Outdoor work and solar radiation exposure: Evaluation method for epidemiological studies

Modenese, Alberto; Bisegna, Fabio; Borra, M.; Grandi, Carlo; Gugliermetti, Franco; Militello, Andrea; Gobba, Fabriziomaria

doi:10.13075/mp.5893.00461

Cited by 27 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Since the most dangerous effects of SR are attributed to UVR, the exposure assessment is often restricted to solar UVA/UVB by using spectroradiometer methods and/or personal dosimeters [91]. Approaches to assess cumulative exposure to solar UVR were developed or are developing [92,93].…”

Section: Safeguarding Outdoor Workers From Sr: Concerns About Iramentioning

confidence: 99%

Balance between Health Risks and Benefits for Outdoor Workers Exposed to Solar Radiation: An Overview on the Role of Near Infrared Radiation Alone and in Combination with Other Solar Spectral Bands

Grandi

D’Ovidio

2020

IJERPH

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Near infrared or infrared A (IRA) accounts for over 40% of the solar spectrum (SS) and is able to reach subcutaneous tissue as well as the retina. Outdoor workers are occupationally exposed to solar radiation (SR), but the level of exposure may differ widely depending on the job performed, time spent outdoors, latitude, altitude, season, personal protection, etc. Until now, risk assessment and management for outdoor workers has focused on the prevention of both acute and long-term effects on the eye and the skin due to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) with little consideration of the other components of the SS (a possible exception is represented by visible radiation with reference to the eye). A growing body of evidence coming from in vitro studies indicates that IRA is involved in cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and may interfere with the respiratory chain in the mitochondria. Moreover, it can modulate gene expression and some metabolic pathways. The biological action of IRA is only partly attributable to a thermal mechanism, should it be also involved in photochemical ones. The cellular and molecular pathways affected by IRA are partly similar and partly different with respect to those involved in the case of visible ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Consequently, the net effect of the SS is very difficult to predict at different levels of the biological organization, making more difficult the final balance of health risk and benefits (for the skin, eye, immune system, blood pressure, etc.) in a given exposure situation. Moreover, few in vivo studies and no epidemiological data are presently available in this regard. Investigating this topic may contribute to better defining the individual exposome. More practically, it is expected to bring benefits to the risk assessment and management for outdoor workers exposed to SS, contributing to: (1) better definition of the individual profiles of susceptibility, (2) more focused preventive and protective measures, (3) better implementation of the health surveillance and (4) a more effective information and training.

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Section: Safeguarding Outdoor Workers From Sr: Concerns About Iramentioning

confidence: 99%

Balance between Health Risks and Benefits for Outdoor Workers Exposed to Solar Radiation: An Overview on the Role of Near Infrared Radiation Alone and in Combination with Other Solar Spectral Bands

Grandi

D’Ovidio

2020

IJERPH

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“…Nevertheless, this evaluation possibly underestimates the real number of the sUVR‐exposed workers, as various studies suggest that a large part of workers engaged, e.g. in agriculture and forestry, fishing, construction and mining (more than 2 500 000 in Italy) are exposed to sUVR levels largely exceeding the threshold limits valid for both natural and artificial UVR proposed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), while the International Commission on Non‐Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) proposes the same limits only for artificial UVR exposure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Skin cancer in outdoor workers exposed to solar radiation: a largely underreported occupational disease in Italy

Gobba

Modenese

John

2019

Acad Dermatol Venereol

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Background Solar UV radiation (sUVR) is one of the main carcinogen exposures in occupational settings, and UV‐induced skin cancers are the most frequent tumours in fair‐skinned individuals worldwide. Objectives According to this premise, we should expect a high number of occupational skin cancers reported to the national workers’ compensation authorities each year, also considering that the incidence of skin cancers has been constantly increased in recent years Methods We examined the data on reported non‐melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) and actinic keratoses (AK) to the Italian National Workers Compensation Authority (INAIL) from 2012 to 2017, and we compared the number of reported skin cancers for outdoor workers with the expected numbers, obtained from currently available NMSC incidence rates for the Italian population applied to the occupational sUVR‐exposed workers estimated with the CAREX methodology in Italy in 2005. Results The cases of NMSC reported each year to INAIL in Italy are 34 per year on average, while for AK the mean number of reported cases is of only 15/year. We estimated a number of expected NMSC cases in Italy for solar UV‐exposed workers ranging between 432 and 983, representing a proportion between reported vs. expected skin cancers of only 3.5–6.2%. Conclusions Our study clearly shows that occupational skin cancers in Italy are largely underreported, and, accordingly, urgent initiatives should be taken to raise appropriate awareness to the problem of occupational sUVR‐induced skin cancers, so that adequate preventive measures can be implemented rapidly.

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“…One of the main factors influencing individual long-term solar radiation exposure is outdoor work (ICNIRP 2010). Outdoor workers are a large occupational group, including farmers, construction workers and others: only in Europe, the estimated number is about 14.5 million (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work 2009; Modenese et al 2016). Another relevant aspect to be considered is the progressive ageing of the working population: cataract is a multifactorial disease, and its prevalence dramatically increases with age (Taylor 1999;Abraham et al 2006;Prokofyeva et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cataract frequency and subtypes involved in workers assessed for their solar radiation exposure: a systematic review

Modenese

Gobba

2018

Acta Ophthalmologica

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Cataract is currently the primary cause of blindness worldwide, and one of its main risk factors is solar ultraviolet radiation exposure. According to the localization of lens opacities, three main subtypes of cataract are recognized: nuclear, cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract. One of the main determinants of individual long-term solar radiation exposure is outdoor work. We systematically reviewed scientific literature from the last 20 years to update the recent development of research on the risk of cataract in outdoor workers and on the specific subtypes involved, also investigating the methods applied to evaluate the occupational risk. A total of 15 studies were included in the review, of which 12 showed a positive association. The studies confirm the relationship of long-term occupational solar radiation exposure with cortical cataract and give new support for nuclear cataract, although no substantial new data were available to support a relation with the posterior subcapsular subtype. In most of the studies, the exposure assessment was not adequate to support a representative evaluation of the ocular risk; however, outdoor work is clearly a relevant risk factor for cataract. Further research providing a better evaluation of the relation between solar radiation exposure levels and lens damage in workers is needed and aimed to establish adequate occupational exposure limits and better preventive measures, studying also their effectiveness.

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Outdoor work and solar radiation exposure: Evaluation method for epidemiological studies

Cited by 27 publications

References 18 publications

Balance between Health Risks and Benefits for Outdoor Workers Exposed to Solar Radiation: An Overview on the Role of Near Infrared Radiation Alone and in Combination with Other Solar Spectral Bands

Balance between Health Risks and Benefits for Outdoor Workers Exposed to Solar Radiation: An Overview on the Role of Near Infrared Radiation Alone and in Combination with Other Solar Spectral Bands

Skin cancer in outdoor workers exposed to solar radiation: a largely underreported occupational disease in Italy

Cataract frequency and subtypes involved in workers assessed for their solar radiation exposure: a systematic review

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