Commentary. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health Asbestos Program 1987–1992

Abstract

In 1987-1992, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) implemented a nationwide asbestos program aimed at preventing asbestos-related risks in good cooperation with governmental authorities, industry, trade unions, the health care and insurance systems, and mass media. The goals were to minimize all exposure to asbestos, identify people exposed at work, and improve the diagnostics of asbestos diseases, especially cancers. The program entailed several concrete actions and extensive dissemination of information, training, services, and scientific research. As proposed by the State Asbestos Committee, new use of asbestos products was banned and strict regulations were applied to renovation and inspection of old buildings. The screening study of asbestos-induced diseases included 18,943 current and retired workers from house building, shipyard, and asbestos industries. Pleural and parenchymal changes were found in 4,133 persons (22%), who were referred to further clinical examinations as suspected cases of an occupational disease. It was estimated that past exposure of asbestos among the Finnish population of 5 million causes > 150 mesotheliomas and lung cancers annually, totalling > 2,000 asbestos-induced cancer deaths by the year 2010. Although several major control actions were made or started during the program, the bulk of the preventive work still lies ahead.

Asbestos and Cancer: An Overview of Current Trends in Europe

“…A national survey in Finland estimated from the occupational title that 14% ofmen 35 years of age or more had significant asbestos exposure (9). A (13).…”

“…In Finland 200,000 workers were estimated to have had an exposure to more than 2 fibers per milliliter air (f/ml) for at least 2 months during their working life. Seventy-five percent of these workers were exposed in the construction industry and only 5% in asbestos products manufacturing or in asbestos mining (9 1994, fiber concentrations in asbestos cement production ranged from 0.1 to 1.1 f/ml for the machine line to 1.1 to 5.2 f/ml for the milling and mixing areas (16).…”

Radiographic abnormalities among Finnish construction, shipyard and asbestos industry workers

“…The Paakkila anthophyllite mine was in operation between 191 8 and 1976, and thus about 40% of all asbestos used in Finland has been amphibole. The high prevalence of pleural abnormalities in Finland and in the present survey is not surprising (2,3,23), because anthophyllite is one of the most aggressive asbestos fibers to induce pleural plaques (25). In terms of use and exposure, chrysotile was the most widespread type in the construction and asbestos cement industry.…”

“…Koskinen@occuphealth.fi] ize the follow-up, to stop further exposure to asbestos, to influence smoking habits, and to establish a register of heavily exposed and diseased workers, as well as to evaluate the possibilities of preventing asbestos-related cancer (3,5). In several studies of plumbers, pipefitters, boilermakers, carpenters, and other workers employed in building construction, parenchymal findings [International Labour Office (LO) 110 or higher] have ranged from 6.8% to 19.4% and pleural abnormalities from 16.8% to 29.4% (6-1 1).…”

Asbestos-related occupational cancers compensated under the Spanish National Insurance System, 1978–2011

“…Finland, France, and Italy) of effective national surveillance programs to detect workers previously exposed to asbestos facilitated the establishment of a causal relationship, which was difficult to demonstrate because of the long latency period of asbestos-related cancers. [28][29][30] Studies on the incidence of asbestos-related diseases in state-run shipyards confirmed the importance of health surveillance campaigns in stimulating recognition. 31 We are currently witnessing a rise in number of these diseases, with the prediction that occupationally-related deaths due to pleural mesothelioma will continue in Spain until at least 2040.…”