As World Cancer Day approaches, GespeObra wanted to address this tragic disease from the perspective of occupational safety and health.
There is a traditional concern regarding carcinogenic agents in the field of occupational risk prevention, and this is reflected in the existence of specific legislation on the matter. Royal Decree 665/97 on the protection of workers against risks related to exposure to carcinogens at work, sets out the minimum provisions to be applied in Spain concerning the risk associated with this type of contaminant.
Where carcinogens are found
According to the ILO encyclopedia, the first evidence of cancer causality at work was obtained in London during the Industrial Revolution. Soot was identified as the cause of scrotal cancer in chimney sweeps. Most of these chimney sweeps were children who worked in harsh conditions, climbing through narrow chimneys.
Various epidemiological studies have demonstrated multiple occupational causes since that initial identification of the phenomenon.
Procedures, tasks, or processes according to RD 665/97
The aforementioned Royal Decree 665/97 lists, in its Annex I, a series of situations where there is an initial risk of exposure to the mentioned carcinogenic agents. These arise from specific procedures, tasks, or processes that may occur in the workplace.
- Manufacture of auramine. A substance used in dye production processes and also as an antiseptic.
- Work involving exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons present in soot, tar, or coal pitch. These are chemical compounds resulting from the incomplete combustion of organic matter. Exposure to them also occurs through tobacco.
- Work involving exposure to dust, fumes, or mists produced during the calcination and electrolytic refining of nickel mattes. Strong acid process in the manufacture of isopropyl alcohol.
- Work involving exposure to hardwood dust.
Other frequent situations
There are many other causes of work-related cancer. Some of the most common carcinogens are the following:
- Crystalline silica. Crystalline silica is found in rocks and sand. In construction, it can be found in concrete and brick. Present in quartz agglomerates. It is mainly associated with lung cancer and silicosis.
- Asbestos. Although the manufacture and commercialization of asbestos are prohibited in Spain, this material can be found in many old buildings and installations. In such cases, signage and protection measures must be adopted to prevent fiber release or manipulation.
- Ultraviolet radiation. Many people who work outdoors are exposed to it. This situation is very common in construction.
- Benzene, which, in addition to being present in gasoline, is used in many industrial processes, such as plastic manufacturing.
Despite evidence of the presence of carcinogenic products in the workplace, according to the ILO, the global level of exposure to carcinogens worldwide is not precisely known. This is because reliable calculations of exposure in the third world and developing countries are not available.
Prevention and protection measures against occupational cancer
Work-related cancer is largely preventable by applying the measures established by organizations such as INSST and current legislation.
Royal Decree 664/97 establishes certain employer obligations for this purpose, which we summarize below:
- Carry out the relevant identification and assessment of exposure risk to carcinogens (initial and periodic), including specific treatment of their effects on particularly sensitive individuals.
- Substitution of carcinogenic and mutagenic agents whenever technically possible.
- Prevention and reduction of exposure by scheduling substitution where appropriate.
- The necessary measures must be adopted to guarantee personal hygiene and individual protection.
Likewise, minimum provisions are established for the proper management of accidental exposures and non-regular exposures.
- Ensure the health surveillance of workers
- Furthermore, all documentation that the Royal Decree itself establishes as necessary regarding exposure to carcinogenic agents must be available.
- Said documentation must be available to labor and health authorities.
- Comply with the obligation to train and inform workers about the measures to be adopted when there is a risk of exposure.
- Carry out the mandatory consultation and participation of workers in accordance with the LPRL.
The INSST itself, in the technical guide for the Evaluation and Prevention of Risks Related to Exposure to Carcinogenic or Mutagenic Agents at Work, highlights medical control and Health Surveillance of workers as a basic aspect. In this regard, the initial observation of the association of one of these situations with occupational cancer is, in most cases, due to occupational medicine.
