Morse Tim, Wagner Jesse, Simcox Nancy
Chemical Innovations Institute, Occupational and Environmental Health Center, MC 6210, UConn Health Center, Farmington, USA.
Conn Med. 2012 Mar;76(3):133-42.
Chemical exposures in the workplace are poorly documented and researched, yet appear to be widespread and with significant potential for impacting worker health. There are few reporting requirements for chemical usage on a national level.
Chemical usage reports and employment data from Massachusetts were categorized by manufacturing subsector. Connecticut employment was compared to Massachusetts data, with the employment fraction used to estimate chemical usage in Connecticut.
The chemical manufacturing sector was estimated to use 620 million pounds of chemicals annually in Connecticut, and all other manufacturing sectors combined used an estimated 50 million pounds, with approximately half listed as carcinogens or reproductive hazards. Potential health effects are presented.
Widespread chemicaluse underscores the need for the development and use of safer alternatives, as well as additional documentation of potential health effects. Physicians should be aware of potential chemical exposures for patients and provide preventive advice.
工作场所的化学物质暴露记录和研究不足，但似乎很普遍，且对工人健康有重大影响的潜力。在国家层面，对化学品使用的报告要求很少。
马萨诸塞州的化学品使用报告和就业数据按制造业子部门分类。将康涅狄格州的就业情况与马萨诸塞州的数据进行比较，用就业比例来估计康涅狄格州的化学品使用情况。
据估计，康涅狄格州的化学制造业每年使用6.2亿磅化学品，其他所有制造业部门加起来估计使用5000万磅，其中约一半被列为致癌物或生殖危害物。文中呈现了潜在的健康影响。
广泛的化学品使用凸显了开发和使用更安全替代品的必要性，以及对潜在健康影响进行更多记录的必要性。医生应该意识到患者可能接触的化学物质，并提供预防性建议。
