The list of substances and working conditions associated with a high risk of cancer in the workplace continues to increase and the CSST has placed carcinogens among the priorities of its 2008-2010 implementation plan. The IRSST has been working for years on some known carcinogens (according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer), such as beryllium and silica. However, for research needs to be prioritized, the extent of the problem must be known, and a status report has to be developed in terms of exposure to the substances and the exposure circumstances.
The aim of this project is to estimate the proportion of Québec workers exposed to known or probable carcinogens and the number of establishments involved, by economic activity sector. Once the information is available, the estimates will be presented according to the workers' gender and age group. The data will originate from laboratory analyses and other databases available at the IRSST, from Québec health surveys, from information collected in the CAREX Canada project (Surveillance of environmental & occupational exposure for cancer prevention) and from other international databases.