Later today, a campaign will be launched in London at the House of Commons to attempt to cull the number of deaths related to occupational cancer. The campaign, organised by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (the IOSH), which is the world's largest professional organisation in occupational safety and health, is backed by numerous business leaders, academics, and the Macmillan Cancer Support charity, will call for a “Collaboration of government and employers "to beat occupational cancer.”
“There's no excuse for young people entering into work today and being exposed to carcinogens.” Dr Lesley Ruston from Imperial College London
The “No Time To Lose” campaign aims to capitalise on the worrying statistics, which show that approximately 8,000 people die from cancer and 14,000 contract the disease due to exposure to a “Work-related carcinogen” every year in the UK. These carcinogens could be anything from exhaust fumes to asbestos, and with the conservative estimate that more than 666,000 workers die every year (one death every 47 seconds) due to workplace exposure, the campaign have a pretty compelling argument to hand! These figures dwarf the figures for fatal workplace accidents, but because carcinogens are invisible and can have delayed effects, not to mention the general lack of knowledge surrounding them, it's not taken half as seriously. According to the IOSH, this needs to change!
No Time To Lose
The campaign wishes to create a national database of work-related carcinogen exposure, fund more definitive research into the potential cancer risks of new technologies, and implement a greater focus on work cancer in medical courses and awareness training for apprentices. The IOSH will also be publishing a new list of guidelines today to help employers identify and deal with potential workplace cancer risks. The organisation also wants to get businesses to sign a pledge, committing to controlling workplace exposure to carcinogens. On paper at least, they shouldn't have too much opposition, as a recent survey of its members found that 80% felt too little was being done to tackle occupational health issues.
The IOSH will also be publishing a new list of guidelines today to help employers identify and deal with potential workplace cancer risks
Richard Jones, the head of policy at the IOSH, says they need “A concerted joint effort to educate and protect future generations from work-related cancer, adding that “Simple actions today will save lives tomorrow, there really is no time to lose in tackling this global tragedy.” Dr Lesley Ruston, a leading researcher behind the UK's cancer work burden from Imperial College London, said “There's no excuse for young people entering into work today and being exposed to carcinogens.” She also feels that, aside from the big businesses, they need to find innovative ways “To get key messages to the self-employed and those working in smaller businesses.” She says they know how to reduce the risks, but the real work will come in convincing employers to take action. She adds “If we don't do something now, we are going to have thousands of occupational cancers annually, but if we take action now we can beat occupational cancer.”
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK who has been genuinely shocked by the research involved in this article.
