Managing Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume: New Evidence Suggests a More Precautionary Approach is Needed

John W. Cherrie; Len Levy

doi:10.1093/annweh/wxz079

Managing Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume: New Evidence Suggests a More Precautionary Approach is Needed

John W. Cherrie, Len Levy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Welding is a common industrial process with many millions of workers exposed worldwide. In October 2017, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that exposure to welding fumes causes lung cancer in humans, based primarily on the available epidemiological literature. These research studies did not show that the cancer risk differed between mild steel and stainless steel welding but were related to the total welding aerosol. Lung cancer risks were observable at very low exposure levels; below 1 mg m-3 and perhaps as low as 0.1 mg m-3, averaged over a working lifetime. As a result of this IARC evaluation, in Britain, the Health and Safety Executive has acted to strengthen its enforcement expectations for fume control at welding activities. In the light of these developments, it would seem appropriate to review current health-based exposure limits for metal dust and fumes from welding to ensure they are protective.

Original language	English
Journal	Annals of Work Exposures and Health
Early online date	5 Nov 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxz079
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 5 Nov 2019

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Cherrie, J. W., & Levy, L. (2019). Managing Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume: New Evidence Suggests a More Precautionary Approach is Needed. Annals of Work Exposures and Health. https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxz079

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abstract = "Welding is a common industrial process with many millions of workers exposed worldwide. In October 2017, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that exposure to welding fumes causes lung cancer in humans, based primarily on the available epidemiological literature. These research studies did not show that the cancer risk differed between mild steel and stainless steel welding but were related to the total welding aerosol. Lung cancer risks were observable at very low exposure levels; below 1 mg m-3 and perhaps as low as 0.1 mg m-3, averaged over a working lifetime. As a result of this IARC evaluation, in Britain, the Health and Safety Executive has acted to strengthen its enforcement expectations for fume control at welding activities. In the light of these developments, it would seem appropriate to review current health-based exposure limits for metal dust and fumes from welding to ensure they are protective.",

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