WORKING FOR A HEALTHY FUTURE
INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE . Edinburgh . UK www.iom-world.org
Workshops on the Control of Occupational Exposure to Carcinogenic Chemicals
Discussant: John Cherrie
Chairs: Phil Woodhead (Edinburgh),
Chris Beach (SCI, London),
Martie van Tongeren (Online)
Agenda…
• Introduction by the Chair• The SHEcan project for the EU• Control of carcinogenic exposures
and Article 5 of the EU Directive on carcinogens and mutagens at work
• Discussion • Summing up and next steps
Introduction…
• Welcome to the venue• Emergency procedures• Please switch mobile phones to silent • During the preliminary talk that we can take
questions for clarification• We are recording the discussion for use in the
project, but it will not be published and any views expressed will not be attributed to an individual
SHEcan…
• Project let by the EC to IOM/ENTEC/Imperial College and others:• Carry out a Socioeconomic, Health and Environmental
impact assessment for 25 substances/mixtures;• Review setting occupational exposure limits (OELs)
based on objective risk criteria;• Review the requirement in the Directive for prevention
and reduction of exposure.
• Engagement with stakeholders is an important part of our project
• More information… www.OccupationalCancer.eu
Prevention and reduction of exposure
What does Article 5 say…• Prevention• Work with a closed system• Other measures to ensure the exposure limit (if there is
one) is not exceeded• Minimise quantities used• Provide engineering controls at source• Local exhaust ventilation • etc
Effectiveness of controls…
Effectiveness of controls…
Duration of effectivenessDuration of effectiveness
Effectiveness of controls…
Estimated efficacy (%)
Range (%)
Complete separation of workers
90 30 to 97
Enclosure – complete 86 30 to 97
Local ventilation + enclosure 86 69 to 94
Mobile local ventilation 61 -28 to 88
General room ventilation - mechanical
46 17 to 65
General room ventilation – natural
31 -56 to 70
Fransman et al. Development and Evaluation of an Exposure Control Efficacy Library (ECEL). Annals of Occupational Hygiene (2008) vol. 52 (7) pp. 567-575
Trends in exposure…
Gases and vapours
Creely KS et al. (2007) Trends in inhalation exposure--a review of the data in the published scientific literature. Ann Occup Hyg.; 51(8): 665-678.
What are the determinants of change…
Questions for discussion…
1. How suitable are the risk minimisation measures in Article 5 of the Directive, i.e. are they appropriate to achieve the main aim of the Directive?
The Directive aims to protect workers against risks to their health and safety, including the prevention of such risks, arising or likely to arise from exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work.
Questions for discussion…
2. Is it appropriate to first require “prevention” of exposure, i.e. elimination of carcinogens, then if that’s not technically feasible “use a closed system” and, finally apply a range of risk management measures (RMM)
RMM are required to get exposure as “low as is technically possible”
Questions for discussion…
3. How important is the occupational exposure limit in determining the level of acceptable exposure?
The Directive requires that “Exposure shall not exceed the limit value of the carcinogen as set out in Annex III” of the Directive.
For OELs that take account of technical and socio-economic feasibility factors is it sufficient to simply achieve exposure which does not exceed an OEL or is it possible to identify justifiable circumstances where it should be reduced even further.
Questions for discussion…
4. How practicable is it to apply all of the listed RMM?
The Directive asks employers to apply all listed RMM
Questions for discussion…
5. Are the requirements comprehensive?
Does the Directive describe all approaches that are used to control carcinogens?
Questions for discussion…
6. How effective are the provisions in Article 5, both as a whole and individually?
Are there strategies that are more effective/less effective than others?
Do we understand how effective individual RMM are?
Summing up and next steps…
• What are the key points to come out of today’s discussion?
• What next?• A short web-based questionnaire distributed to a wide
range of stakeholders – please contact us if you can help with distribution
• Final report to the EC at the end of the project, which will then be published
Thanks…
• Thank you for your participation• If you have any questions or
further comments then please contact…
www.webropol.com/P.aspx?id=416961&cid=122214471
www.gaia.fi/
