Interesting and very recent report on the occupational safety and health status of the EU workforce. It is affected by many factors, not least its changing demographic structure, the spread of new technologies and a reduction in the importance of economic sectors that previously dominated, such as industry and mining. This is bringing about changes not only in the numbers of jobs in each sector, but also the types of jobs that are available.

The age profile of the workforce is changing. New technologies are creating new categories of employment. Globalisation means that health threats that were once distant easily spread around the world in a short period of time. If the EU is to preserve the health of its workforce and maintain its economic strength and its competitiveness, it needs to meet these challenges proactively. This Outlook offers an overview of the present and future trends of relevance to occupational health, the main workplace risks and their prevention.

You can download the short version in 20 languages and the full report in English New and emerging risks in occupational safety and health

Review by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

Noise-induced hearing loss remains one of the most prominent occupational diseases in Europe. However, noise is no longer perceived as the only source of work-related hearing damage and increasing attention is being paid to the risks of combined exposure to high-level noise and ototoxic substances.

Ototoxic substances are chemicals which can affect the structures and/or the function of the inner ear and the associated signal transmission pathways in the nervous system. This publication aims to provide an up-to-date picture of our knowledge in this field.

It includes: a description of the basic features of the physiological mechanisms leading to hearing impairment, current diagnostic tools, and an overview of the chemicals that may be deleterious to the inner ear, ranking the certainty of their ototoxic properties in a defined weight-of-evidence approach.

The review also identifies the health effects resulting from exposure to multiple ototoxic substances and also from the interaction of ototoxic substances and noise, pointing out the work areas where exposure to ototoxic substances is likely. Finally, the report highlights gaps in our current knowledge for proposed future action and research.

The article examines the prevalence of sickness presenteeism in comparison with sickness absenteeism, using survey data covering 725 Finnish union members in 2008. Controlling for worker characteristics, the researchers find that sickness presenteeism is much more sensitive to working-time arrangements than sickness absenteeism is. Permanent full-time work, mismatch between desired and actual working hours, shift or period work and overlong working weeks increase sickness presenteeism. Regular overtime decreases sickness absenteeism, but increases sickness presenteeism

What makes you work while you are sick? Evidence from a survey of workers Bockerman, P., Laukkanen, E. The European Journal of Public Health 2010 20(1):43-46; doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckp076

Retrospective assessment of chest x-rays from 90,973 underground coal miners from Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia showed an increasing prevalence of pneumoconiosis over the past decade.

R-type opacities increased in the 1990s (PR=2.5; 95% CI=1.7–3.7) and after 1999 (PR=4.1; 95% CI=3.0–5.6) compared to the 1980s (adjusted for profusion category and miner age).

The prevalence of progressive massive fibrosis in 2000-2008 was also elevated compared to the 1980’s (PR=4.4; 95% CI=3.1–6.3) and 1990’s (PR=3.8; 95% CI=2.1–6.8).

The change in the epidemiology and disease profile documented in this and other recent studies imply that U.S. coal miners are being exposed to excessive amounts of respirable crystalline silica.

Pneumoconiosis among underground bituminous coal miners in the United States: is silicosis becoming more frequent?
A Scott Laney (aol4@cdc.gov)
Occup Environ Med doi:10.1136/oem.2009.047126

Within the Dutch Generation R study the relation between employment status, type of unemployment and number of weekly working hours with a wide range of pregnancy outcomes was explored. Information on employment characteristics and pregnancy outcomes was available for 6111 pregnant women. No indications were found that paid employment during pregnancy benefits or endangers the health of mother and child. Within the subgroups of unemployed and employed women we observed, however, that women receiving disability benefit, students and women with long working hours during pregnancy were at risk for some adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Employment status and the risk of pregnancy complications. The Generation R Study
Pauline Jansen*, Henning Tiemeier, Frank Verhulst, Alex Burdorf, Vincent Jaddoe, Albert Hofman, Henriette Moll, Bero Verburg, Eric Steegers, Johan Mackenbach, Hein Raat
Occup Environ Med doi:10.1136/oem.2009.046300

The objective of this Belgian study was to assess the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in sewage workers at municipal waste water sewage plants (WWTPs). The aim was to determine whether sewage exposure is an important risk factor for acquisition of H pylori and the possible association with gastrointestinal symptoms. A seroprevalence study of H pylori antibodies was conducted among 317 WWTP employees and compared with those of 250 employees of a pharmaceutical company.

No significant associations were found between the H pylori status and gastrointestinal symptoms, occupational exposures in different tasks, nor with hygienic practices. These results do not suggest that H pylori infection is a probable cause of part of gastrointestinal symptoms among Flemish municipal sewage workers of WWTPs.

Work-related Helicobacter pylori infection among sewage workers in municipal wastewater treatment plants in Belgium
Wim Van Hooste, Anne-Marie Charlier, Paul Rotsaert, Simon Bulterys, Guido Moens, Marc van Sprundel, Antoon De Schryver
Occup Environ Med 2010;67:91-97 doi:10.1136/oem.2008.040436r

Skin cancer is an increasing problem in Europe, America and Australasia, although largely preventable by avoiding excessive ultraviolet (UV) exposure. The aim of this study was to understand elements that may contribute to the successful or unsuccessful conveyance of skin cancer prevention messages and their uptake by the public. This showed that most people perceived their susceptibility to skin cancer, and its severity, as low. While benefits of adopting changed behaviour were acknowledged, there were substantial barriers to this, including positive perceptions of a tan as healthy and attractive and the hassle of covering up or using sunscreen.

What influences the uptake of information to prevent skin cancer? A systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research
Ruth Garside, Mark Pearson and Tiffany Moxham Health Education Research 2010 25(1):162-182; 

Systemic sclerosis is a rare chronic disease of unknown cause characterized by diffuse fibrosis, degenerative changes, and vascular abnormalities in the skin, joints, and internal organs (especially the esophagus, lower GI tract, lung, heart, and kidney). Common symptoms include Raynaud’s syndrome, polyarthralgia, dysphagia, heartburn, and swelling and eventually skin tightening and contractures of the fingers. Lung, heart, and kidney involvement accounts for most deaths.

Researchers from the University of Toledo (USA) examined the association between systemic sclerosis (SSc) and occupational exposure to silica. They included 16 studies in the analysis and calculated the combined estimator of relative risk (CERR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using fixed or random effect models. The findings suggest that silica exposure may be a significant risk factor for developing SSc and specifically in males: the overall CERR was 3.20 (95% CI, 1.89–5.43), in females 1.03 (95% CI, 0.74–1.44), in males 3.02 (95% CI, 1.24–7.35).

Occupational silica exposure as a risk factor for scleroderma: a meta-analysis
Zachary D. McCormic, Sura S. Khuder, Bishwa K. Arya1, April L. Ames and Sadik A. Khuder International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Online: 3 January 2010

Since May 2009 another 10,000 visitors on this blog…. Yesterday it passed 20,000, so thanks to all of you!

In the Netherlands it is winter, like in the rest of Europe too. For this weekend there is a forecast of snow, low temperatures and a strong wind, which will make it feel much colder. If you need to work outside or go there to skate, you should prepare yourself  to prevent health problems.

NIOSH has a comprehensive overview of coldstress with symptoms of hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot and chilblains, their first aid and recommendations for workers and employers. including a lot of interesting additional sources of information.

Stay warm, stay healthy!