Workplace Carcinogens, Canadian Labor Congress
According to the Canadian Labor Congress (CLC), 60 occupations have been pointed as posing a rising risk of developing cancer to employees. The steel industry stands at the forefront of such industries; steel workers are likely to develop lung cancer mostly from metal products (Ehans 2010). A study carried out by Auto Workers of Canada and Occupational Health Clinics workers for Ontario further name occupations likely to expose workers to cancer developing carcinogens, dry cleaners have reported an increased rate of developing digestive tract cancer while brain cancer and leukemia development has increased amongst electric workers (Ehans 2010). Female employees working at plastic and rubber industries increase their chances of developing either uterine or breast cancer. With all the evidence against exposure to occupational carcinogens placed on the table, the question that beg is, are there effective measures so far taken in protecting employees against workplace carcinogen, have they proved effective? Additionally, this paper seeks to review the role played by science in dealing with occupational carcinogens, and effective methods that can be used in preventing or reducing the level of exposure to workplace carcinogens by employees working in risky occupations.
The research carried out by the Canadian Center of Occupational Health and Center in 2005 revealed several measures taken by key players involved in protecting their employees against workplace carcinogens. One such measure is through awareness campaigns.
[...] In both Winsor and Vancouver several unions have combined forces in the war against workplace carcinogens. Member unions especially janitorial workers have developed systems of identifying toxic substances in the products they use and replacing these products with either less toxic substances or eliminating them completely (Feuerstein 2009). In managing workplace carcinogen, substitution of or elimination of toxic chemical elements has proven as the most-effective measure reducing or preventing workers' exposure to a carcinogen. In all the efforts made so far in reducing cancer- causing carcinogens at the workplace, employees have come out as notable key players(Feuerstein 2009). [...]
[...] Workplace carcinogen has emerged as one of the leading causes of cancer in the 21st century. Traditionally, numerous industries have relied on protective gear and routinely medical check-up as a measure of protecting their workers against workplace carcinogens. However, this has proved futile in reducing the number of cancer-related health complications amongst industrial workers. More and more workers are succumbing to cancer. The best measure of dealing with carcinogens at the workplace lies in either the elimination or substitution of toxic substances by less toxic substances. [...]
[...] CLC has been at the forefront of dealing with workplace carcinogen by eliminating and substituting toxic products and processes within the workplace. CLC calls for the greater need of reevaluating products that require toxic substances in their manufacturing process in order to reduce exposure to workplace carcinogens amongst its union members. This new measure taken by CLC (Safety, C. C. 2005) in handling occupational hazard, in this context workplace carcinogens, greatly differs with the traditional measure adopted by numerous industries in protecting their employees and staff against health and safety hazards, by having them wear protective gear (Safety, C. [...]
[...] The research carried out by the Canadian Center of Occupational Health and Center in 2005 revealed several measures taken by key players involved in protecting their employees against workplace carcinogens. One such measure is through awareness campaigns. CLC has taken the mandate of organizing campaign awareness from time to time for its unions members with a keen interest of assisting them become better “cancer detectives.” Through such campaigns or conferences, such as the "Preventing Cancer and Occupational / Environmental Disease (Safety, C. C. [...]
[...] Labour Movement. Retrieved from http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/fall02labour.htm Feuerstein, M. (2009). Work and Cancer Survivors. New York: Springer. Safety, C. C. (2005). Strategies and Recommendations from Canadians. Recognizing and Preventing: Occupational Disease, 1-74. [...]
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