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Canadian Journal of Public Health =... Jun 2016Registries are one strategy for collecting information on occupational exposure and disease in populations. Recently leaders in the Canadian occupational health and... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Registries are one strategy for collecting information on occupational exposure and disease in populations. Recently leaders in the Canadian occupational health and safety community have shown an interest in the use of occupational exposure registries. The primary goal of this study was to review a series of Canadian exposure registries to identify their strengths and weaknesses as a tool for tracking occupational exposure and disease in Canada. A secondary goal was to identify the features of an exposure registry needed to specifically contribute to prevention, including the identification of new exposure-disease relationships.
METHODS
A documentary review of five exposure registries from Canada was completed. Strengths and limitations of the registries were compared and key considerations for designing new registries were identified.
RESULTS
The goals and structure of the exposure registries varied considerably. Most of the reviewed registries had voluntary registration, which presents challenges for the use of the data for either surveillance or epidemiology. It is recommended that eight key issues be addressed when planning new registries: clear registry goal(s), a definition of exposure, data to be collected (and how it will be used), whether enrolment will be mandatory, as well as ethical, privacy and logistical considerations.
CONCLUSIONS
When well constructed, an exposure registry can be a valuable tool for surveillance, epidemiology and ultimately the prevention of occupational disease. However, exposure registries also have a number of actual and potential limitations that need to be considered.
Topics: Canada; Humans; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Population Surveillance; Registries
PubMed: 27348098
DOI: 10.17269/cjph.107.5039 -
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports Dec 2022Adverse occupational and environmental exposures are common causes of respiratory disease and health consequences requiring medical care. Understanding how these various... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Adverse occupational and environmental exposures are common causes of respiratory disease and health consequences requiring medical care. Understanding how these various exposures affect patients and how to elicit an adequate history is critical for any clinician. Military personnel are often overlooked when discussing groups at risk for environmental exposure-associated airway disease. There are close to 20 million active duty and veterans in the USA, and nearly all clinicians will at some point care for a patient that has served in the military.
RECENT FINDINGS
Exposures related to military work include burn pits, chemicals/toxins, sandstorms, and living conditions. Burn pits and military waste are increasingly recognized as potential hazards attributed to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The link between these various military exposures and acute or chronic airway diseases remains difficult. Epidemiological studies are emerging to demonstrate correlations with chronic lung disease and prolonged burn pit exposure. This review provides an overview of potential occupational and environmental exposures that may affect current and/or former military service men and women.
Topics: Humans; Military Personnel; Occupational Exposure; Veterans
PubMed: 36370335
DOI: 10.1007/s11882-022-01051-0 -
Journal of Applied Toxicology : JAT May 2022Frameworks for deriving occupational exposure limits (OELs) and OEL-analogue values (such as derived-no-effect levels [DNELs]) in various regulatory areas in the EU and...
Frameworks for deriving occupational exposure limits (OELs) and OEL-analogue values (such as derived-no-effect levels [DNELs]) in various regulatory areas in the EU and at national level in Germany were analysed. Reasons for differences between frameworks and possible means of improving transparency and harmonisation were identified. Differences between assessment factors used for deriving exposure limits proved to be one important reason for diverging numerical values. Distributions for exposure time, interspecies and intraspecies extrapolation were combined by probabilistic methods and compared with default values of assessment factors used in the various OEL frameworks in order to investigate protection levels. In a subchronic inhalation study showing local effects in the respiratory tract, the probability that assessment factors were sufficiently high to protect 99% and 95% of the target population (workers) from adverse effects varied considerably from 9% to 71% and 17% to 87%, respectively, between the frameworks. All steps of the derivation process, including the uncertainty associated with the point of departure (POD), were further analysed with two examples of full probabilistic assessments. It is proposed that benchmark modelling should be the method of choice for deriving PODs and that all OEL frameworks should provide detailed guidance documents and clearly define their protection goals by stating the proportion of the exposed population the OEL aims to cover and the probability with which they intend to provide protection from adverse effects. Harmonisation can be achieved by agreeing on the way to perform the methodological steps for deriving OELs and on common protection goals.
