the GM microbial exposure 2 to 5 times across companies. The impact of air recirculation varied across company types. For building element production, it nearly doubled the wood dust exposure from soft woods (from GM 0.15 mg/m3 to GM 0.27 mg/m3), while for door/window manufacturers, exposure was nearly halved compared to those not using air recirculation (from GM 0.44 mg/m3 to GM 0.25 mg/m3). Air humidification lowered the inhalable dust exposure by 59% across the company (from GM 1.36 mg/m3 to 0.56 mg/m3) but led to increases in monoterpene by 90 % (from GM 86 µg/m3 to GM 792 µg/m3) and microbial exposure by up to 64%. Companies manufacturing interior products without a humidification system had resin acid exposure levels that were 10 times higher (GM 3323 ng/m3) compared to those with a humidification system (GM 344 ng/m3). The variability in exposures was mostly influenced by company-specific practices. Evaluation of preventive measures should therefore be tailored to the individual company.

Objectives: This study aims to explore the extent of exposure to acrylonitrile in workplaces in Italy and its potential implications for workers' health.

Methods: Exposure measurements data (n = 31,599) on acrylonitrile reported in the period 1996 to 2022 to the Italian national register of occupational exposures, called SIREP, were collected and analysed. Concurrent exposures with other occupational carcinogens were investigated using SPSS 2-step cluster analysis. A retrospective register-based cohort mortality study was performed, and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated linking exposure data to national mortality statistics in the period 2005 to 2020.

Results: Most of the exposures occurred in the chemical industry (88%). Exposure to multiple occupational carcinogens was detected frequently (92% of exposed workers). Elevated proportions of deaths from lung and brain cancer, as well as Parkinson's disease, were found among exposed male workers (SMR = 1.3, CI: 1.0 to 1.7; SMR = 1.8, CI: 1.0 to 3.2; and SMR = 2.8, CI: 1.2 to 6.8, respectively). Among other cancers, increased proportions of deaths from multiple myeloma (SMR = 2.9, CI: 1.4 to 5.7), leukemia (SMR = 3.7, CI:1.2 to 11.4), and mesothelioma (SMR = 4.2, CI: 2.2 to 8.1) were also found.

Conclusions: The monitoring of occupational exposures for the prevention of related risks is the main goal of epidemiological surveillance systems such as SIREP. Some acrylonitrile exposure circumstances deserve special attention, especially in the chemical and plastic industries. The excesses mortality from Parkinson's disease, lung cancer, and brain cancer constitute an actual concern for acrylonitrile exposed workers and warrant the implementation of further prevention measures and investigation.

After the European ban on the use of asbestos, exposure assessment of asbestos became imperative for ensuring compliance with safety standards. However, each European country has their own legislation and requirements, including measurement strategies, analytical techniques such as the microscope used as well as occupational exposure limits (OELs). The recent EU directive (EU) 2023/2668 significantly lowered the OEL for asbestos from 100,000 fibres/m³ 8-h time-weighted average to either 2,000 fibres/m³ when counting fibres between 0.2 and 3 µm in diameter, or 10,000 fibres/m³ when counting fibres thinner than 0.2 µm and dictates a transition from optical to electron microscopy analysis by the end of 2029. This change impacts Member States that rely on phase-contrast microscopy (PCM) to quantify asbestos concentrations, prompting the need for a standardized comparison between different analytical methods. Therefore, our study investigated whether conversion factors could be developed, enabling comparison of results obtained with different analytical techniques. To achieve this, a phased approach was applied, involving a survey of measurement strategies implemented by different countries in Europe, a literature search, and analysis of in-house data to explore differences between analytical techniques. Standardized conversion factors were developed via (i) direct comparison of concentrations from analysis with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and/or PCM, (ii) a multiple linear regression model, and (iii) via log probability plots from raw data on fibre dimensions. Ten institutes from the 'Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health' (PEROSH) asbestos network participated in this study. The results showed that SEM and PCM were the most commonly used analytical techniques, with TEM also being used in 3 countries. OELs and measurement standards/protocols varied across countries, and most employed national derived standards for measurements. Conversion factors overall showed that measurements analysed by TEM resulted in higher fibre concentrations followed by PCM and SEM. Although conversion factors were developed, these were influenced by factors such as material type, applied energy, and local controls, preventing the derivation of a general conversion method.