Health Outcomes Related to Multiple Exposures in Occupational Settings: A Review
Cassandra Barbey1,2, Nathalie Bonvallot2, Frédéric Clerc1
1Department of Pollutant Metrology, French Research and Safety Institute for the Prevention of Occupational Accidents and Diseases (INRS), 54547 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
Safety and Health at Work
|December 19, 2024
Summary
Workplace exposure to multiple hazards is common and linked to various health issues. Current prevention strategies are underdeveloped, necessitating further research into combined occupational exposures and their health impacts.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
Background:
- Workplace hazards pose risks to human health, potentially causing occupational diseases.
- Existing risk mitigation often overlooks interactions between multiple occupational exposures.
- There is a recognized need for research into combined occupational exposures and their health effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a scoping review of scientific literature on the association between multiple occupational exposures and human health outcomes.
- To identify common exposure scenarios and affected health systems in the workplace.
- To evaluate the current state of prevention strategies for combined occupational risks.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 63 research articles focusing on multiple occupational exposures and health outcomes.
- Inclusion criteria required studies to detail combined exposures, characterize each exposure, and report exposure/health outcome associations.
- Categorization of identified activity sectors and multiple exposure scenarios.
Main Results:
- Seven activity sectors and six multiple exposure scenarios (chemical, physical-biomechanical, psychosocial-organisational) were identified.
- Nervous, mental, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and auditory systems were among those affected by combined exposures.
- A significant majority (91%) of identified associations between multiple exposures and health problems were statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- Prevention strategies for combined occupational exposures are underdeveloped and require improvement.
- Further research is essential to enhance prevention methods for worker health.
- The review identified gaps in research, particularly concerning biological risks and other unexamined multiple exposures.
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