Validation of a semi-quantitative job exposure matrix at a Söderberg aluminum smelter.
OBJECTIVE
We tested the validity of a job exposure matrix (JEM) for coal tar pitch volatiles (CTPV) at a Söderberg aluminum smelter. The JEM had been developed by a committee of company hygienists and union representatives for an earlier study of cancer incidence and mortality. Our aim was to test the validity and reliability of the expert-based assignments.


METHODS
Personal CTPV exposure measurements (n = 1879) overlapped 11 yr of the JEM. The arithmetic mean was calculated for 35 job/time period combinations (35% of the exposed work history), categorized using the original exposure intervals, and compared with the expert-based assignments.


RESULTS
The expert-based and the measurement-based exposure assignments were only moderately correlated (Spearman's rho = 0.42; weighted kappa = 0.39, CI 0.10-0.69). Only 40% of the expert-based medium category assignments were correctly assigned, with better agreement in the low (84%) and high (100%) categories. Pot operation jobs exhibited better agreement (rho = 0.60) than the maintenance and pot shell repair jobs (rho = 0.25). The mid-point value of the medium category was overestimated by 0.3 mg/m(3).


CONCLUSIONS
The expert-based exposure assignments may be improved by better characterizing the transitions between exposure categories, by accounting for exposure differences between pot lines and by re-examining the category mid-point values used in calculating the cumulative exposure. Lack of historical exposure measurements often requires reliance on expert knowledge to assess exposure levels. Validating the experts' estimates against available exposure measurements may help to identify weaknesses in the exposure assessment where improvements may be possible, as was shown here.
Friesen
M C
MC
Cancer Control Research, British Columbia Cancer Agencyand School of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, University of Britsh Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. melissaf@interchange.ubc.ca
Demers
P A
PA
Spinelli
J J
JJ
Le
N D
ND
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D000535:Aluminum; D003033:Coal Tar / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008669:Metallurgy; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D003033:Coal Tar; D000535:Aluminum