Paul Cochrane | National Cancer Prevention Month and Potential Carcinogens in the Home and Workplace @IAQMarketer | Uploaded January 2021 | Updated October 2024, 2 hours ago.
February is recognized as National Cancer Prevention Month. Cancer is described by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as a group of different diseases that have the same feature, the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
National Cancer Prevention Month is a time to spread awareness and to take action to eliminate or reduce exposure risks that could lead to new cancer cases. This is important as the National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2020 alone, over 1,800,000 new cases of cancer would be diagnosed in the United States and over 600,000 people would die from the disease.
Family history, diet, exercise and many other factors can all impact a person’s chances of developing cancer over their lifetime. There are also environmental exposures that can occur in the home and workplace that could play a role.
In the home, exposure to tobacco smoke, radon, formaldehyde and asbestos are all potential hazards. There are also numerous products found in or around many homes that contain carcinogens or suspected carcinogens.
In California, Proposition 65, which became law in 1986, requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about significant exposures to around 900 chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
In the workplace, NIOSH reports that millions of U.S. workers are exposed to substances that have been tested as carcinogens in animal studies or found to be possibly carcinogenic in human studies. NIOSH has published a list it considers to be potential occupational carcinogens. It includes everything from diesel exhaust and asphalt fumes to wood dust, benzene and crystalline silica to name just a few of the many potential occupational carcinogens on their long list. Many of these substances are addressed in specific OSHA standards meant to protect workers.
At home or at work, there are ways to identify environmental exposure risks. Dedicated professionals offer testing, consulting, training and other services to mitigate or eliminate these hazards.
To learn more about this or other building science, environmental, health and safety topics, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
February is recognized as National Cancer Prevention Month. Cancer is described by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as a group of different diseases that have the same feature, the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
National Cancer Prevention Month is a time to spread awareness and to take action to eliminate or reduce exposure risks that could lead to new cancer cases. This is important as the National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2020 alone, over 1,800,000 new cases of cancer would be diagnosed in the United States and over 600,000 people would die from the disease.
Family history, diet, exercise and many other factors can all impact a person’s chances of developing cancer over their lifetime. There are also environmental exposures that can occur in the home and workplace that could play a role.
In the home, exposure to tobacco smoke, radon, formaldehyde and asbestos are all potential hazards. There are also numerous products found in or around many homes that contain carcinogens or suspected carcinogens.
In California, Proposition 65, which became law in 1986, requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about significant exposures to around 900 chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
In the workplace, NIOSH reports that millions of U.S. workers are exposed to substances that have been tested as carcinogens in animal studies or found to be possibly carcinogenic in human studies. NIOSH has published a list it considers to be potential occupational carcinogens. It includes everything from diesel exhaust and asphalt fumes to wood dust, benzene and crystalline silica to name just a few of the many potential occupational carcinogens on their long list. Many of these substances are addressed in specific OSHA standards meant to protect workers.
At home or at work, there are ways to identify environmental exposure risks. Dedicated professionals offer testing, consulting, training and other services to mitigate or eliminate these hazards.
To learn more about this or other building science, environmental, health and safety topics, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
