Documents Nasterlack, Michael 3 results

"Objective Human evidence of carcinogenicity concerning shift work is inconsistent. This industry-based cohort study aimed to examine the relationship between working in a rotating shift and cancer incidence.Methods The cohort consisted of male production workers (12 609 shift and 15 219 day), employed in a large chemical industry for at least one year between 1995–2005, and residing in the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Incident cancer cases from 2000–2009 were identified through record linkage with the cancer registry of Rhineland-Palatinate. Information on exposure to shift work and potential confounders, including age, smoking status, job level, and employment duration, was extracted from the personnel and health records. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) adjusted for potential confounders.Results Between 2000–2009, 518 and 555 cancer cases (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) occurred among shift and day work employees, respectively. Compared to “never shift work”, shift workers experienced an increased risk of cancers neither at all-sites (HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.89–1.21) nor for prostate cancer in particular (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.71–1.21). The risks of leukemia and esophagus cancer were increased if smoking was not taken into account, albeit based on small numbers. However, adjusting for smoking changed the HR and the risk diminished.Conclusions Our analyses do not provide evidence for a carcinogenic effect of the shift system under study."

"Objectives

The use of engineered nanoparticles not only offers new technical perspectives but also raises questions regarding possible health aspects for producers and users. Nanoparticles may, just by virtue of their size, exert biological effects unrelated to the chemicals they are composed of. These considerations, and results from experimental animal studies suggesting that engineered nanomaterials may pose a health hazard to employees, all underscore the need for preventive measures. In this context, the need for, the feasibility, and the appropriateness of targeted occupational medical surveillance are currently subject to debate.



Methods

We compared established concepts for the development of occupational medical surveillance programs to existing knowledge on exposures in workplaces and on health effects of nanomaterials.



Results

A variety of potential effect parameters have been proposed for medical surveillance of exposed personnel, such as heart rate variability, blood-clotting parameters, pro-inflammatory cytokines, etc. None of these parameters are specific, most are not validated as individual health risk indicators, and some require sophisticated equipment not routinely available. Against this background, BASF currently puts specific weight on risk assessment and exposure control in workplaces. Particle emissions are primarily avoided by manufacturing in closed systems or using effective extraction systems. Appropriate personal protective equipment has been defined for such operations where an exposure potential cannot be excluded.



Conclusions

While there is presently no evidence-based foundation for “nano-specific” occupational medical screening, one can perform general medical screening with methods targeted at some of the health outcomes under discussion. The results of such examinations can provide a basis for future epidemiologic studies. Therefore, the establishment of exposure registries to enable the conduct of large-scale multi-centric prospective epidemiologic studies is recommended."

"OBJECTIVE:

This article provides the background for consideration of exposure registries to address potential disease risks in nanomaterial workers.

METHODS:

The history of exposure registries is reviewed with a focus on their purpose and criteria for establishment.

RESULTS:

A rationale is presented for developing registries of nanomaterial workers, and unresolved obstacles and challenges are identified. These include issues on inclusion criteria, funding, potential for legal risks, access to data, confidentiality of business information, privacy, and workers' expectations.

CONCLUSION:

If society is to gain the benefits from nanotechnology, it must take precautions and demonstrate care for those, such as workers, who may be most at risk of adverse effects. Establishing exposure registries is a part of such a precautionary and caring approach."