Publication of NIOSH Current Intelligence Bulletin
on Carcinogenic Effects of Diesel Exhaust
In August 1988, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) issued Current Intelligence Bulletin No. 50:
Carcinogenic Effects of Exposure to Diesel Exhaust. This
publication is
one of a series of bulletins that provide new information or update
data on chemical substances, physical agents, or safety hazards
found
in the workplace. Current Intelligence Bulletin No. 50, which is
summarized below, is now available to the public.*
This document disseminates recent information on the potential
carcinogenicity of diesel exhaust. Approximately 1.35 million
workers
are occupationally exposed to the combustion products of diesel
fuel in
approximately 80,000 workplaces in the United States. Workers most
likely to be exposed to diesel exhaust are forklift and truck
drivers;
workers in mines, tunnels, and maintenance garages (auto, truck, or
bus); and workers on bridges, farms, loading docks, and railroads.
In 1986, NIOSH concluded that no causal relationship had been
established between exposure to diesel exhaust and cancer but that
such
a relationship was plausible on the basis of animal studies
involving
extracts of diesel exhaust particulates. Since 1986, animal studies
have confirmed the potential carcinogenicity of whole (unfiltered)
diesel exhaust, and limited epidemiologic evidence has associated
occupational exposure to diesel exhaust with lung cancer. NIOSH
therefore recommends that diesel exhaust be regarded as a potential
occupational carcinogen in conformance with the Occupational Safety
and
Health Administration (OSHA) Cancer Policy (29 CFR 1990).
Diesel exhaust is a complex and varying mixture of compounds
encountered in a multitude of environmental settings. Because
technology and test methods are limited, NIOSH cannot confidently
recommend 1) methods for environmental monitoring of exposures or
2)
control measures for adequately reducing the carcinogenic risks of
occupational exposure to diesel exhaust. The excess risk of cancer
has
not been quantitatively estimated for workers exposed to diesel
exhaust, but minimizing exposure should reduce the risk. As a
prudent
public health policy, employers should assess the conditions under
which workers may be exposed to diesel exhaust and reduce exposures
to
the lowest feasible concentrations.
Reported by: Div of Standards Development and Technology Transfer,
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC.
*Copies can be obtained without charge from the Publications
Dissemination Section, Division of Standards Development and
Technology
Transfer, NIOSH, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226;
telephone: (513) 533-8287.
Disclaimer
All MMWR HTML documents published before January 1993 are electronic conversions from ASCII text into HTML. This conversion may have resulted in character translation or format errors in the HTML version. Users should not rely on this HTML document, but are referred to the original MMWR paper copy for the official text, figures, and tables. An original paper copy of this issue can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402-9371; telephone: (202) 512-1800. Contact GPO for current prices.
**Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to mmwrq@cdc.gov.
