Publication of Special NIOSH Hazard Review of the Rubber Products
Manufacturing Industry
CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) recently published Special NIOSH Hazard Review: Rubber
Products Manufacturing Industry (1) *, which summarizes adverse
health effects associated with worker exposures in the rubber
products industry and examines research needed to assess and
prevent these effects. **
Excess deaths from bladder, stomach, lung, hematopoietic, and
other cancers have occurred among workers involved in the
manufacture of rubber products. These workers may also risk adverse
respiratory effects, dermatologic effects, reproductive effects,
injuries, and repetitive trauma disorders. The adverse health
effects cannot be attributed to a single chemical or group of
chemicals because workplace exposures vary greatly and chemical
formulations change frequently. Most of the chemicals found in the
rubber products industry have not been tested for carcinogenicity
or toxicity nor do they have Occupational Safety and Health
Administration permissible exposure limits or NIOSH recommended
exposure limits. This hazard review concludes that epidemiologic,
toxicologic, and industrial hygiene studies are needed to assess
the risk for cancer and other adverse health effects for rubber
products workers.
Reference
NIOSH. Special NIOSH hazard review: rubber products
manufacturing industry. Cincinnati: US Department of Health and
Human Services, Public Health Service, CDC, 1993; DHHS publication
no. (NIOSH)93-106.
* Single copies of this document are available without charge from
the Publications Office, Division of Standards Development and
Technology Transfer, NIOSH, CDC, Mailstop C-13, 4676 Columbia
Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998; telephone (800) 356-4674; fax
(513) 533-8573.
** NIOSH special hazard reviews address hazards for which there are
not sufficient data to permit comprehensive review in a NIOSH
criteria document or a Current Intelligence Bulletin.
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