Schweißrauchexpositionen in Deutschland und Bewertung der gesundheitsschädigenden Wirkungen – insbesondere im Hinblick auf Lungenkrebserkrankungen

Abstract

Welding fume exposure in Germany and evaluation of the adverse effects on health, particularly in respect to lung cancer diseases Exposure to welding fumes can negatively affect human health in different ways. German legislation on occupational diseases (BKV) lists a variety of such diseases which can be recognised as occupational diseases in welders. Lung cancer is one of the diseases listed in the German legislation. In 2018, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reevaluated the lung cancer risk of welders and, for the first time, found sufficient evidence for the causation of lung cancer. In Germany, therefore, discussions are currently under way on expanding the German list of recognised occupational diseases accordingly. This article contains information on various welding processes, the associated emission of welding fumes and the adverse health effects based on the IARC assessment, including the occupational diseases listed in the current German list of occupational diseases. Furthermore, an overview is given of the current status of exposure quantification and risk evaluation according to the literature as well as recommendations for the assessment of exposure to welding fumes. Keywords: welding fumes – occupational disease – lung cancer – risk evaluation