Occupational exposure to carcinogens in Australian road transport workers. Issue 1 (25th November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Si, Si; Carey, Renee; Reid, Alison; Peters, Susan; Glass, Deborah D.; Driscoll, Timothy; Darcey, Ellie; Fritschi, Lin
• Is Part Of: American journal of industrial medicine. Volume 59:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 31
• Page End: 41
• Publication Date: 2015-11-25
• Subjects: road transport workers -- occupational exposure -- cross‐sectional survey -- exposure prevalence; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Médecine du travail -- Périodiques; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22536
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-3586

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Road transport workers (RTWs) are at high risk of exposure to several occupational carcinogens. However, there are gaps in knowledge regarding the extent and the circumstances of exposure. As a sub‐study of the Australian Work Exposures Study, this study investigated the prevalence of occupational exposure in Australian RTWs. Methods: A random sample of Australian working population was invited to a telephone interview regarding their current jobs. An automated expert‐assessment procedure was applied to self‐reported job‐related tasks using a web‐based application. 162 RTWs were included in this study. Results: RTWs were exposed to diesel exhaust (97%), solar ultraviolet radiation (78%), environmental tobacco smoke (55%), benzene (29%), silica (15%), and asbestos (10%) at work. Besides driving on roads, vehicle maintenance‐related tasks were the major source of carcinogen exposures among RTWs. Discussion: Most RTWs are exposed to at least one carcinogen at work. We have identified tasks where the use of control measures could potentially reduce exposures. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:31–41, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.