[To-day exposure to occupational carcinogens and their effects. The experience of the rubber industry, iron metallurgy, asphalt work and aviculture]

Abstract

While the progressive improvement of hygiene situations in the workplaces has taken to a reduction of chemical carcinogens exposure, in recent years in Italy the number of compensated occupational cancer resulting from carcinogens exposures of distant decades, has been increasing. Nevertheless, several experiences suggest that the proportion of occupational cancers unrecognised and not notified, as required by law, still remains important. This contribution concerns some experiences, performed between 2004-2008 by the Local Occupational Health Service (SPSAL) located in a highly industrialised province, on the working sector of rubber, iron and steel industry, the asphalt working and the poultry stock-breeders. This work concerns the following issues: - the evaluation of carcinogens exposure; - technical preventive measures and personal protection; - the level of workers' information and formation and the registration of exposed workers; - the characterization of work-related cancer. The results of the 5 years of activity allow us to underline that, in the most of 49 plants involved in the study, the carcinogens exposure evaluation and the prevention and protection measures were lacking. Information of workers was largely deficient and the registration of exposed workers was absent. A major attention to detect and to evaluate the work-related cancer has allowed us to recognize 50 new cases in the iron-steel industries and 21 new cases in a rubber industry. Although this experience concerns only few occupational fields, it provides the basis to call for a greater commitment of SPSAL addressed to companies and general practitioners to both, the promotion and surveillance of the correct procedures of carcinogens exposure evaluation and his prevention, and the active detection of occupational cancer, still missing.