Nickel compounds in the workplaces: occupations and activities involving high-risk exposures in Italy
Scarselli, Alberto ; Di Marzio, Davide ; Marinaccio, Alessandro ; Iavicoli, Sergio
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
2018
61
12
968-977
exposure assessment ; nickel ; nickel products
Exposure limits
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.22914
English
Bibliogr.;Statistics
"BACKGROUND:
Nickel (Ni) compounds have been classified as carcinogenic to humans. The aim of the study is to evaluate exposures to Ni at workplaces in Italy.
METHODS:
Data on Ni compounds were collected from an occupational exposure registry. Statistical analysis was carried out for exposure-related variables. The number of workers potentially exposed was estimated for selected industrial sectors. Concurrent exposures with other occupational carcinogens were investigated using two-step cluster analysis.
RESULTS:
Overall 10 083 measurements were analyzed during 1996-2016, having a geometric mean of 2.93 μg/m3 . Most exposures occurred in manufacture of metal products (50%) and among metal finishing machine operators (46%). A total of 56 046 workers potentially exposed to Ni was estimated. Concurrent exposures were frequently detected, mainly with chromium VI and cobalt compounds.
CONCLUSIONS:
Systematic recording of occupational exposures provides a data source that allows recognition of high risk situations for workers' health and helps improve exposure assessment in epidemiologic studies."
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