Higher risks for workers exposed to road traffic pollution
Classified as carcinogenic in 2012, air pollution also has proven respiratory and cardiovascular effects. Whether they are drivers or delivery riders, refuse collectors, sweepers or road maintenance operatives, workers who spend most of their time on or near roads, either outside or inside a vehicle, are particularly affected by road traffic pollution. ANSES is calling on the public authorities and occupational health professionals to take greater account of environmental pollution in the workplace in order to reduce exposure and risks.
Air pollution, particularly from road traffic, is a major public health issue. ANSES regularly stresses the need to step up the commitment of public policies to improve air quality (in French).
Many occupational activities take place on or near roads, whether outside or inside a vehicle. The Ministries of Transport and Labour have asked ANSES to assess the impact on health of activities entailing exposure to road traffic pollution.
Workers who are particularly exposed
For its expert appraisal, the Agency focused on jobs requiring workers to be on or near roads, outside or inside a vehicle, for most of their work time. Three circumstances involving occupational exposure to road traffic pollution were thus defined:
- Working mainly outdoors, on or near roads: refuse collectors, sweepers, delivery riders, etc.
- Working mainly inside a vehicle on the road: drivers of passenger transport vehicles (buses, coaches, taxis or private hire cars), HGV drivers, refuse collection drivers, etc.
- Working alternately outside and inside a vehicle: workers employed by interdepartmental road authorities such as the DIR in France or, more generally, workers involved in road operations and maintenance.
The results of the appraisal show that the exposure of these workers to road traffic pollutants is higher than that of the general population who do not work on roads. This is particularly true for those working mainly inside vehicles.
"ANSES stresses that occupational activities involving being inside a vehicle travelling in traffic lead to particularly high levels of overexposure".
Greater health risks for these workers
The Agency's expert appraisal clearly highlights the fact that working outdoors beside roads or inside a vehicle on the road poses an additional health risk compared with the general population, particularly for three pollutants: nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter and black carbon.
These three pollutants account for most of the health risks observed. The appraisal was based on the toxicity reference values recently established by the Agency for fine particulate matter and black carbon (documents in French).
Taking greater account of environmental pollution in occupational health
The Agency is calling on employers to take greater account of workers' exposure to pollution from road traffic and to take action to reduce occupational exposure, with the support of occupational health and prevention services.
In order to better assess health risks in support of implementing management measures, it also recommends that occupational exposure limits (OELs) for nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in ambient air be revised or developed as a matter of priority.
Find out more about ANSES's health reference values
Developed by ANSES with the support of the relevant scientific expert group, each health reference value is specific to a substance, a duration of application, a route of exposure (oral, respiratory, dermal) and a target population (general public, workers).
Toxicity reference values, or TRVs, establish a relationship between the quantity of a chemical and a harmful effect or the probability of an effect occurring. These toxicological indicators are intended to protect the population as a whole, including susceptible groups such as children, pregnant women and sick people.
Indoor air quality guidelines, or IAQGs, correspond to the concentration of a chemical in indoor air below which no health effect or nuisance should be observed for the general population.
Occupational exposure limits, or OELs, relate to concentrations of a chemical that workers can breathe during a specified period without experiencing adverse health effects.