Australian work exposures studies: occupational exposure to pesticides.
Pesticides are widely used in some occupational settings. Some pesticides have been classified as carcinogens; however, data on the number of workers exposed to pesticides are not available in Australia. The main aim of this study was to estimate the current prevalence of pesticide exposure in Australian workplaces.



The analysis used data from the Australian Work Exposures Study, a series of nationwide telephone surveys which investigated work-related prevalence and exposure to carcinogens and asthmagens, including pesticides, among current Australian workers. Information about the respondents' current job and various demographic factors was collected in a telephone interview using the web-based tool OccIDEAS. Workers were considered exposed to pesticides if they reported applying or mixing pesticides in their current job.



Of the 10 371 respondents, 410 (4%) respondents were assessed as being exposed to pesticides in the workplace, with exposure being more likely among males, individuals born in Australia, individuals with lower education level and those residing in regional or remote areas. Glyphosate was the most common active ingredient used by workers.



This is the first study to describe the prevalence of occupational pesticide exposure in Australia and one of the few recent studies internationally.
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.|School of Population Health, The University of Western, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
Jasmine
J
Jomichen
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Sonia
S
El-Zaemey
School of Population Health, The University of Western, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
Jane S
JS
Heyworth
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Renee N
0000-0002-0152-5971
RN
Carey
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Ellie
0000-0001-9087-7559
E
Darcey
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Alison
A
Reid
Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Deborah C
DC
Glass
Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Tim
T
Driscoll
School of Population Health, The University of Western, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
Susan
0000-0001-5662-1971
S
Peters
Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Michael
M
Abramson
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Lin
L
Fritschi
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010575:Pesticides; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
D010575:Pesticides
cross-sectional survey; exposure prevalence; occupational exposure