Alice Davis

Dermal exposure from transfer of lubricants and fuels by consumers

Consumer uses of fuels and lubricants in Europe are subject to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of CHemicals (REACH) legislation. Ten volunteers completed a series of exposure situations to simulate filling a vehicle fuel tank with diesel (ES1 Diesel), adding lubricant to a car engine (two situations, one filling point easier to reach (ES2 Easy) than the other (ES3 Hard)) and lubricating a bicycle chain (ES4 Bike). Dermal exposure to the hands and forearms was assessed using a wipe sampling method. A high proportion of samples was less than the limit of detection (ES1=38%, ES3=60%, ES2 and 4, both 78%). In ES1 Diesel, dermal exposure to the hands and forearms ranged from <0.25 μg/cm2 to 96.21 μg/cm2. Significantly higher dermal exposure was observed when a lower level of care was taken to complete the task. In ES2 Easy and ES3 Hard, the hand and forearm results ranged from <0.1 μg/cm2 to 3.33 μg/cm2 and from <0.1 μg/cm2 to 3.54 μg/cm2, respectively. In ES4 Bike, the hand and forearm exposures ranged from <0.35 μg/cm2 to 5.25 μg/cm2. Not all volunteers fully complied with the ES4 instructions, thus highlighting that this situation may have more variability in consumer behaviour. The ratio of the amount measured on the hands and forearms to the amount of product handled for ES1 Diesel, ES2 Easy and ES3 Hard was less than 0.0001%, for ES4 Bike it was 0.04%. Mixed effect models showed that the between and within volunteer variations are small for all except ES1 Diesel, where the within volunteer variation was relatively large (likely due to the few high measurements). This study reports dermal exposure measurement data, which will be of value when updating REACH and other exposure assessments for these, and similar, petroleum products.

Mortality Among Hardmetal Production Workers: UK Cohort and Nested Case–Control Studies

Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize the mortality at two hardmetal production factories in the United Kingdom as part of an international study. Methods: Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated on the basis of mortality rates for England and Wales, and local rates. A nested case–control study of lung cancer was undertaken. Results: The cohort comprised 1538 workers, with tracing complete for 94.4%. All-cause mortality was statistically significantly low for all cancers and nonmalignant respiratory disease, and for lung cancer was nonsignificantly low. The SMR for lung cancer for maintenance workers was elevated, based on only six deaths. The odds ratio for lung cancer per year of exposure to hardmetal was 0.93 (0.76 to 1.13). Conclusions: In this small study, there is no evidence to support that working in the UK hardmetal manufacturing industry increased mortality from any cause including lung cancer.

A review of the impact of shift work on occupational cancer: Part 2 – mechanistic and health and safety evidence

Abstract The aim of this study is to carry out a review of the putative mechanism and health and safety evidence between 2005 and 2015 to inform practice using a systematic review methodology. The International Agency for Research on Cancer highlighted two potentially important mechanisms that may be involved in causing breast cancer following (night) shift work; light at night suppressing melatonin production and epigenetic changes in genes controlling circadian rhythms. Other mechanisms that have been investigated include the effect of chronotype, vitamin D status, psychological stress, fatigue, physiological dysfunction and poor health behaviours including smoking, drinking alcohol, poor diet, the timing of eating food and obesity. Interventions that have been investigated include shift design, pharmacological, chronotype selection, strategic napping and adherence to national cancer screening programmes. Suppression of night time production of melatonin and/or obesity remains the most plausible biological mechanisms for an association between shift work and cancer. Employers should facilitate the overall reduction in cancer risk for shift workers by enabling better health behaviours and facilitate access to national cancer screening programmes.

The effectiveness of respiratory protection worn by communities to protect from volcanic ash inhalation ; part II : total inward leakage tests.

Inhalation of ash can be of great concern for affected communities, during and after volcanic eruptions. Governmental and humanitarian agencies recommend and distribute a variety of respiratory protection (RP), most commonly surgical masks. However, there is currently no evidence on how effective such masks are in protecting wearers from volcanic ash. In Part I of this study (Mueller et al., 2018), we assessed the filtration efficiency (FE) of 17 materials from different forms of RP against volcanic ash and a surrogate, low-toxicity dust, Aloxite. Based on those results, we now present the findings from a volunteer simulation study to test the effect of facial fit through assessment of Total Inward Leakage (TIL). Four different disposable RP types that demonstrated very high median FE (≥96% for Aloxite; ≥89% for volcanic ash) were tested without provision of training on fit. These were an industry-certified mask (N95-equiv.); a surgical mask from Japan designed to filter PM2.5; a flat-fold basic mask from Indonesia; and a standard surgical mask from Mexico, which was also tested with an added medical bandage on top, as an additional intervention to improve fit. Ten volunteers (6 female, 4 male) were recruited. Each RP type was worn by volunteers under two different conditions simulating cleaning-up activities during/after volcanic ashfall. Each activity lasted 10 min and two repeats were completed for each RP type per activity. Dust (as PM2.5) concentration inside and outside the mask was measured with two TSI SidePak aerosol monitors (Models AM510 and AM520, TSI, Minnesota, USA) to calculate TIL. A questionnaire was administered after each test to collect perceptions of fit, comfort, protection and breathability. The best-performing RP type, across both activities, was the industry-certified N95-equiv. mask with 9% mean TIL. The standard surgical mask and the basic flat-fold mask both performed worst (35% TIL). With the additional bandage intervention, the surgical mask mean TIL improved to 24%. The PM2.5 surgical mask performed similarly, with 22% TIL. The N95-equiv. mask was perceived to provide the best protection, but was also perceived as being uncomfortable and more difficult to breathe through. This study provides a first objective evidence base for the effectiveness of a selection of RP types typically worn around the world during volcanic crises. The findings will help agencies to make informed decisions on the procurement and distribution of RP in future eruptions.

