November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The campaign is promoted by a global community of cancer and health organisations, encouraging members of the public to seek medical advice if they may be experiencing symptoms.
Respiratory hazards encountered at work have the potential to cause lung cancer. Occupational lung disease statistics estimate a high number of lung cancer cases and deaths linked to past exposure in the workplace. Understanding which contaminants present a risk and how to protect employees is key to prevention.
Occupational lung cancer
Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer leading to death, along with mesothelioma – another type of cancer which develops around the linings of the lungs and other organs.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) research estimates 5160 occupational lung cancer deaths occur every year in Great Britain. Of the 5160 lung cancer deaths, 47% are asbestos-related and 53% are non-asbestos-related.
View occupational lung cancer statistics.
Mesothelioma is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos fibres, and accounts for an estimated 2400 occupational deaths each year in Great Britain.
Although asbestos has been banned for over 20 years and awareness around its dangers has improved, a high number of deaths still occur every year due to the slow development of condition long after exposure has ended. Workers can also be exposed to asbestos during repair, maintenance and demolition jobs on structures or buildings with asbestos-containing materials installed before they were banned from use.
Protection & prevention
To prevent occupational lung cancer, workers must be properly protected against respiratory hazards. Lung cancer can be caused by inhalation of dusts and other hazardous substances, as well as developing from other conditions such as silicosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Exposure hazards that can cause lung cancer include:
- Asbestos
- Welding fume
- Engineered wood dust
- Silica dust
- Diesel exhaust fumes
To protect workers against occupational lung cancer, exposure to hazardous substances must be prevented or reduced to a safe level following the hierarchy of controls.
Implementation of an effective respiratory protective equipment (RPE) programme requires employers to assess risks, identify actions and resources required to adequately control them, then put those measures into place and ensure they remain effective. RPE may be one of several controls – ideally the last line of defence after substitution, extraction and other engineering controls.