Exhibitions

Identification of occupational exposures and population estimates

Asbestos exposure (assessment)

 

Men
(N=7,777)

Women
(N=1,348) 

Medical evaluation offered

High exposure level

Intermediate level

5,952

125

5,827

77%

2%

75%

41

2

39

3%

<1%

3%

No medical assessment offered

Low level

Not disclosed

1,825

542

1,283

23%

7%

16%

1,307

63

1,244

97%

5%

92%

 

Asbestos exposure in the five most common sectors—32,127 jobs—retired tradespeople between 2004 and 2008—Men

Exposition à l'amiante dans les cinq secteurs les plus fréquents - 32 127 emplois - artisans retraités entre 2004 et 2008 –
Example: 45% of men have held at least one job in the construction industry. Among construction jobs, 0.5% were classified as high-exposure, 88% as moderate-exposure, 7% as low-exposure, and 4% were considered non-exposed.

Asbestos exposure in the five most common sectors—3,797 jobs—retired tradespeople between 2004 and 2008—Women

Exposition à l'amiante dans les cinq secteurs les plus fréquents - 3 797 emplois - artisans retraités entre 2004 et 2008 – Femmes
¹ For more details on the method used to estimate lifetime occupational exposure to asbestos: Chapter 3.5 of the report *Post-Occupational Surveillance Program for Craftsmen Exposed to Asbestos (ESPrI)*: Retirees Between 2004 and 2008, Craftsmen in the Social Security Scheme for the Self-Employed. Saint-Maurice: Institute for Public Health Surveillance; 2012. 93 p.

Men

Women

65% (95% CI: 64.3–65.6) were exposed to asbestos at least once during their career for an average duration of 25 years and 6 months (95% CI: 25.2–25.9)

3% (95% CI: 2.1–3.2) were exposed to asbestos at least once during their career for an average duration of 15 years and 6 months (95% CI: 12.2–19.1)
How to interpret the table using an example: Among men who have held at least one job in construction, 77% were estimated to have been exposed to asbestos at least once during their careers, and 72% were estimated to have been exposed specifically during their construction job(s). The average duration of exposure in construction trades was estimated at nearly 26 years. BEH 2015 No. 3-4: An error has crept into Table 3 of the BEH, in which the figures for exposure prevalence and sector-specific exposure prevalence must be reversed.

 

 

Exposure in the sector

Exposure regardless of sector

Construction

Prevalence (%) - 95% CI

74

73–75

77

76–78

Duration (years) - 95% CI

25.8

25.5–26.3

 

 

Manufacturing

Est. (%) - 95% CI

30

29–31

59

58–60

Duration (years) - 95% CI

16.1

15.4–16.7

 

 

Automobile sales and repair

Est. (%) - 95% CI

57

55–58

73

72–75

Duration (years) - 95% CI

21.8

21.1–22.4

 

 

Transport

Est. (%) - 95% CI

17

15–19

58

56–61

Duration (years) - 95% CI

10.4

9.0–11.7

 

 

Public, social, and personal services

Est. (%) - 95% CI

3

2–4

11

10–13

Duration (years) - 95% CI

19.4

14.9–23.8

 

 

Public administration

Est. (%) - 95% CI

5

5–6

71

70–72

Duration (years) - 95% CI

2.4

2.1–2.7

 

 

 

Exposure to silica (job-exposure matrix)

Occupational exposure to free crystalline silica respirable dust¹ was estimated using the job-exposure matrix (JEM).

How to interpret the table using an example: Among men who have held at least one job in construction, 58.5% were estimated to have been exposed to silica at least once during their careers, and 57.4% were estimated to have been exposed specifically during their construction job(s). The average duration of exposure in construction trades was estimated at nearly 28 years. ¹ For simplicity, we will use the term “silica” instead of “silica”

 

 

Exposure in the sector

Exposure across all sectors

Manufacturing

Est. (%) - 95% CI

10.6

10.0 – 11.2

32.8

32.0 – 33.7

Duration (years) - 95% CI

18.9

17.9 – 20.0

 

 

Construction

Est. (%) - 95% CI

57.4

56.7 – 58.2

58.5

57.8 – 59.2

Duration (years) - 95% CI

27.7

27.2 – 28.0

 

 

Automobile sales and repair

Est. (%) - 95% CI

1.6

1.3 – 1.9

17.2

16.4 – 18.0

Duration (years) - 95% CI

7.7

5.7 – 10.2

 

 

Public administration

Est. (%) - 95% CI

1.0

0.9 – 1.2

41.5

40.8 – 42.2

Duration (years) - 95% CI

2.9

2.2 – 3.4

 

 

Public, social, and personal services

Est. (%) - 95% CI

0.9

0.5 – 1.5

6.2

5.5 – 6.9

Duration (years) - 95% CI

8.3

3.5 – 15.0

 

 

 

Multiple exposure

Men

Women

31% of jobs exposed to asbestos and silica

< 1% of jobs exposed to asbestos and silica

62% of construction jobs exposed to asbestos and silica

-

46% of men exposed to asbestos and silica

1% of women exposed to asbestos and silica

 

Multiple exposure to asbestos and silica was studied after estimating exposure to each of these carcinogens using appropriate job-exposure matrices. The effect of multiple exposure to these two hazards, however, has been little documented. A potentiation of effects is possible. It should be noted that exposures are not necessarily concurrent.