EU research: many workplaces are lethal

[Jurriaan Bendien <bendien@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

UTRECHT - 06/08/03 One in five workers in Europe are exposed in the
workplace to cancer-causing substances. This finding resulted from research
of the European agency for safety and health in the workplace.

Cancers, asthma, eczema and neurological problems are said to be only some
of the risks which could be caused by the 30,000 chemical substances most
often used. About 21 percent of employees comes into contact with substances
such as benzine, organic solvents, vapours which escape in welding projects,
dyes, or crystalline silica which are contained in building materials.

Nearly 22 percent of employees breathes in the mentioned substances, during
at least a quarter of the time at work. Research shows that one-third of the
asthma cases, and 45 percent of cancers, is work-related. The health
problems caused by these substances are estimated to cost 3,5 billion euro.
The substances are said to be the largest single cause of the 350 million
sickdays which are taken annually in the EU.

Translated from: http://www.tiscali.nl/content/article/bin/582602.htm