Background Excessive noise is a global occupational health hazard with considerable social and physiological impacts, including noise‐induced hearing loss (NIHL). This paper describes the worldwide morbidity of occupational NIHL in the year 2000. Methods The proportion of the population exposed to occupational noise was estimated using noise exposure data from the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), adjusted by data on the distribution of the work force by occupational category and economic sector, and economic activity rates in each WHO subregion. These values for the exposed population and risk measures for NIHL were used to develop estimates of the attributable fraction (AF) of adult‐onset hearing loss resulting from occupational noise exposure. The AFs were applied to WHO estimates of total disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs) from adult‐onset hearing loss to estimate the DALYs due to occupational noise. Results Worldwide, 16% of the disabling hearing loss in adults (over 4 million DALYs) is attributed to occupational noise, ranging from 7% to 21% in the various subregions. The effects of the exposure to occupational noise are larger for males than females in all subregions and higher in the developing regions. Conclusions Occupational noise is a significant cause of adult‐onset hearing loss. The majority of this NIHL burden can be minimized by the use of engineering controls to reduce the generation of noise at its source. Am. J. Ind. Med. 48:446–458, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Occupational exposures to ergonomic stressors represent a substantial source of preventable back pain. Specific research on children is needed to quantify the global burden of disease due to child labor.

Occupational carcinogens are an important cause of death and disability worldwide.

Exposure to occupational hazards accounts for a significant proportion of the global burden of disease and injury, which could be substantially reduced through application of proven risk prevention strategies.

No abstract

Control Banding (CB) strategies offer simplified solutions for controlling worker exposures to constituents often encountered in the workplace. The original CB model was developed within the pharmaceutical industry; however, the modern movement involves models developed for non-experts to input hazard and exposure potential information for bulk chemical processes, receiving control advice as a result. The CB approach utilizes these models for the dissemination of qualitative and semi-quantitative risk assessment tools being developed to complement the traditional industrial hygiene model of air sampling and analysis. It is being applied and tested in small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) within developed countries and industrially developing countries; however, large enterprises (LEs) have also incorporated these strategies within chemical safety programs. Existing research of the components of the most available CB model, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Essentials, has shown that exposure bands do not always provide adequate margins of safety, that there is a high rate of under-control errors, that it works better with dusts than with vapors, that there is an inherent inaccuracy in estimating variability, and that when taken together the outcomes of this model may lead to potentially inappropriate workplace confidence in chemical exposure reduction in some operations. Alternatively, large-scale comparisons of industry exposure data to this CB model's outcomes have indicated more promising results with a high correlation seen internationally. With the accuracy of the toxicological ratings and hazard band classification currently in question, their proper reevaluation will be of great benefit to the reliability of existing and future CB models. The need for a more complete analysis of CB model components and, most importantly, a more comprehensive prospective research process remains and will be important in understanding implications of the model's overall effectiveness. Since the CB approach is now being used worldwide with an even broader implementation in progress, further research toward understanding its strengths and weaknesses will assist in its further refinement and confidence in its ongoing utility.

Occupational injuries constitute a substantial global burden. However, our findings greatly underestimate the impact of occupational risk factors leading to injuries in the overall burden of disease. Our estimates could not include intentional injuries at work, or commuting injuries, due to lack of global data. Additional factors contributing to grave underestimation of occupational injuries include limited insurance coverage of workers and substantial under-reporting of fatal injuries in record-keeping systems globally. About 113,000 deaths were probably missed in our analyses due to under-reporting alone. It is clear that known prevention strategies need to be implemented widely to diminish the avoidable burden of injuries in the workplace.

Occupational airborne particulates are an important cause of death and disability worldwide.