Large exposure measurement databases: experiences from CAREX Canada

Transcription

1 Large exposure measurement databases: experiences from CAREX Canada Cheryl Peters 1,2, MSc, PhD Candidate Occupational Exposures Advisor Co-authors: Hugh Davies 2, Paul Demers 3,4 1. CAREX Canada, Simon Fraser University 2. School of Population & Public Health, University of British Columbia 3. Occupational Cancer Research Centre 4. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

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3 Outline What is CAREX Canada? Occupational Exposure Databases Uses/benefits Canadian Workplace Exposure Database (CWED) Selected results, challenges Discussion and future directions 1

4 CAREX Canada a brief overview CAREX EXPOSURE CARCINOGEN Originally funded as a pilot project by WorkSafe BC in 2003 Fully funded by CPAC in 2008 (renewed 2012) 2

5 Project questions The projects looks to identify: What carcinogens are Canadians exposed to, both at work and in the community? Where in Canada do these exposures occur? How many people are exposed? How much are people exposed to? 3

6 Occupational approach Overview 6 4

7 Who is at risk? # exposed and cancer sites (Canada) Known or suspected carcinogen # Exposed Confirmed Suspected Shiftwork with potential circadian disruption 1,900,000 Breast, prostate Solar radiation 1,476,000 Skin Diesel engine exhaust 897,000 Lung Silica (crystalline) 382,000 Lung Others? Benzene 374,000 Acute non-lymphatic leukemia Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) 350,000 Lung, skin, bladder Wood dust 338,000 Sinonasal, nasopharynx ALL, multiple myeloma, NHL Lead 277,000 Lung, stomach Ethylbenzene 208,000 Lung, kidney Asbestos 152,000 Lung, mesothelioma, larynx, ovary Pharynx, colon, rectum, stomach 5

8 Exposure databases Digital repository of occupational exposure data Ideally: Individual measurements (not aggregate) Personal vs. area Supplementary data Can be flat or in a relational structure Variety of examples 6

9 Canadian Workplace Exposure Database General survey of data holders (2009) Questions on availability, timeline, format, sharing/privacy, current practices/responsibility Early adopters: Provinces of BC and ON Later addition (with funding) of 2 more provinces, a bit from 1 territory, and one mining agency 7

10 50,000 45,000 CWED: # of samples by region over time 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 BC MB ON SK YK Total 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,

11 CWED # of samples: selected carcinogens Formaldehyde Asbestos Wood Dust Crystalline silica Chromium Nickel & its compounds Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Benzene Trichloroethylene Diesel Engine Exhaust n samples 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 37

12 CAREX estimates using CWED data CAREX Canada n=72 Examples: Asbestos Particulate air pollution Wood dust Occupational estimates n=44 Examples: Perc Shift work Radon Level of exposure CWED n=12 Examples: Perc, formaldehyde Other n=8 Examples: Shift work, solar Environmental-only exposures 10

13 Specialty trade contractors 141,000 (24%) exposed Silica exposure Construction of buildings 65,000 (17%) exposed Heavy & civil engineering construction 31,000 (27%) exposed Non- metallic mineral product manufacturing 20,000 (33%) exposed Mining 16,000 (27%) exposed 11

14 Why CAREX and CWED? Primary prevention Identify groups at risk of high exposure Priority setting Monitoring trends in exposure over time Assess impact of regulations Determine what is reasonably achievable 12

15 Why CAREX and CWED? Surveillance and Research Estimate burden of disease Identify research priorities, gaps Monitoring trends over time Linkage with health data Improve exposure assessment Improve risk assessment 13

16 Why CAREX and CWED? Enhance exposure data Preserve existing data Digitize existing data Liberate and mobilize data Standardization Quality assurance Centralization 14

17 Data gaps Challenges Challenge: general lack of data Diesel engine exhaust (see table ) Emerging hazards? Construction industry Challenge: lack of current data Data collection peaked in 1980s Future: more partners, enhancing ease of use Substance n samples n exposed Diesel exhaust ,000 Silica 8, ,000 Benzene 1, ,000 PAHs 3, ,000 Wood dust 10, ,000 Asbestos 11, ,000 Formaldehyde 11, ,000 Nickel 5, ,000 Ionizing radiation 500,000 78,000 TCE 1,603 9,800 15

18 Thank-you and Questions Cheryl Peters, Occupational Exposures Advisor Acknowledgements Hugh Davies, Paul Demers, Amy Hall, Calvin Ge CAREX Canada team