Topics: Humans; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Risk Assessment; Threshold Limit Values
PubMed: 35188277
DOI: 10.1002/jat.4307 -
Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift Apr 2020A previously presented study investigated the impact of recent pesticide exposure on cytological signs of genotoxicity and on symptoms of intoxication in 71 male...
A previously presented study investigated the impact of recent pesticide exposure on cytological signs of genotoxicity and on symptoms of intoxication in 71 male coffee workers in the Dominican Republic. An unexpected finding of this study was that conventional farming workers, among other symptoms, reported fewer children than controls working in organic farms without pesticide use. This study set out to investigate possible reasons for the latter difference. One statistical problem of this analysis is that the age of the workers is a strong predictor for the number of children and available data on the exposure determinants "duration of pesticide exposure" as well as "age at first pesticide exposure" are correlated with age. To correctly control statistics for these confounding parameters, different approaches to best control for age were explored. After careful elimination of the age-related confounding factors, a reduced number of children was still observed in exposed workers. The clearest effect is seen in those workers that reported first exposure before the age of 20 years. Socioeconomic factors could still confound that finding, but a direct effect of early life pesticide exposure is the most likely explanation of the observation.
Topics: Agriculture; Child; Coffee; Farmers; Humans; Male; Occupational Exposure; Pesticides
PubMed: 31701219
DOI: 10.1007/s00508-019-01566-z -
International Journal of Environmental... Sep 2022This study aims to determine the occupational health status of workers exposed to dust and the risk factors of lung function decline, to provide a basis for formulating...
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to determine the occupational health status of workers exposed to dust and the risk factors of lung function decline, to provide a basis for formulating corresponding occupational disease-prevention strategies.
METHODS
Data on 2045 workers exposed to dust, including their age, gender, exposure time, chest X-ray test results, and pulmonary function test results, were obtained from a key occupational disease monitoring project in Chongqing, China, in 2021. Chi-square tests and multifactorial logistic regression, and other methods, were used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS
The prevalence of pneumoconiosis-like changes was 0.83% (17/2045), and the prevalence of abnormal forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV/FVC was 4.25% (87/2045), 12.81% (262/2045), and 1.47% (30/2045), respectively. With increasing worker's age, the prevalence of abnormal pneumoconiosis-like changes ( = 0.0065), FEV ( = 0.0002), FVC ( < 0.0001), and FEV/FVC ( = 0.0055) all increased. Factors such as age, exposure duration, enterprise size, and dust exposure concentration were associated with abnormal lung function.
CONCLUSIONS
Workers exposed to occupational dust have a high rate of abnormal lung function. The government, enterprises, and individuals should pay attention to occupational dust exposure, and various effective measures should be actively taken to protect the life and health of workers.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Dust; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Lung; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Pneumoconiosis; Vital Capacity
PubMed: 36078779
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191711065 -
Thorax Oct 2020
Topics: Humans; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure
PubMed: 32900837
DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215567 -
Scandinavian Journal of Work,... Jan 2022
Topics: Air Pollutants, Occupational; Gases; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Welding
PubMed: 34821369
DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.4002 -
International Journal of Hygiene and... Aug 2016The paper reviews and critically assesses the evidence on the relevance of various skin uptake pathways for engineered nanoparticles, nano-objects, their agglomerates... (Review)
Review
The paper reviews and critically assesses the evidence on the relevance of various skin uptake pathways for engineered nanoparticles, nano-objects, their agglomerates and aggregates (NOAA). It focuses especially in occupational settings, in the context of nanotoxicology, risk assessment, occupational medicine, medical/epidemiological surveillance efforts, and the development of relevant exposure assessment strategies. Skin uptake of nanoparticles is presented in the context of local and systemic health effects, especially contact dermatitis, skin barrier integrity, physico-chemical properties of NOAA, and predisposing risk factors, such as stratum corneum disruption due to occupational co-exposure to chemicals, and the presence of occupational skin diseases. Attention should be given to: (1) Metal NOAA, since the potential release of ions may induce local skin effects (e.g. irritation and contact dermatitis) and absorption of toxic or sensitizing metals; (2) NOAA with metal catalytic residue, since potential release of ions may also induce local skin effects and absorption of toxic metals; (3) rigid NOAA smaller than 45nm that can penetrate and permeate the skin; (4) non rigid or flexible NOAA, where due to their flexibility liposomes and micelles can penetrate and permeate the intact skin; (5) impaired skin condition of exposed workers. Furthermore, we outline possible situations where health surveillance could be appropriate where there is NOAA occupational skin exposures, e.g. when working with nanoparticles made of sensitizer metals, NOAA containing sensitizer impurities, and/or in occupations with a high prevalence of disrupted skin barrier integrity. The paper furthermore recommends a stepwise approach to evaluate risk related to NOAA to be applied in occupational exposure and risk assessment, and discusses implications related to health surveillance, labelling, and risk communication.
