Developing a company-specific job exposure matrix for the Asbest Chrysotile Cohort Study

Improving asbestos knowledge among demolition workers through training after earthquakes

BACKGROUND

Asbestos was widely used as insulation material in Türkiye's construction. It poses severe health risks, including mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer that is often fatal.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine and improve the knowledge about asbestos among employees of a building demolition workers in Elazığ.

METHODS

Out of 82 employees in the demolition workers, 75 volunteered for the study after ethical approval was obtained. Training materials and survey forms were developed through a review of the literature. Surveys were conducted before and after the training sessions. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0, and a p-value of less than 0.05 indicated statistical significance.

RESULTS

The participants were exclusively male, with an average age of 39.06 years. Among them, 40% were current smokers. Most had not received prior training on asbestos. Before the training, nearly half of the respondents (49.4%) were unaware of the procedures for asbestos check and removal prior to demolition. knowledge across all surveyed areas. The knowledge of demolition workers increased significantly after training.

CONCLUSION

Training significantly improved asbestos-related knowledge which was low before among the demolition workers, a group at high risk for asbestos exposure.

Cancer mortality in chrysotile miners and millers, Russian Federation: main results (Asbest Chrysotile Cohort-Study)

BACKGROUND

We investigated mortality in workers of the world's largest chrysotile mine and enrichment factories located in the town of Asbest, Russian Federation.

METHODS

This historical cohort study included all workers employed for at least 1 year between 1975 and 2010 and follow-up until the end of 2015. Cumulative exposure to dust was estimated based on workers' complete occupational history linked to dust measurements systematically collected from the 1950s. Exposure to chrysotile fibers was estimated using dust-to-fiber conversion factors. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated as mortality rate ratios in Poisson regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 30 445 (32% women) workers accumulated 721 312 person-years at risk and 11 110 (36%) died. Of the workers, 54% had more than 30 years since their first exposure. We found an exposure-response between cumulative dust and lung cancer mortality in men. No clear association with dust exposure but a modest increase in the highest category of fiber exposure was seen for lung cancer in women. Mesothelioma mortality was increased (RR = 7.64, 95% CI = 1.18 to 49.5, to at least 80 fibers per cm3 years and RR = 4.56, 95% CI = 0.94 to 22.1, to at least 150 mg/m3 years [dust]), based on 13 deaths. For colorectal and stomach cancer, there were inconsistent associations. No associations were seen for laryngeal or ovarian cancer.

CONCLUSION

In this large-scale epidemiological study in the world's largest active asbestos mine, we confirmed an increased risk of mesothelioma with high fiber exposure and an increasing mortality for lung cancer in men with increasing dust exposure. Less clear-cut increased lung cancer mortality was seen in the women. Continued mortality follow-up is warranted.

Sixteen-Year Monitoring of Particulate Matter Exposure in the Parisian Subway: Data Inventory and Compilation in a Database

The regularly reported associations between particulate matter (PM) exposure, and morbidity and mortality due to respiratory, cardiovascular, cancer, and metabolic diseases have led to the reduction in recommended outdoor PM10 and PM2.5 exposure limits. However, indoor PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations in subway systems in many cities are often higher than outdoor concentrations. The effects of these exposures on subway workers and passengers are not well known, mainly because of the challenges in exposure assessment and the lack of longitudinal studies combining comprehensive exposure and health surveillance. To fulfill this gap, we made an inventory of the PM measurement campaigns conducted in the Parisian subway since 2004. We identified 5856 PM2.5 and 18,148 PM10 results from both personal and stationary air sample measurements that we centralized in a database along with contextual information of each measurement. This database has extensive coverage of the subway network and will enable descriptive and analytical studies of indoor PM exposure in the Parisian subway and its potential effects on human health.