Report - Expert forecast on emerging chemical risks related to occupational safety and health

Chapters in this Publication

Foreword

Executive summary

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

The expert forecast was formulated from the results of three consecutive questionnaire-based surveys using the Delphi method (in which the results of the previous survey round are fed back to the experts for further evaluation until a consensus is achieved). A fivepoint Likert scale was used to rate the risks. Read more...

3. Expert participation

Forty-nine experts from 21 European countries participated in the forecast (response rate=32%). Participants were required to have at least five years experience in the field of OSH and chemical risks. The majority of respondents were managers in an OSH organisation or researchers. Read more...

4. Main emerging chemical risks identified

4.1. Survey results

The 10 main emerging risks highlighted in the forecast are presented in this chapter. More information is provided in particular for the following items: nanoparticles and ultrafine particles; diesel exhaust; isocyanates; dangerous substances in waste treatment activities, and in construction; and combined exposure to chemical and psychosocial factors, in particular poor organisational factors and the poor management of chemical risks in SMEs and in sub-contracted activities. Read more...

4.1.1. Nanoparticles and ultrafine particles

The risks posed by nanoparticles and ultrafine particles are by far the strongest agreed as emerging risks by the experts. Read more...

4.1.2. Diesel exhaust

Diesel exhaust is the second most emerging risk highlighted in the forecast. It is the fourth most common carcinogen found in the workplace in the EU-15. Read more...

4.1.3. Isocyanates

Isocyanates were among the two main emerging identified with a view to their allergens and sensitising effects (with epoxy resins). Read more...

4.1.4. Dangerous substances in specific sectors

Some major emerging risks identified are specific to certain workplaces, in particular in waste treatment activities and in construction (asbestos, wood dust, crystalline silica, solvents and other chemicals). Read more...

4.1.5. Combined exposure to chemicals and psychosocial risk factors

Some of the main emerging risks identified are a consequence of the combination of chemical hazards and poor organisational factors as demonstrated by the selection by respondents of the items ‘poor control of chemical risks in small and medium enterprises’ and in ‘sub-contracted activities’. Read more...

4.1.6. Experts' comments

When available, the comments added to the items by the respondents are listed to provide some context and support to the ratings. Read more...

4.2.1. Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles (NPs) are already used in many applications. NPs can have very different properties from the same materials at the macro scale. Little research attention has been paid to health and safety issues but it is certain that NPs can enter the human body. Although the degree of damage is still unknown, there are indications that they can cause toxicity, cardiopulmonary effects, modification of protein structures, autoimmune effects, oxidative stress and cancers. There is a need to determine their physicochemical and toxicological properties and to develop reliable methods for their detection and measurement in the environment as well as in the human body. Although quantitative data are lacking, sufficient information is available to begin preliminary assessment and to develop interim working practices to reduce workplace exposure. Read more...

4.2. Literature review

Six literature reviews explore in more depth some of the main emerging risks singled out in the forecast (nanoparticles; epoxy resins; man-made mineral fibres; skin diseases; waste treatment; chemical risks in SMEs) in terms of context, workers at risk, health and safety outcomes, and prevention. Read more...

4.2.2. Increasing use of epoxy resins

The continuous demand for new epoxy resins with enhanced properties – e.g. for the manufacture of adhesives, paints, coatings and polymer composite structures – may introduce unknown adverse health effects. Epoxy resins are a major cause of occupational allergic contact dermatitis. Skin sensitisation, irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, contact urticaria, rhinitis and asthma are also reported. Epoxy skin sensitisation is particularly problematic in construction, where a keeping the workspace clean is difficult and the use of protective clothing (e.g. gloves) is less practical. Read more...

4.2.3. Man-made mineral fibres

Man-made mineral fibres (MMMFs) are continuously evolving materials. Inhalation of fibrous structures increases inflammatory, cytotoxic and carcinogenic potential – the longer and thinner the fibres, the more dangerous they are. Specific dimensions of MMMFs are thought to have a biological activity but need to be evaluated in epidemiologic studies. Standard air sampling methods are also needed to allow precise measurement of fibre size. While some MMMFs could be classified in the EU classification (e.g. aluminium silicate wool/refractory ceramic fibres and type E special purpose glass fibres as carcinogenic category 2), there is a need to gather information on the toxicity of unclassified MMMFs. Read more...

