PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Cancer risk: Most Australian welders exposed to high levels of dangerous fumes

Research reveals about 90 per cent of workforce exposed to ‘welding fume’, a mixture of very fine particles and gases produced when a metal is heated above its boiling point and a known carcinogen.

2024-07-21
(Press-News.org) New Curtin University research has revealed at least 46,000 Australian welders are exposed to high levels of dangerous, potentially cancer-causing fumes at work — and little is being done to protect them.

 

A joint Curtin School of Population Health and University of Sydney project funded through the Centre for Work Health and Safety, the Australian-first study was published today in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.

 

The research team surveyed 634 workers and employers involved in welding from across Australia and asked a series of questions about their work, including the tasks they undertook, their working environment, and the safety measures implemented in their workplace.

 

The survey revealed about 90 per cent were being exposed to ‘welding fume’, a mixture of very fine particles and gases produced when a metal is heated above its boiling point. 

 

Welding fume is a known carcinogen in humans.

 

Of the participants found to be exposed to welding fume, 76 per cent were deemed to be exposed at a high level, while other carcinogenic metals were also often present — most commonly hexavalent chromium and nickel.

 

Study lead Dr Renee Carey ,who was previously involved in a landmark study outlining the dangers of working with engineered stone, said this new research showed many welders in Australia could be at risk of developing serious health problems.

 

“Data shows at least 60,000 people are employed as welders, however the number of people who complete welding tasks as part of their job would be far higher,” Dr Carey said.

 

“Welding fume exposure has been associated with various adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory disease, neurological disorders and reproductive effects.”

 

Study co-author Professor Tim Driscoll from the University of Sydney, said the exposure risk was exacerbated by the conditions in which most welders worked.

 

Two-thirds of respondents said they welded in restricted spaces and, more concerning, nearly half said they worked in confined spaces.

 

Almost 90 per cent also reported leaning over the welding area while working, often putting their breathing zone directly above the fume source.

 

“Despite this, only 19 per cent of study participants said their workplace had some form of mechanical ventilation, such as a welding booth or exhaust hoods,” Professor Driscoll said.

 

“Given that many Australian workplaces are apparently without effective ventilation, it is even more concerning that nearly two-thirds of workers in non-ventilated areas reported they do not use an air-supplied welding helmet.”

 

Public Health Association Chief Executive Terry Slevin said the study revealed serious health risks which must be reduced.

 

“We have seen strong action to reduce the health problems linked to asbestos and silica; this is another example where Australia’s health and safety legislation must be put to work to protect our tens of thousands of welders,” Adjunct Professor Slevin said.

 

“This study demands every professional welder in Australia be supplied with upgraded protective equipment to make their work as safe as humanly possible.

 

“We have the technology — now we need to ensure it is mandatory to use it in our workplaces.”

 

The study also looked at the actual levels of exposure to welding fume and the use of control measures in workplaces.  This will be the subject of a forthcoming report.

 

Occupational exposure to welding fume in Australia: An online survey was published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Two-in-one mapping of temperature and flow around microscale convective flows

Two-in-one mapping of temperature and flow around microscale convective flows
2024-07-20
Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have devised a way to measure both the temperature and velocity profiles of fluid in a convective plume at millimeter length scales in 3D. They combined near-infrared absorption imaging and image processing to separate the motion of tracer particles from snapshots of how light is absorbed, producing both a smooth velocity and temperature map. The technology promises new insights into optimizing the design of micro-heating and cooling devices.   Accurate maps of how heat and matter flow at the microscale are vital to the design of micro-heating and cooling devices. A classic example ...

Texas A&M engineers explore intelligence augmentation to improve safety

2024-07-20
Artificial intelligence (AI) has grown rapidly in the last few years, and with that increase, industries have been able to automate and improve their efficiency in operations. A feature article published in AIChE Journal identifies the challenges and benefits of using Intelligence Augmentation (IA) in process safety systems. Contributors to this work are Dr. Faisal Khan, professor and chemical engineering department head at Texas A&M University, Dr. Stratos Pistikopoulos, professor and director of the Energy Institute, Drs. Rajeevan Arunthavanathan, Tanjin Amin, and Zaman Sajid from the Mary Kay O’Connor Safety Center. Additionally, Dr. Yuhe ...

ORNL economist honored at international hydropower conference

ORNL economist honored at international hydropower conference
2024-07-19
Researcher Rocio Uria-Martinez was named one of four “Women with Hydro Vision” at this year’s  HYDROVISION International 2024 conference taking place in Denver this week. Awarded by a committee of industry peers, the honor recognizes women who use their unique talents and vision to improve and advance the worldwide hydropower industry.  Uria is an energy and environmental economist and senior R&D staff member at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge ...

UCLA selected by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to test Medicare dementia care model

2024-07-19
UCLA has been selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in a new Medicare alternative payment model designed to support people living with dementia and their caregivers. UCLA is one of almost 400 participants building Dementia Care Programs (DCPs) across the country working under CMS’ Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model  to increase care coordination and improve access to services and supports, including respite care, for people living ...

