Annotated slides from a presentation given at the Safety and Health Expo in London 17 June 2014

1. Occupational cancer - what you
need to know
Mike Slater
BOHS President 2014/15

2. Approximately 8,000 workers
die every year in Great Britain
from occupational cancer

3. 0 1000 2000 3000 4000
Other agents
Working as painter
Shift work
Mineral oils
Diesel exhaust emissions
Silica
Asbestos
Occupational cancer deaths by cause in Great Britain, 2005

4. Controlling exposure to
carcinogens at work

5. Recognise Evaluate Control
Occupational Hygiene

6. Recognise Evaluate Control
Occupational Hygiene

7. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE

8. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE
This is the basis of
the “hierarchy of
control” - a list of
common control
measures in order
of preference.

9. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE
Let’s look at some
examples of how it
can be applied to
controlling common
occupational
carcinogens

10. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE

11. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE
We’ll start with how
exposure can be
prevented

12. Beta-napthylamine, a potent bladder
carcinogen, has been banned

13. The use of asbestos has also been banned

14. The use of silica sand for blasting is not
allowed. Alternatives must be used.

15. Diesel powered fork lift trucks can be
replaced by LPG powered vehicles

16. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE
When we can’t
prevent exposure,
we should try to
find engineering
approaches to
control exposure

17. Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/copd/casestudies/wetcut.htm
Wet cutting of stone or concrete
significantly reduces dust exposures

18. An example of process containment

19. Partial containment with local extraction

20. On tool extraction

21. Local extraction

22. www.aessolutions.co.uk
Cleaning up using a vacuum rather than
sweeping

23. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE

24. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE
 Reduce exposure time
 Increase distance
 Working methods
 Standard procedures

25. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE

26. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE

27. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE
Respiratory
protection really
shouldn’t be used
as a primary control
for carcinogens

28. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE
But it may be
needed in some
situations as a
secondary control
or where other
approaches aren’t
practicable

29. Good training and supervision is needed to
make sure respiratory protection is effective

30. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE
Supervision
Maintenance
Procedures
Auditing
Testing
Health surveillance
Monitoring
Information
Training

31. Prevention
Engineering
Work practices
PPE
Supervision
Maintenance
Procedures
Auditing
Testing
Health surveillance
Monitoring
Information
Training
These management measures are needed to
ensure controls work effectively

32. Lot’s of good guidance on control is
available from the HSE

33. Occupational hygienists can help
employers to locate the relevant
information

34. Nanotechnology
New substances can present new challenges

36. Occupational hygienists have the knowledge
and skills to develop solutions

37. http://www.bohs.org/OHServices-directory/

39. Qualified Occupational hygienists can
help to control problems like this!

42. president@bohs.org
http://www.bohs.org
Twitter: @bohsworld
http://www.slideshare.net/mikeslater