Exposure of health and social assistance personnel to cancer risk factors

On the occasion of the European week against cancer, from May 25 to 31, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) presents a new report that analyzes the exposure of health and social assistance personnel to risk factors against occupational cancer.

The report: "Risk factors for cancer in the workplace in Europe. Conclusions from the survey on the exposure of workers in the health and social services sector" reveals that 29.5% of staff in the sector were exposed to at least one of the 24 risk factors evaluated in the survey during the work week prior to the survey and another 7.8% were exposed to two or more risk factors for cancer.

Ionizing radiation, formaldehyde, ethylene oxide, and artificial ultraviolet (UV) radiation were some of the most common sector-specific exposures, but the work also identified more general, non-industry-related risks, such as exposure to diesel engine exhaust emissions, solar ultraviolet radiation, and benzene.