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How are scientific expert appraisals for occupational diseases conducted?

Updated on 22/04/2022

When a worker exposed to hazards such as toxic substances contracts a disease while doing their job, this disease may be recognised as an occupational disease and give rise to compensation. To improve access to this recognition, the French government has decided to carry out independent, collective scientific expert appraisals. This preliminary expert appraisal stage has been entrusted to ANSES. How are occupational diseases recognised in France? What do the scientific expert appraisals conducted by ANSES involve? Here are some explanations.

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Mercure Mercury

Updated on 24/05/2022

Mercury is a chemical element with interesting physico-chemical properties that have led to its use in various products. It is also a highly toxic substance that is unique in that it can be found in different forms, depending on the environment. In view of the risks it poses to human health and the environment, in 2003 the European Commission developed a strategy on mercury. In this context, the French Ministries of Health and the Environment formally requested the Agency to prepare a brief to enable the European Commission, if necessary, to review the classification of mercury within the framework of Directive 67/548/EEC on the classification, packaging and labelling of hazardous substances.

Occupational health

Updated on 22/04/2022

Occupational health and safety are a major focus of activity for ANSES. Through its expert appraisals and risk assessments, as well as through its monitoring work and support for research, the Agency contributes to improving knowledge on occupational risks to support public policymaking in this area.

Amiante Short asbestos fibres

Updated on 09/03/2023

In 2003, new data on the possible pathogenicity of short asbestos fibres raised questions in the scientific community. As a result, the Agency received a formal request to assess the risks associated with short asbestos fibres and thin asbestos fibres. The results of this assessment were published in February 2009. On the basis of the findings of this expert appraisal, the French Ministry of Labour amended regulations on the protection of the general public and workers against the risks associated with inhalation of asbestos dus

Tool for control banding the risks associated with nanomaterials

Updated on 05/05/2022

The properties of manufactured nanomaterials pave the way for a great variety of promising technological developments. However, there are many uncertainties involved in making a quantitative assessment of the hazards of and exposures to nanomaterials, which will only be resolved gradually through progress in scientific knowledge of their properties and associated hazards.ANSES is applying considerable resources to addressing these issues, and in 2010 producedan expert report on the development of a control banding tool for specific risks in the case of nanomaterials.

Biocides Assessing the Risks of Ethanol

Updated on 18/05/2022

Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is found in many common consumer products. It also has many uses in work environments (fuels, solvents, disinfectants). Although the risks associated with alcohol consumption (ingestion) are well known, those resulting from inhalation of ethanol vapour and/or from skin contact are not. Therefore, the Agency has assessed the risks resulting from inhalation of ethanol vapour and/or from skin contact for the general population and in the workplace.

Azote Liquid nitrogen used in the area of medically assisted procreation

Updated on 16/05/2022

In the framework of preparation of a ministerial order on good practices in reproductive medicine laboratories, ANSES received a formal request from the French Biomedicine Agency (Agence de la biomedicine) to perform a risk assessment concerning the use of liquid nitrogen in the field of medically assisted procreation (MAP). The objective was to propose recommendations for the prevention of risks related to use of this substance in the occupational environment.

Champs Electromagnétiques Extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields

Updated on 07/09/2022

Extremely low frequency (ELF) fields are mostly emitted by electrical installations and power grids. The possible health effects of these electromagnetic fields have been studied for several decades. Although several studies have found statistical associations between exposure to ELF electromagnetic fields and childhood leukaemia, no relationship of cause and effect has been clearly identified. The degree of uncertainty that still surrounds the issue of the health effects of these phenomena, especially over the long term, is still a question of public concern and debate, focussing particularly on electrical power distribution grids and their components. In addition, the effects of these fields on animals, and more specifically on livestock, are an issue that is regularly brought up. The Agency has conducted a number of expert assessments on these subjects.

Assessment of the risks associated with nanomaterials

Updated on 13/06/2022

As with any chemical, the fate of nanomaterials in the human body and their associated potential toxicity depend mainly on their physico-chemical properties (size, shape, solubility, etc.). However, partly due to the specific properties of manufactured nanomaterials, scientific knowledge of traditional substances cannot be directly transferred to nanoscale forms. Today, the widespread dissemination of nanomaterials through a variety of consumer products calls for a better understanding of the exposure of workers in this sector to these nanomaterials, as well as exposure of consumers and the general population as a whole. In this context, the Agency has conducted several expert appraisals on these topics.

Parkings Indoor car parks, occupational risks

Updated on 25/05/2022

Following an initial expert appraisal investigating the general aspects of air quality in indoor car parks, in 2008 the Agency was formally requested to assess the risks associated with air quality in these enclosed spaces to the professionals working there.

Indoor car parks

Updated on 16/06/2022

As part of an amendment to the regulations governing indoor car parks, the Agency was formally requested to provide the health authorities with information for assessing the potential risk to human health related to the quality of the air in these enclosed spaces. It produced two reports on this subject, one addressing the issue in general, and the other dealing specifically with the risk to professionals working in these spaces 

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