Documents plastics industry 25 results

"Objectives The relationship between occupational styrene exposure and male fecundity was examined.Methods Among 1560 Danish, Italian, and Dutch reinforced plastics workers, 220 styrene-exposed workers and 382 unexposed referents who had fathered a child were identified. A total of 768 historical styrene measurements conducted in 1970-1996 in the study companies formed the basis for semiquantitative exposure assessment in combination with measurements of urinary styrene metabolite levels. All the subjects were interviewed about work conditions and other factors potentially related to reduced fecundity. Fecundity was measured as the reported time to pregnancy (number of months a couple needed to conceive their youngest child).Results A statistically nonsignificantly reduced fecundity was observed for the styrene-exposed workers [fecundity ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.59-1.05]. But no consistent pattern of a detrimental effect on fecundity was found when time to pregnancy was related to worktasks indicating higher styrene exposure levels or semiquantitative or quantitative measures of styrene exposure. The workers with high exposure showed a fecundity ratio of 1.09 (95% CI 0.69-1.72). Conclusions It is unlikely that styrene exposure has a strong effect on male fecundity."

"En 2012, l'INRS a souhaité mener une réflexion sur les besoins d'études épidémiologiques sur le thème des perturbateurs endocriniens (PEs) en milieu de travail et l'identification des PEs prioritaires. A partir d'une revue de la littérature, une liste de 14 substances ou classes de substances a été établie. Chaque classe a fait l'objet d'un état des connaissances utilisé pour construire une démarche de priorisation. A partir des réponses à une liste de 9 critères (cotation à 3 niveaux), des scores ont été construits et un classement des PEs proposé. Il ressort une classe prioritaire : les phtalates (industrie des matières plastiques). Egalement, les substances utilisées particulièrement dans le secteur des cosmétiques (parabènes, 4-nonylphénol, filtres UV, phtalates) et le bisphénol A sont repérés comme des molécules pertinentes à étudier prioritairement. A noter que le nombre de salariés potentiellement exposés dans ces secteurs professionnels se présente élevé (environ 300 000 salariés). Les PEs ont été peu étudiés dans le milieu professionnel."

"Despite concern about the harmful effects of substances contained in various plastic consumer products, little attention has focused on the more heavily exposed women working in the plastics industry. Through a review of the toxicology, industrial hygiene, and epidemiology literatures in conjunction with qualitative research, this article explores occupational exposures in producing plastics and health risks to workers, particularly women, who make up a large part of the workforce. The review demonstrates that workers are exposed to chemicals that have been identified as mammary carcinogens and endocrine disrupting chemicals, and that the work environment is heavily contaminated with dust and fumes. Consequently, plastics workers have a body burden that far exceeds that found in the general public. The nature of these exposures in the plastics industry places women at disproportionate risk, underlining the importance of gender. Measures for eliminating these exposures and the need for regulatory action are discussed."

"BACKGROUND:
To examine the association between occupation and leukaemia.
METHODS:
We interviewed 225 cases (aged 20-75 years) notified to the New Zealand Cancer Registry during 2003-04, and 471 controls randomly selected from the Electoral Roll collecting demographic details, information on potential confounders and a comprehensive employment history. Associations between occupation and leukaemia were analysed using logistic regression adjusted for gender, age, ethnicity and smoking.
RESULTS:
Elevated odds ratios (ORs) were observed in agricultural sectors including horticulture/fruit growing (OR: 2.62, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.51, 4.55), plant nurseries (OR: 7.51, 95% CI: 1.85, 30.38) and vegetable growing (OR: 3.14, 95% CI: 1.18, 8.40); and appeared greater in women (ORs: 4.71, 7.75 and 7.98, respectively). Elevated ORs were also observed in market farmers/crop growers (OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.12, 3.02), field crop/vegetable growers (OR: 3.98, 95% CI: 1.46, 10.85), market gardeners (OR: 5.50, 95% CI: 1.59, 19.02), and nursery growers/workers (OR: 4.23, 95% CI: 1.34, 13.35); also greater in women (ORs: 3.48, 7.62, 15.74 and 11.70, respectively). These elevated ORs were predominantly for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Several associations persisted after semi-Bayes adjustment. Elevated ORs were observed in rubber/plastics products machine operators (OR: 3.76, 95% CI: 1.08, 13.08), predominantly in plastic product manufacturing. CLL was also elevated in tailors and dressmakers (OR: 7.01, 95% CI: 1.78, 27.68), cleaners (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.00, 4.14) and builder's labourers (OR: 4.03, 95% CI: 1.30, 12.53).
CONCLUSIONS:
These findings suggest increased leukaemia risks associated with certain agricultural, manufacturing, construction and service occupations in New Zealand."

"En la prevención de las enfermedades laborales hay dos instancias claves: la prevención primaria y la prevención secundaria. En la primera la acción se concentra en la anulación del riesgo y en medidas dispuestas para poner el factor bajo control; en la segunda, se hace referencia a la posibilidad de efectuar un diagnóstico precoz de las dolencias, de forma tal de detectar el proceso en un momento donde resulte reversible. Este trabajo coopera con la prevención primaria y secundaria ofreciendo información actualizada sobre aspectos sustantivos de la interacción entre el trabajador y el tóxico. Se dirige a aportar una herramienta para los médicos del trabajo. Aborda el desarrollo de ocho secciones que dedica a los metales y sus compuestos, a los derivados del petróleo, a la patología respiratoria irritativa y fibrótica, a los gases asfixiantes químicos, a los sensibilizantes, a los plaguicidas, a la industria farmacéutica, a los plásticos y otros."