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Abstract

Objectives
To estimate the level of agreement and identify notable differences in occupational exposures (agents) between men and women from retrospective assessments by expert coders.


Methods
Lifetime occupational histories of 1657 men and 2073 women from two case–control studies, were translated into exposure estimates to 243 agents, from data on 13882 jobs. Exposure estimates were summarized as proportions and frequency-weighted intensity of exposure for 59 occupational codes by sex. Agreement between metrics of exposure in men's and women's jobs was determined with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and weighted Kappa coefficients, using as unit of analysis ('cell') a combination of occupational code and occupational agent. 'Notable' differences between men and women were identified for each cell, according to a Bayesian hierarchical model for both proportion and frequency-weighted intensity of exposure.


Results
For cells common to both men and women, the ICC for continuous probability of exposure was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.83–0.84) and 7.4% of cells showed notable differences with jobs held by men being more often exposed. A weighted kappa of 0.67 (95% CI: 0.61–0.73) was calculated for intensity of exposure, and an ICC of 0.67 (95% CI: 0.62–0.71) for frequency-weighted intensity of exposure, with a tendency of higher values of exposure metrics in jobs held by men.


Conclusions
Exposures were generally in agreement between men and women. Some notable differences were identified, most of them explained by differential sub-occupations or industries or dissimilar reported tasks within the studied occupations.

Abstract

Objective
Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are generated from common work processes and have thus existed for a long time. Far more prevalent than engineered nanoparticles, they share common toxicological characteristics with them. However, there is no existing retrospective assessment tool specific to UFPs, for example, for epidemiological purposes. Thus, we aimed to develop a job-exposure matrix dedicated to UFPs.


Method
Fifty-seven work processes were identified as well as the chemical composition of UFPs emitted, following a literature review and the input of an expert panel. These work processes were associated with occupational codes as defined by the ISCO 1968 classification. The probability and frequency of UFP exposure were assessed for each combination of occupational code and process. Summarized probabilities and frequencies were then calculated for all ISCO occupational codes associated with several processes. Variations in exposure over time or across industrial sectors were accounted for in the assessment of each occupational code.


Results
In the ISCO classification, 52.8% of the occupational codes (n = 835) assessed were associated with exposure to UFPs, consisting mainly of carbonaceous, metallic, and mineral families (39.5%, 22 and, 15.8%, respectively). Among them, 42.6% involved very probable exposure, and at a high frequency (regularly or continuously).


Conclusion
These results suggest that occupational exposure to UFPs may be extensive at the workplace and could concern a wide variety of workers. Pending the integration of a third parameter assessing the intensity of UFP exposure, the MatPUF JEM already constitutes a promising and easy-to-use tool to study the possible adverse health effects of UFPs at work. It may also guide prevention policies in the occupational environments concerned, including those involving engineered nanoparticles.