4.2.4 Dermal exposure leading to skin diseases

Dermal exposure is a major route of occupational exposure to dangerous substances. Skin disorders are the second most common occupational diseases in the EU, and chemicals are responsible for 80-90% of these. However, there is no validated scientific method to assess dermal exposure to dangerous substances, and no ‘dermal’ occupational exposure limits. Read more...

4.2.5. Dangerous substances in waste treatment

Waste treatment is considered to be one of the most hazardous occupationa with an illness rate 50% higher than in other workers. The amount of waste generated in the EU is growing. European and national waste regulations were adopted in the 1990s primarily for environmental purposes and do not integrate OSH aspects enough. In some waste treatment jobs, high levels of dust and over 100 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found. Electrical and electronic equipment and end-of-life vehicles are increasingly being recycled and contain lead, cadmium, mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The handling of medical waste presents extra challenges such as the risk of contamination with sharps. Read more...

4.2.6. Poor control of chemical risks in small and medium enterprises

Micro-, small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) represent 99.8% of all enterprises in the EU-25 and employ 66% the workforce in the private sector (in 2003). They often experience difficulties in complying with their obligation to assess and control chemical risks in the workplace as laid down by EU Framework Directive 89/391/EEC and Directive 98/24/EC on chemical agents. A number of easy-to-use tools are available but they need to be better shared and made available to SMEs. Read more...

5. Complete results of the survey

In the following sections, all items mentioned by the respondents in the questionnaires are listed, together with the mean value of the respondent's ratings and the standard deviations. The items are classified in the following categories: particles, dust and aerosols; carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances; risks of allergies and sensitisation; flammable and explosive substances; substances and mixtures with unknown or newly recognised health effects; chemical risks specific to work processes and workplaces; and multi-factorial risks related to dangerous substances. Read more...

5.1. Particles dusts and aerosols

Among the 15 items related to particles, dusts and aerosols mentioned by the respondents, two are strongly agreed as emerging risks and eight as emerging. Read more...

5.2. Risks due to carcinogenic mutagenic and reprotoxic substances_CMRs

Nine of 16 of the risks due to carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) substances are agreed as emerging risks. Read more...

5.3. Risks of allergies and sensitisation

Globally, risks of allergies and sensitisation are an important concern; 15 of the 17 items mentioned in the survey were rated as emerging by the experts. Read more...

5.4. Flammable and explosive substances

Only five items were mentioned by the experts in the part of the survey related to flammable and explosive substances , and only two of them were agreed as emerging. Read more...

5.5. Substances and mixtures with unknown or newly recognised health effects

Six out of the 10 items related to substances and mixtures with unknown or newly recognised adverse health effects were rated as ‘strongly emerging’ by the experts. ‘Complex mixtures’ is the item agreed as the emerging risk with the highest score in this part of the survey. Considering each substance independently may lead to an underestimation of the real risks to workers. Read more...

5.6. Chemical risks specific to work processes and workplaces

Dangerous substance in the waste treatment industry was considered as strongly emerging, and as one of the most hazardous sectors in general. 14 further items out of the 23 listed in this part of the survey were agreed as emerging risks. It is interesting to note that none of these items are in the chemical industry or in industries where chemicals are used intentionally in the work process (except the two items linked to cleaning work and nursing, where the use of the chemicals in question is necessary for proper performance of the work), but rather where dangerous substances are incidental products of the work. Read more...

5.7. Multi-factorial risks related to dangerous substances

Two items - ‘poor control of chemical risks in small and medium enterprises’ and ‘outsourced activities presenting chemical risks (e.g. in cleaning and maintenance activities) performed by subcontracted workers with poor knowledge of dangerous substances’ are strongly seen as emerging - and nine as emerging - such as the higher exposure of migrant workers to dangerous substances, combined exposure to ototoxic substances and noise" - out of the twelve listed in this part of the survey. Read more...

6. Conclusion

Annex 1: Organisations contacted for the survey on emerging OSH chemical risks

Annex 2: Questionnaire used for the first survey round

Annex 3: Questionnaire used for the second survey round

Annex 4: Questionnaire used for the third survey round

Annex 5: References used in the literature reviews