Occupational Exposure Assessment for Crystalline Silica Dust: Approach in Poland and Worldwide

Abstract

Crystalline silica is a health hazard commonly encountered in work environment. Occupational exposure to crystalline silica dust concerns workers employed in such industries as mineral, fuel-energy, metal, chemical and construction industry. It is estimated that over 2 million workers in the European Union are exposed to crystalline silica. In Poland, over 50 thousand people work under conditions of silica dust exposure exceeding the occupational exposure limit. The assessment of occupational exposure to crystalline silica is a multi-phase process, primarily dependent on workplace measurements, quantitative analyses of samples, and comparison of results with respective standards. The present article summarizes the approaches to and methods used for assessment of exposure to crystalline silica as adopted in different countries in the EU and worldwide. It also compares the occupational limit values in force in almost 40 countries. Further, it points out the consequences resulting from the fact that IARC has regarded the two most common forms of crystalline silica: quartz and cristobalite as human carcinogens. The article includes an inter-country review of the methods used for air sample collection, dust concentration measurements, and determination of crystalline silica. The selection was based on the GESTIS database which lists the methods approved by the European Union for the measurements and tests regarding hazardous agents. Special attention has been paid to the methods of determining crystalline silica. The author attempts to analyze the infl uence of analytical techniques, sample preparation and the reference materials on determination results. Also the operating parameters of the method, including limit of detection, limit of quantifi cation, and precision, have been compared.

European Code against Cancer 4th Edition: Environment, occupation and cancer

“…Over 2 million workers in the EU are exposed to crystalline silica in mineral, fuel-energy, metal, chemical and construction industries. For example, in Poland, over 50,000 individuals are exposed at work to silica dust exposure exceeding the occupational exposure limit [38]. In 2012, diesel engine exhaust was classified as a Group 1 carcinogen mainly on the basis of robust epidemiological studies of occupational exposure among nonmetal miners and railroad and truck workers, showing an excess risk of lung cancer.…”

Exposure-Response Analysis and Risk Assessment for Lung Cancer in Relationship to Silica Exposure: A 44-Year Cohort Study of 34,018 Workers

“…Occupational exposure frequently occurs in a variety of industries, such as metal and coal mining, construction, and clay manufacturing. Recent reports have indicated that more than 1.7 million workers in the United States (1), more than 2 million in Europe (2, 3), and more than 23 million in China (4) have been occupationally exposed to crystalline silica dust. In ambient air, crystalline silica can be easily generated from industrial operations, volcanic explosions, and sandstorms.…”

Environmental pollution: corporate crime and cancer mortality

“…Their environmental crimes often involve the use of organized syndicates to illegally manage their toxic waste (Simon, 2000). Transnational corporations have likewise been found to be responsible for the production and emission of a multitude of carcinogenic pollutants resulting from the manufacture and processing of a variety of industrial commodities including plastics, chemicals, and numerous natural resource extraction processes (Baan, 2007;Blatt, 2006;Easter & Konishi, 2006;Garshick et al, 2008;Goldstein & Goldstein, 2002;Huff, Jacobson, & Davis, 2008;Maciejewska, 2008;Olfert, Felknor, Delclos, 2006;Perera et al, 2008;Richardson, 2008). An abundance of scientific evidence links industrial waste, fossil fuel extraction and processing, nuclear power plant operations, nuclear waste disposal, and the production of a variety of consumer products to a plethora of health problems including cancer and cancer mortality (Faber, 2008;Goldstein & Goldstein, 2002).…”