Occupational Exposure Databases

Occupational Exposure Databases
Author: Working Group on Exposure Registers in Europe
Publisher:
Total Pages: 56
Release: 1996
Genre: Ambiente de trabajo
ISBN:

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Recoge: 1. Introduction - 2. Workplace exposure measurements - 3. Exposurre information - 4. Codification of core information.

Review of the Department of Labor's Site Exposure Matrix Database

Review of the Department of Labor's Site Exposure Matrix Database
Author: Institute of Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 135
Release: 2013-04-14
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309268699

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Beginning with the development of the atomic bomb during World War II, the United States continued to build nuclear weapons throughout the Cold War. Thousands of people mined and milled uranium, conducted research on nuclear warfare, or worked in nuclear munitions factories around the country from the 1940s through the 1980s. Such work continues today, albeit to a smaller extent. The Department of Energy (DOE) is now responsible for overseeing those sites and facilities, many of which were, and continue to be, run by government contractors. The materials used at those sites were varied and ranged from the benign to the toxic and highly radioactive. Workers at DOE facilities often did not know the identity of the materials with which they worked and often were unaware of health risks related to their use. In many instances, the work was considered top secret, and employees were cautioned not to reveal any work-related information to family or others. Workers could be exposed to both radioactive and nonradioactive toxic substances for weeks or even years. Consequently, some of the workers have developed health problems and continue to have concerns about potential health effects of their exposures to occupational hazards during their employment in the nuclear weapons industry. In response to the concerns expressed by workers and their representatives, DOL asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to review the SEM database and its use of a particular database, Haz-Map, as the source of its toxic substance-occupational disease links. Accordingly, this IOM consensus report reflects careful consideration of its charge by the committee, and describes the strengths and shortcomings of both. To complete its task, IOM formed an ad hoc committee of experts in occupational medicine, toxicology, epidemiology, industrial hygiene, public health, and biostatistics to conduct an 18-month study to review the scientific rigor of the SEM database. The committee held two public meetings at which it heard from DOL Division of Energy Employee Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC) representatives, the DOL contractor that developed the SEM database, the developer of the Haz-Map database, DOE worker advocacy groups, and several individual workers. The committee also submitted written questions to DOL to seek clarification of specific issues and received written responses from DEEOIC. The committee's report considers both the strengths and weaknesses of the SEM and the Haz-Map databases, recognizing that the latter was developed first and for a different purpose. The committee then discusses its findings and recommends improvements that could be made in both databases with a focus on enhancing the usability of SEM for both DOL claims examiners and for former DOE workers and their representatives. Review of the Department of Labor's Site Exposure Matrix Database summarizes the committee's findings.

Analysis and Interpretation of Occupational Exposure Monitoring Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and OSHA Information System (OIS), 1979 – 2015

Analysis and Interpretation of Occupational Exposure Monitoring Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and OSHA Information System (OIS), 1979 – 2015
Author: Taylor Morgan Shockey
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2019
Genre: Industrial hygiene
ISBN:

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Background: Occupational exposure to airborne chemical agents is a concern for thousands of workers in the United States. Regulatory limits determine the level at which workers may be exposed to chemical agents, and exposure over these limits may indicate a risk for health hazards. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate exposure to specific airborne chemical agents by industry group, by occupation group, and over time using occupational exposure monitoring data in order to determine potential groups of workers that should be targeted for intervention and future research. In addition, this study used an auto-coding program in order to code the free text job descriptions to standardized occupation codes for the first time, as only industry was provided as a standardized code within the applied dataset. Methods: The study employed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and Occupational Safety and Health Information System (OIS) databases to evaluate personal air monitoring samples taken from 1979 through 2015. The OSHA IMIS/OIS is the largest occupational exposure database in the United States. Analyses were conducted in SAS. Exceedance fractions over an agent’s threshold limit value (TLV) or permissible exposure limit (PEL) were calculated through frequency analyses and linear regression was used to determine changes in geometric mean of exposure level over time. Statistical procedures included using logistic regression and mixed-model analyses to obtain odds ratios for the likelihood of exposure over an agent’s TLV or PEL in comparison to other industry or occupation groups. The NIOSH Industry and Occupation Computerized Coding System (NIOCCS) version 3.0 was used to auto-code free text job descriptions into standardized occupation codes. Results: Examination of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene (BTEX) occupational exposure indicated that manufacturing industry groups including chemical and allied products, fabricated metals products, petroleum refining and related, and transportation equipment had large exceedance fractions over the agents’ respective PELs and/or TLVs. The exceedance fraction of benzene over the PEL and TLV decreased over the 35 year span. Analyses of trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PERC) found that several dry cleaning related industries, had significant adjusted odds ratios above 1.0 for exposure to PERC over the TLV in comparison to other industry groups. TCE exposure over the TLV was elevated among the fabricated metal products. Among the construction industry records which were coded to determine occupation, the welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers occupation group was found to have significant adjusted odds ratios over 1.0 for exposure above the TLV to lead (inorganic, fumes and dusts), iron oxide fume, and zinc oxide fume. Lead (inorganic, fumes and dusts) exposure was elevated above the TLV among the painters, construction and maintenance occupation group. Conclusions: The OSHA IMIS/OIS datasets were successfully used to identify potential industry groups, occupation groups, and patterns of exposure over time that might indicate hazardous exposure to airborne chemical agents. In addition to successful and novel application of the data, the study identified the need for inclusion of standardized occupation in occupational exposure monitoring datasets as well as the need for data standardization to improve data quality and usage.