Communicating risks after exposure has ended: former workers' perspectives on PCBs

Details

• Personal Author:
  Fujishiro K ; Lehman E ; Mobley A
• Description:
  While the importance of worker notification has been widely recognized, little attention has been paid to social and psychological contexts in which worker notification occurs, especially after the exposure has ended. This study explores workers' perspectives on exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a toxic material whose manufacture in the United States ended in 1977. Four focus groups were conducted with former workers (n = 29) who were exposed to PCBs. Verbatim transcriptions were analyzed. Participants considered living in the PCB-contaminated community more dangerous than handling PCBs on the job. While they firmly believed that PCBs in the environment caused serious health problems, participants expressed doubts about the toxicity of PCBs in the workplace. Both beliefs undermined the value of worker notification about occupational exposure to PCBs. A long-term relationship between workers and researchers would provide opportunities to cultivate better understanding of the hazard and facilitate the process of worker notification. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communications Media Hazardous Substances Mental Health Occupational Health Polychlorinated Biphenyls Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Analytical-processes Author Keywords: Workers' Right To Know Communication-systems Exposure-levels Focus Groups Hazards Polychlorinated-biphenyls Psychological-reactions Psychological-responses Qualitative Analysis Risk-factors Risk Communication Statistical-analysis Toxic-materials Toxins Work-environment Worker Notification Workers

  More +
• ISSN:
  1048-2911
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  347-367
• Volume:
  23
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20043066
• Citation:
  New Solut 2013 Jul; 23(2):347-367
• CAS Registry Number:
  1,1′-Biphenyl, chloro derivs. (CAS RN 1336-36-3)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2013
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  New Solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b10f9aaa49b0ab14b53284d7087880a2a025087341ba217476a2c3e58722c942833c30a5e3e2e7e62eee6b092cf15845682537ab8d7a1935bf478a20740c80cf
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/195084/cdc_195084_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.62 MB ]