Topics: Animals; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Nanoparticles; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Risk Assessment; Skin Absorption
PubMed: 27289581
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2016.05.009 -
International Journal of Environmental... Feb 2022Sex-related biological differences might lead to different effects in women and men when they are exposed to risk factors. A scoping review was carried out to understand... (Review)
Review
Sex-related biological differences might lead to different effects in women and men when they are exposed to risk factors. A scoping review was carried out to understand if sex could be a discriminant in health outcomes due to benzene. Studies on both animals and humans were collected. In vivo surveys, focusing on genotoxicity, hematotoxicity and effects on metabolism suggested a higher involvement of male animals (mice or rats) in adverse health effects. Conversely, the studies on humans, focused on the alteration of blood parameters, myeloid leukemia incidence and biomarker rates, highlighted that, overall, women had significantly higher risk for blood system effects and a metabolization of benzene 23-26% higher than men, considering a similar exposure situation. This opposite trend highlights that the extrapolation of in vivo findings to human risk assessment should be taken with caution. However, it is clear that sex is a physiological parameter to consider in benzene exposure and its health effects. The topic of sex difference linked to benzene in human exposure needs further research, with more numerous samples, to obtain a higher strength of data and more indicative findings. Sex factor, and gender, could have significant impacts on occupational exposures and their health effects, even if there are still uncertainties and gaps that need to be filled.
Topics: Benzene; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Occupational Exposure; Risk Assessment; Sex Characteristics; Sex Factors
PubMed: 35206525
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042339 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2022Like nanotechnology, translational science is a relatively new and transdisciplinary field. Translational science in occupational safety and health (OSH) focuses on the... (Review)
Review
Like nanotechnology, translational science is a relatively new and transdisciplinary field. Translational science in occupational safety and health (OSH) focuses on the process of taking scientific knowledge for the protection of workers from the lab to the field (i.e., the worksite/workplace) and back again. Translational science has been conceptualized as having multiple phases of research along a continuum, beyond scientific discovery (T), to efficacy (T), to effectiveness (T), to dissemination and implementation (D&I) (T), to outcomes and effectiveness research in populations (T). The translational research process applied to occupational exposure to nanomaterials might involve similar phases. This builds on basic and efficacy research (T and T) in the areas of toxicology, epidemiology, industrial hygiene, medicine and engineering. In T, research and evidence syntheses and guidance and recommendations to protect workers may be developed and assessed for effectiveness. In T, emphasis is needed on D&I research to explore the multilevel barriers and facilitators to nanotechnology risk control information/research adoption, use, and sustainment in workplaces. D&I research for nanomaterial exposures should focus on assessing sources of information and evidence to be disseminated /implemented in complex and dynamic workplaces, how policy-makers and employers use this information in diverse contexts to protect workers, how stakeholders inform these critical processes, and what barriers impede and facilitate multilevel decision-making for the protection of nanotechnology workers. The T phase focuses on how effective efforts to prevent occupational exposure to nanomaterials along the research continuum contribute to large-scale impact in terms of worker safety, health and wellbeing (T). Stakeholder input and engagement is critical to all stages of the translational research process. This paper will provide: (1) an illustration of the translational research continuum for occupational exposure to nanomaterials; and (2) a discussion of opportunities for applying D&I science to increase the effectiveness, uptake, integration, sustainability, and impact of interventions to protect the health and wellbeing of workers in the nanotechnology field.
Topics: Humans; Nanostructures; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Translational Science, Biomedical; Workplace
PubMed: 35757639
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.816578