Objectives-To construct a computer assisted information system for the estimation of the numbers of workers exposed to established and suspected human carcinogens in the member states of the European Union (EU). Methods-A database called CAREX (carcinogen exposure) was designed to provide selected exposure data and documented estimates of the number of workers exposed to carcinogens by country, carcinogen, and industry. CAREX includes data on agents evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (all agents in groups 1 and 2A as of February 1995, and selected agents in group 2B) and on ionising radiation, displayed across the 55 industrial classes. The 1990-3 occupational exposure was estimated in two phases. Firstly, estimates were generated by the CAREX system on the basis of national labour force data and exposure prevalence estimates from two reference countries (Finland and the United States) which had the most comprehensive data available on exposures to these agents. For selected countries, these estimates were then refined by national experts in view of the perceived exposure patterns in their own countries compared with those of the reference countries. Results-About 32 million workers (23% of those employed) in the EU were exposed to agents covered by CAREX. At least 22 million workers were exposed to IARC group 1 carcinogens. The exposed workers had altogether 42 million exposures (1.3 mean exposures for each exposed worker). The most common exposures were solar radiation (9.1 million workers exposed at least 75% of working time), environmental tobacco smoke (7.5 million workers exposed at least 75% of working time), crystalline silica (3.2 million exposed), diesel exhaust (3.0 million), radon (2.7 million), and wood dust (2.6 million). Conclusion-These preliminary estimates indicate that in the early 1990s, a substantial proportion of workers in the EU were exposed to carcinogens.

Few data are available about the prevalence of occupational exposures to agents which can cause occupational asthma or aggravate preexisting asthma (asthmogens). Using potential occupational exposure data from the National Occupational Exposure Survey (NOES) of 1980–1983, we investigated the number of asthmogen exposures, asthmogen‐exposure(s) per production worker, and unprotected occupational asthmogen exposures in different industries and occupations. Data for the entire United States were used to generate estimates of occupational exposure at two selected state and local levels. It was estimated that 7,864,000 workers in the surveyed industries were potentially exposed to one or more occupational asthmogen(s) in the United States. The average number of observed potential exposures per asthmogen‐exposed worker was 4.4, and varied from 11.9, in the Water Transportation industry, to 1.2 in Local and Suburban transportation. The largest number of observed potential exposures was recorded in the Apparel and Other Finished Products (garment) industry. This work and further analyses using this approach are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the epidemiology of occupational asthma, and to serve as a guide to target future occupational asthma surveillance efforts. Am. J. Ind. Med. 31:195–201 © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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The county is rural/suburban in nature; there are no real urban centers. The county contains large park areas and large areas are set aside as part of the New York City watershed and reservoir system. This extensive uninhabited area effectively divides the two (2) population areas. On the west, the town of Philipstown with its small connected villages of Cold Spring and Nelsonville lies along the Hudson River. The major artery on this side of the county goes north and south and leads the population to services and resources outside the county.The east side of the county has the largest population in the towns of Southeast and Carmel which includes Mahopac. Outside of the small villages of Carmel and Brewster, the landscape is largely suburban. The major roads, US 84 and US 684, are primarily north and south. Route 6 connects the two towns and then exits into Westchester County. Route 22 runs north and south through Putnam County from Dutchess to Westchester counties on the east side of the County.The last three (3) towns, Patterson, Kent and Putnam Valley are rural/suburban in character. Some parts of each of these towns can be quite remote. PopulationFrom 1980-1990, the county grew by 6,778 persons from 77,193 to 83,941 for a growth rate of 8.7. The total population in 1996 has been estimated differently. The New York State Department of Health estimates 1996 total population as 88,700. The Empire State Development Center estimated the population in that year as 90,983. In 7/1/98, the estimated population by the same group was 92,382 for a growth rate of 10.06 since 1990. This makes Putnam County the fastest growing county in the state. The Mid-Hudson region has a growth rate of 3.54. The Development Center projects continued growth, in the year 2000 to 91,800 and in the year 2005 the population will have grown to 95,200. Estimates of the population in the various towns shows that growth has been most rapid in the towns of Kent, Patterson and Southeast on the eastern side of the county.