THE WEST AUSTRALIAN Sunday, 02 December 2012 13:08 Almost half
the WA workforce face risks from cancer in their job, which is
more than the national average and is fuelled by young male
blue-collar workers. Research released at a WA Cancer Council
research symposium reveals 45 per cent of Western Australians
have reported exposure to at least one cancer-causing substance
at work, compared with about 40 per cent of Australian workers.
The most common sources of carcinogens are UV exposure from the
sun, diesel engine exhaust and environmental tobacco smoke.
Researchers say the surprisingly high results are partly
explained by the large number of outdoor workers in WA facing UV
exposure and a high proportion of workers exposed to diesel
engine exhaust through mining and construction jobs and driving
trucks. Lead researcher Lin Fritschi, a cancer epidemiologist at
the WA Institute for Medical Research, presented the research on
environmental exposure to cancer. Professor Fritschi said she
was surprised by the fig