Fish adjust reproduction in response to predators

Fish adjust reproduction in response to predators
2024-07-19
Some species of fish can evolve their egg-laying habits in response to predators in the area in order to survive, according to new research from The University of Texas at Arlington. It has long been observed that organisms modify their traits, including reproductive patterns, in response to changes in their environment. This type of evolutionary plasticity has been observed in many types of animals in different habitats and with varying predators. “We knew that fish who laid their eggs externally often adapted depending on the predators in the area, but we did not know how quickly species could change to these externals pressures,” said biology Professor Matthew Walsh, ...

DDX41 and its unique contribution to myeloid leukemogenesis

DDX41 and its unique contribution to myeloid leukemogenesis
2024-07-19
“[...] myeloid neoplasms associated with DDX41 variants likely exhibit a unique pathogenesis that diverges from the conventional understanding of myeloid neoplasms.” BUFFALO, NY- July 19, 2024 – A new editorial paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 on July 2, 2024, entitled, “DDX41 and its unique contribution to myeloid leukemogenesis.” In this new editorial, researcher Hirotaka Matsui from the National Cancer Center Hospital in Tokyo, Japan, and Kumamoto University discusses myeloid neoplasms. Until ...

Digital games on vaping devices could lure more youth to nicotine addiction

2024-07-19
RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- In an “Industry Watch” research paper in the journal Tobacco Control, two scientists at the University of California, Riverside, raise the alarm on new electronic cigarette products equipped with touch screens, animated displays, and built-in games. Because the products are user friendly and attractive to youth, they may couple nicotine addiction with gaming disorder, the researchers caution. Of particular concern to the researchers is that coupling nicotine to existing youth behaviors, such as video gaming and screen time use, could broaden the smart electronic cigarette market to include youth with no prior interest in nicotine products, while ...

Cracking the code of hydrogen embrittlement

2024-07-19
When deciding what material to use for infrastructure projects, metals are often selected for their durability. However, if placed in a hydrogen-rich environment, like water, metals can become brittle and fail. Since the mid-19th century, this phenomenon, known as hydrogen embrittlement, has puzzled researchers with its unpredictable nature. Now, a study published in Science Advances brings us a step closer to predicting it with confidence. The work is led by Dr. Mengying Liu from Washington and Lee University in collaboration with researchers at Texas A&M University. The team ...

Long-term results from Testicular Cancer treatment are positive, study shows

Long-term results from Testicular Cancer treatment are positive, study shows
2024-07-19
A new study shows that by combining different chemotherapy drugs, testicular cancer remains highly treatable and often curable, even after first-line treatment fails.  .  The recent study published in the prestigious Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) was led by Professor Jack Gleeson, Associate Professor at Cancer Research at University College Cork (UCC) and the Medical Oncology Department at Cork University Hospital, and was conducted during his time at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.  Over ...

EPA awards UMass Amherst nearly $6.4 million to help shrink the steel industry’s carbon footprint

2024-07-19
AMHERST, Mass. – The building and construction industry accounts for 37% of global greenhouse emissions—and the steel production process can be a significant contributor to these emissions. To steer the industry in a new direction, the University of Massachusetts Amherst has been selected to lead a $6.37 million five-year grant by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).      “We’re trying to recalibrate the industry,” says Kara Peterman, associate professor ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Laser solid-phase synthesis of graphene shell-encapsulated high-entropy alloy nanoparticles

New catalyst breakthrough: Improving oxygen reduction reaction with dual nitrogen sources

Protein shakeup: Researchers uncover new function of a protein that may unlock age-related illnesses

UMD-led study could ‘pave the way’ for improved treatment of premature aging disease

How chain IVF clinics improve infertility treatment

Study shows that Rett syndrome in females is not just less severe, but different

Big data, real world, multi-state study finds RSV vaccine highly effective in protecting older adults against severe disease, hospitalization and death

Manliness concerns impede forgiveness of coworkers

Better ocean connectivity boosts reef fish populations

Two 2024 Nobel laureates are affiliates of the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole

Ultra-processed foods pose unique dangers for people with type 2 diabetes

When hurricanes hit, online chatter drowns out safety messaging

Study seeks rapid, paper-based test to detect cancer cells in cerebrospinal fluid

Raising happy eaters: Unlocking the secrets of childhood appetite

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons launches two new thoracic surgery risk calculators

FAPESP and CNR plan to launch joint call for proposals in April 2025

Smaller, more specific academic journals have more sway over policy

Medicaid ACOs have not yet improved care for kids with asthma

New study sheds light on lily toxicity in cats; outpatient treatment may be viable option

A new benchmark to recognize the hardest problems in materials science

Why do we love carbs? The origins predate agriculture and maybe even our split from Neanderthals

Key protein for the biosynthesis of defense steroids in solanaceous plants discovered

Global CO2 emissions from forest fires increase by 60%

AI-assisted deliberation can help people with different views find common ground

Special Issue explores factors influencing democratic attitudes, and what’s at stake for science in the U.S. after November election

Extratropical forest fire emissions are increasing as climate changes

A new approach to capturing complex mixtures of organic chemicals in blood, evaluated in pregnant women

Gut instincts: Intestinal nutrient sensors

Catching prey with grappling hooks and cannons

Effects of chemical mixtures: Neurotoxic effects add up

[Press-News.org] Cancer risk: Most Australian welders exposed to high levels of dangerous fumes
Research reveals about 90 per cent of workforce exposed to ‘welding fume’, a mixture of very fine particles and gases produced when a metal is heated above its boiling point and a known carcinogen.