Occupational exposure to asbestos in New South Wales, Australia (1970-1989): development of an asbestos task exposure matrix

Our plain-English summary of Occupational exposure to asbestos in New South Wales, Australia (1970-1989): development of an asbestos task exposure matrix, by R.A. Hyland, D.H. Yates, G. Benke, et al (Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2010).

The study

• Authors: R.A. Hyland, D.H. Yates, G. Benke, M. Sim, A.R. Johnson
• Journal: Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Published: 2010;67(3):201-6
• Cited by: 16 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Objectives: To design and construct a standardised tool to provide exposure information associated with commonly used asbestos products and their related tasks in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Methods: Asbestos dust exposure measurements taken during workplace inspections in the 1970s and 1980s were collected and stored in an exposure database. Measurements were assigned to specific asbestos product and task groups and divided into two sampling periods 1970-1979 and 1980-1989.

Results: A total of 1578 asbestos air measurements collected from WorkCover and Dust Diseases Board company records were entered into a custom built exposure database. An asbestos-specific exposure matrix (ASTEM) was constructed in Microsoft Excel 2000, consisting of 3 axes incorporating 12 tasks, 8 asbestos products and the 2 time periods based on 872 individual measurements extracted from the exposure database. Each matrix cell contains the mean asbestos exposure levels measured in fibres/ml, 5th and 95th percentiles and number of data points in the set.

Conclusion: An ASTEM has been developed which provides exposure levels for different task/product combinations. When used in conjunction with a detailed occupational history, it will improve exposure estimates of a worker's cumulative asbestos exposure.

In plain English

The authors built an asbestos task exposure matrix (ASTEM), a table of average airborne asbestos levels by task and product, from New South Wales workplace inspection records. They entered 1578 air measurements from WorkCover and Dust Diseases Board company files into a database. Of these, 872 personal, task-based measurements were used, 76% from the 1970s. The matrix covered 8 asbestos products and 12 tasks in two periods, 1970 to 1979 and 1980 to 1989. Spraying asbestos insulation and installing asbestos lagging showed high values (99.7 and 9.9 fibres/ml). Handling brakes and clutches and handling cement products each averaged 0.8 fibres/ml in 1980 to 1989. Values fell between the periods for all tasks. For most task and product combinations, averages from 263 published and hygienist-report measurements were higher than the New South Wales data, though these could not be split by period. The authors concluded that, with a detailed work history, the matrix may allow improved estimates of a worker's lifetime exposure. They noted it is less suitable for exposure before 1970 and mostly reflects manufacturing, possibly worst-case, conditions.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Development of an exposure assessment tool (task exposure matrix) from historical workplace air-monitoring records, supplemented by a literature search
• Who was studied: 1578 asbestos air measurements from WorkCover NSW and Dust Diseases Board company records in New South Wales, Australia. Of these, 872 measurements taken between 1970 and 1989 were used in the matrix.
• Exposure: Airborne asbestos fibres (fibres/ml, by membrane filter and phase contrast microscopy) during 12 tasks involving 8 asbestos products: asbestos fibres, bagged asbestos, brakes and clutches, cement products, lagging, sprayed insulation, textile products and welding rods. The article does not break results down by fiber type (such as chrysotile or amphiboles).
• Main results:
  • 872 measurements fell into the 19 task and product combinations chosen for the matrix. 76% of these came from 1970 to 1979.
  • Spraying asbestos insulation showed 99.7 f/ml and installing asbestos lagging showed 9.9 f/ml.
  • Handling brakes and clutches and handling cement products were each 0.8 fibres/ml in 1980 to 1989.
  • Calculated exposure values decreased from 1970 to 1979 to 1980 to 1989 for all tasks.
  • 263 measurements from the published literature and hygienist reports matched the matrix combinations. For most task and product combinations, the average exposure calculated from these measurements was higher than the New South Wales (Dust Diseases Board) data.
  • Because of limited detail in the publications, the literature data could not be separated into the two time periods.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that, when used with a detailed occupational history collected at interview, the matrix may make improved estimates of a worker's lifetime asbestos exposure possible.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • There were not adequate data for exposure before 1970, so the matrix is less suitable for people with significant exposure before 1970.
  • Measurements may be closer to worst-case conditions, because some inspections responded to employee complaints.
  • Most readings came from manufacturing, which may limit how well they apply to other industries.
  • Control measures in place were mostly not recorded.
  • Where there are few measurements for a task, the samples may not reflect the full range of worker exposures.
  • Estimates depend on the quality of workers' recall of their tasks and how long they did them.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Occupational Exposure, Asbestos Exposure, Occupational History.

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