SS70-05 ESTIMATING THE PREVALENCE OF CARCINOGEN EXPOSURE IN NEW ZEALAND

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Abstract Introduction In New Zealand, carcinogens and airborne substances contribute to one-third of work-related harms. Annually there are about 750-900 work-related deaths. About 70% of these deaths are associated with cancers and respiratory diseases. To date, there is no baseline exposure database on occupational carcinogens. Previous exposure surveys heavily relied on workers' self-reported information, which might not provide a true prevalence of carcinogen exposure in New Zealand. Materials and Methods The survey used the Occupational Integrated Database Exposure Assessment System (OccIDEAS) developed by the OccIDEAS team in Australia. OccIDEAS assesses the probability and level of exposure to specific carcinogenic agents using workers' job and task module algorithms and experts' opinions such as occupation hygienists, physicians, and epidemiologists. The survey covers over 50 known or probable carcinogenic agents based on IARC assessments. Results Approximately 57.5% of workers are probably exposed to at least one carcinogen at any level (either low, medium, or high exposure). About 23.3% are exposed to five or more carcinogens at any level. Some 28.0% of workers are deemed to have high probable exposure to at least one carcinogen. Māori workers are more likely to be exposed to at least one carcinogen at any exposure level than others. Exposure to carcinogenic agents is markedly different by industry, occupational group, gender, and age. Conclusions The survey supports the New Zealand Health and Safety at Work Strategy 2018-2028. These results could be used to estimate the burden of harm from carcinogens, develop the New Zealand profiles on occupational carcinogens, and prioritise which agents to focus on.

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