Inadvertent ingestion exposure: hand- and object-to-mouth behavior among workers

Contact between contaminated hands and the mouth or the area around the mouth (the perioral area) can result in inadvertent ingestion exposure. Exposure by this route is known to occur among children, but adults may also be exposed. Observations of 48 workers were carried out in 8 UK worksites to study hand- and object-to-mouth behavior. Each subject was observed in real-time for ~60 min during normal work activities. Each contact was recorded along with information about time of contact, glove use, respirator use, task and object type. Subjects were interviewed to gather information about smoking, nail biting and risk perception. The effects of factors (glove use, respirator use, smoking, nail biting, risk perception, work sector and task group) on contact frequency were assessed using non-parametric tests and Poisson regression models. Several determinants of contact frequency were identified, including time spent “between” work tasks, glove and respirator use, smoking and nail biting. Hand-to-mouth contact frequencies were particularly high while workers were “between” work tasks (23.6 contacts per hour, compared with the average contact frequency of 6.3 per hour). The factors that were related to contact frequency differed between object- and hand-to-mouth contacts, suggesting that these should be considered separately. These findings could be used for developing exposure models, to inform measurements of inadvertent ingestion among adults and to identify control strategies.

A review of the impact of shift-work on occupational cancer: part 1 – epidemiological research

Abstract There are a growing number of studies suggesting a link between night shift work and increased risk of certain types of cancer, including breast cancer. In 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer described shift work involving circadian disruption as probably carcinogenic to humans. A systematic review of the epidemiology on shift work and cancer from 2005 to 2015 was carried out. We used standard systematic review methodology to identify, critically appraise and summarize the relevant epidemiological literature. We looked at reviews and meta-analyses from 2005 to 2015 and recent studies published from 2013 to 2015. For breast cancer, the relative risks of working night shifts have been reducing from 1.5 to around 1.2 over the past decade. A recent meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies has suggested that the overall relative risk of breast cancer may not be raised at all. The evidence for a raised risk of cancers other than breast cancer remains somewhat limited. The epidemiological evidence suggests that if a cancer risk exists from occupational exposure to night shift work, then the relative risk will be no more than around 1.1 or 1.2 and indeed may not exist at all.

A review of the impact of shift-work on cancer: summary of the evidence for practitioners

Abstract Shift work that involves disruption to the body’s circadian rhythm is classified as probably carcinogenic to humans based on limited evidence in humans and sufficient evidence in experimental animals. This article draws together the available information from the epidemiological, mechanistic and health and safety practice research to provide advice for practitioners. There is evidence that the increase in breast cancer risk amongst women who have worked night shifts is relatively modest and we cannot exclude the possibility that there is no cancer risk. If a causal association exists, the most likely mechanism is night time suppression of the production of the hormone melatonin. However, the observed increased risk of breast cancer amongst night shift workers may be due to higher prevalence of obesity and other lifestyle risks in this group of women. Current health and safety policies for shift work generally do not address cancer risks. Employers should develop a workplace policy for night work that informs workers about the potential cancer risks and possible strategies to minimize risks. Employers should also help reduce the cancer risk for shift workers through health promotion initiatives and encouraging access to cancer screening programmes. We summarize the evidence and recommendations in an infographic.

Healthy Workplaces in Europe and Malaysia

It is estimated that we spend at least a third of our working lives in the workplace and the duration of this, due to the extension of working lives through legislative changes and increased pension ages, is set to increase. Ageing of the workforce is a growing concern but health and safety issues cannot be used as an excuse for not employing older workers. A healthy workplace is one where the risks are managed and where workers and their managers work together to improve the work environment and protect the health of the workers. Furthermore, linking this to personal health resources and the local community can improve the health of all involved. Within the workplace this includes both the psychosocial and physical work environment. To create a healthy workplace there is a need to ensure risk management measures are in place and our older workers participation in risk assessment and risk reduction programmes. In addition to this, targeted occupational health promotion programmes may be beneficial. There are few integrated policies with regard to age and work but research does identify good practice, including participation of employees in change measures, senior management commitment and taking a life-course approach. While there are challenges in relation to age-related change, the work ability concept can improve understanding. The use of a comprehensive approach such as Age Management can help employers who have a critical role in making the workplace age-ready.

Evaluation of knowledge transfer for occupational safety and health in an organizational context: Development of an evaluation framework

Abstract The roots of knowledge transfer (KT) can be traced back to the 1960s and the development of conceptual frameworks to improve the use of research from theory into practice. Its relevance to occupational safety and health (OSH) is clear in that often practitioners are aiming to transfer knowledge to employees to reduce health or safety risks in the working environment. This paper examines methodologies and tools that can be used for KT in the organizational context and identified those that were most relevant in OSH. The methodology development process is described within the paper which used the Diffusion of Innovations theory as a framework to describe the type of knowledge being transferred, the persuasion route used, the decision of whether new knowledge was adopted, how the KT was implemented and how success or failure of an intervention could be assessed. Using this framework structured interviews and shorter employee surveys were developed to evaluate KT in an organizational setting after an OSH intervention. In addition, further questions were developed using KT tools to describe the properties of the knowledge transferred, the level of media richness and its appropriateness in a given context and examination of the methods used within a sender receiver framework. The methodology development process allowed the production of a question set to enable the research team to interview and survey stakeholders involved in OSH interventions in the workplace.