Rubber industry and exposure to carcinogenic chemical agents: an Italian Multicentric Study in Lombardy

Evaluating the chemical risks at the workplaces, the potential carcinogenic risk is a primary interest. Particularly, in the rubber forming industry the main attention was directed to the hot processing as a possible source of exposure to chemical agents, several of which were classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and/or the European Union (EU). A study on occupational exposure to chemical carcinogens in the rubber forming industry was planned during last two years, involving a representative sample of firms. In the first step the occupational exposure and the use of preventive measures were evaluated by an investigation at workplace supported with standardized questionnaires. The presence of above 100 chemical agents was registered; 15 agents were classified to carcinogenic or probably carcinogenic to human. The evaluation of exposure by air sampling and monitoring of most substances of interest (acrylonitrile, 1,3-butadiene, styrene, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons), demonstrated a low level of occupational exposure, the common hygienic prevention measure being applied.