title: Occupational exposure to carcinogens in Australian road transport workers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Road transport workers (RTWs) are at high risk of exposure to several occupational carcinogens. However, there are gaps in knowledge regarding the extent and the circumstances of exposure. As a sub-study of the Australian Work Exposures Study, this study investigated the prevalence of occupational exposure in Australian RTWs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of Australian working population was invited to a telephone interview regarding their current jobs. An automated expert-assessment procedure was applied to self-reported job-related tasks using a web-based application. 162 RTWs were included in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RTWs were exposed to diesel exhaust (97%), solar ultraviolet radiation (78%), environmental tobacco smoke (55%), benzene (29%), silica (15%), and asbestos (10%) at work. Besides driving on roads, vehicle maintenance-related tasks were the major source of carcinogen exposures among RTWs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most RTWs are exposed to at least one carcinogen at work. We have identified tasks where the use of control measures could potentially reduce exposures.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Si
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Si
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Renee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: Occupational Respiratory Epidemiology, School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Prahran, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Deborah D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Driscoll
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Ellie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Darcey
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fritschi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001194:Asbestos / Q000032:analysis; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001334:Automobile Driving; D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D009790:Occupations; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D001194:Asbestos; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D001554:Benzene
keywords: cross-sectional survey; exposure prevalence; occupational exposure; road transport workers