Behaviour in the workplace and monitoring data on occupational oral exposure to hazardous substances as prerequisites for the development of a model on occupational oral exposure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
IF 1.8 4区 医学Q3 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: The assessment of the overall exposure of workers to hazardous substances is fundamental for their comprehensive protection. This includes oral exposure to hazardous substances, which can be relevant for total exposure depending on the specific workplace and substance. However, monitoring and available modelling approaches for a sound assessment of this exposure pathway are limited. The development of an occupational oral exposure assessment model requires knowledge of the contributing mechanisms, including worker behaviour and occupational hygiene practice. In addition, monitoring data on occupational oral exposure are a prerequisite for the evaluation of an exposure model.
Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA method. Studies describing behaviours and occupational hygiene practices with regard to oral occupational exposure, and studies including measured data sets for the model evaluation were identified. The included data were then extracted and evaluated in a meta-analysis.
Results: 142 studies addressing oral occupational exposure were identified in the area of behaviour and occupational hygiene. Frequencies of hygiene practices were aggregated. The influence of worker training was investigated and the controllability of individual behaviour was described qualitatively. For the model evaluation, 9 publications were identified that included monitoring data for oral occupational exposure. These publications use 5 different sampling approaches and describe 4 different substance groups.
Discussion: The systematic literature search on behaviour and occupational hygiene provides a partly quantitative basis for the model-based description of occupational oral exposure to hazardous substances. Oral exposure to hazardous substances cannot be prevented by good occupational hygiene practices alone, as a relevant part of the causal personal behaviour (eg touching the own face) is subconscious and can therefore not be avoided completely. The identified database serves as a basis for the later model evaluation. The usability of the data sets depends on whether the future model input parameters are documented in the studies.
期刊介绍:
About the Journal
Annals of Work Exposures and Health is dedicated to presenting advances in exposure science supporting the recognition, quantification, and control of exposures at work, and epidemiological studies on their effects on human health and well-being. A key question we apply to submission is, "Is this paper going to help readers better understand, quantify, and control conditions at work that adversely or positively affect health and well-being?"
We are interested in high quality scientific research addressing:
the quantification of work exposures, including chemical, biological, physical, biomechanical, and psychosocial, and the elements of work organization giving rise to such exposures;
the relationship between these exposures and the acute and chronic health consequences for those exposed and their families and communities;
populations at special risk of work-related exposures including women, under-represented minorities, immigrants, and other vulnerable groups such as temporary, contingent and informal sector workers;
the effectiveness of interventions addressing exposure and risk including production technologies, work process engineering, and personal protective systems;
policies and management approaches to reduce risk and improve health and well-being among workers, their families or communities;
methodologies and mechanisms that underlie the quantification and/or control of exposure and risk.
There is heavy pressure on space in the journal, and the above interests mean that we do not usually publish papers that simply report local conditions without generalizable results. We are also unlikely to publish reports on human health and well-being without information on the work exposure characteristics giving rise to the effects. We particularly welcome contributions from scientists based in, or addressing conditions in, developing economies that fall within the above scope.