New studies reveal risks of carcinogens in the workplace

Safe Work Australia has released three new reports that investigate the likelihood of workers’ potential exposure to 38 known or suspected carcinogens found in Australian workplaces, including UV radiation, environmental tobacco smoke, diesel engine exhaust and wood dust.

The Australian Work Exposure Study (AWES) reports cover three separate industry sectors: construction, manufacturing and agriculture.

The data, drawn from a random, population-based sample of 5528 Australian workers, is used to estimate carcinogenic exposure across those industries to identify the main circumstances of those exposures and to describe the reported use of workplace controls and protective measures designed to decrease those exposures.

Participants were asked about the tasks they completed and the controls used at work. Based on their responses to those questions, the likelihood of exposure to 38 known or suspected carcinogens was estimated. They were not asked directly about their exposures to carcinogens and exposure levels were not measured in the workplace.

While most workers will not develop cancer as a result of work-related exposures, those exposed to known or suspected carcinogens are at greater risk.

Existing work health and safety guidance provides information about potential health effects and how exposure might occur and be prevented; however, the results from this study suggest that the use of controls could be improved by taking further preventative measures specific to each industry.

The full industry-specific reports can be downloaded here.