Assessment of Perceptions and Cancer Risks of Workers at a Polychlorinated Biphenyl-Contaminated Hotspot in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic and persistent toxic chemicals with a high potential to bioaccumulate in human tissue. There is no existing literature on workers' perceptions and occupational cancer risk due to exposure to PCBs in Ethiopia. OBJECTIVES. The aim of the present study was to assess workers' perceptions of occupational health and safety measures of PCB management and to evaluate the cancer risk posed by PCBs to workers handling these chemicals in Ethiopia. METHODS. A total of 264 questionnaires were administered to workers at the study area to obtain information about PCB management. A mathematical model adopted from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) was used to assess the potential cancer risk of people working in PCB-contaminated areas. RESULTS. The results showed that the majority of the workers had little knowledge of safe PCB management practices. Furthermore, 82.6% had not received training on chemical management and occupational health and safety protocols. The association between respondents' responses on the impact of PCBs to the use of personal protective equipment was statistically significant (p <0.005). Accidental ingestion, dermal contact and inhalation exposure pathways were considered in assessing the cancer risk of people working in these areas. The estimated cancer risk for PCBs via dermal contact was higher than for the accidental ingestion and inhalation pathways. The health risk associated with dermal contact was 73.8-times higher than the inhalation exposure route. Workers at the oil tanker and oil barrel area and swampy site are at higher risk of cancer via dermal contact at the 95th centile (879 and 2316 workers per million due to PCB exposure, respectively). However, there is very low cancer risk at the staff residence and garden area via the inhalation route. CONCLUSIONS. Training programs would help improve the knowledge of workers in the area of occupational health and safety of chemical handling. Further studies on PCBs in the exposed workers will provide information on their blood sera PCB levels and consequently identify potential health impacts. PARTICIPANT CONSENT. Obtained ETHICS APPROVAL. Ethics approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Review Committee of Adama Hospital Medical College, Adama, Ethiopia. COMPETING INTERESTS. The authors declare no competing financial interests.