Ototoxic Substances at the Workplace: a Brief Update

Ototoxic substances at the workplace: a brief update.

Ototoxic chemicals can impair the sense of hearing and balance. Lately, efforts have been intensified to compile evidence-based lists of workplace agents with ototoxic properties. This article gives a rough overview of the latest relevant publications, which confirm that toluene, styrene, and lead should receive particular attention as ototoxic substances at the workplace. Moreover, there is su...

Asbestos-related Lung Diseases: A Brief Update

Health risks from asbestos exposures have been evaluated, considering past professional histories when exposures at workplaces were higher than today. A linear no-threshold (LNT) model has been applied, although its relevance is unproven. Fibers are often found in the lungs and pleura of deceased people. Fiber findings do not prove that a disease is caused by asbestos. It is reasonable to assum...

Synergistic exposure to noise , vibrations and ototoxic substances

This was a cross-sectional study based on surveys conducted in 1997, 1999, 2005, 2007 and 2009 by Statistics Sweden (SCB) representing the Swedish work force. Data concerning working environment was collected by phone interview and questionnaire. The response rate for the phone interview was 88% (12546 employed persons) and for questionnaire there was a 69% response rate (9798 employed persons)...

Update on Banned Substances 2013

CONTEXT Doping has been pervasive throughout the history of athletic competitions and has only recently been regulated by organizations such as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). These regulatory bodies were created to preserve fair play and maintain the safety of the participants. Their updated 2013 lists...

Professional Drivers and Psychoactive Substances Consumption: First Results from Medical Surveillance at the Workplace in Italy