Occupational exposure science

Area of Science:

• Occupational health and safety
• Exposure science
• Industrial hygiene

Background:

• Occupational exposure science has evolved significantly over the past 30 years.
• Understanding of inhalation, dermal, inadvertent ingestion, and ocular exposure routes in the workplace has advanced.
• The definition of "exposure" influences measurement strategies and data collection in workplace investigations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe developments in occupational exposure science over the last three decades.
• To highlight the theoretical underpinnings of various exposure routes and their interconnections.
• To propose a new conceptual framework for exposure assessment centered on uptake.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of theoretical developments in occupational exposure science.
• Analysis of the concept of "exposure" and its implications for measurement.
• Discussion of the unifying concept of "uptake" as a central metric.

Main Results:

• The definition of exposure dictates the scope of workplace investigations and recorded data.
• Uptake, defined as the mass of hazardous substance entering the body via different routes, is a unifying concept.
• Measurement of uptake is currently feasible for inhalation but requires further development for other routes.
• Worker behavior has not been adequately integrated into exposure assessment despite its importance.

Conclusions:

• A paradigm shift towards an "uptake"-centered approach in occupational exposure science is advocated.
• This new paradigm promises significant advantages and novel insights into workplace exposures.
• Further methodological advancements are needed to enable uptake measurement across all exposure routes.