WATCH/AG/3/2002
The 64rd meeting of WATCH will be held on Tuesday 19 September 2002 at 10.45am in the Globe Room, Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge, London SE1 9HS.
WATCH/MIN/2/2002
[Agreement of the minutes of the WATCH meeting held on 23 May 2002]
WATCH/17/2002
[Recommendations for appropriate occupational risk management positions; including a presentation by Dr Bob McCunney of the International Carbon Black Association]
WATCH concluded that there are relatively good data available to establish an exposure-response relationship for the respiratory effects of carbon black within the exposure range covered by the American and European studies of carbon black-exposed workers. The relationships that have been identified suggest that at all exposure levels across this exposure range there is the potential for exposure to carbon black to cause a decline in lung function (FEV1) beyond that which would occur from age alone, albeit a decline that is relatively small. There is also some evidence for an increase in respiratory symptoms. The data did not enable WATCH to identify a level of exposure in this range at which there appears to be no effect on FEV1. On this basis, and in the absence of an agreed general criterion for what scale in decline in FEV1 might be deemed insignificant in health terms, WATCH concluded that it could not recommend a specific OEL within the current UK OEL framework. WATCH recognised that this position is not consistent with one or two recommendations that have been made in the past for other dusts but considered that a number of broader issues relating to the health effects of dusts are now emerging which warrant consideration in relation to setting occupational exposure limits for dusts in general.
WATCH also concluded that, on the basis that any PAHs adsorbed onto the surface of carbon black do not readily desorb, the presence of bound PAHs as a surface contaminant on carbon black does not give cause for concern for human health. It also concluded that 'Sen' and 'Sk' notations are not appropriate and that carbon black does not meet the criteria for the establishment of a BMGV.WATCH/18/2002
[Presentation by, and consideration of, the HSE-commissioned analysis by Ben Armstrong (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)]
WATCH concluded that the meta-analysis was scientifically robust within the exposure range examined and could provide a potentially useful aid to ACTS members in their deliberation of the value for the MEL for benzo[a]pyrene.
WATCH/19/2002
[Hazard assessment including dose-response characterisation and prediction/identification of the highest overall no-effect level for human exposure]
WATCH concluded that the key concern from peracetic acid was local site-of-contact irritation. In addition to the potential of peracetic acid to provoke upper respiratory tract sensory irritation, WATCH considered that it may also have the potential to produce chronic inflammation at the site-of-contact, but there was no data to confirm or refute this supposition. WATCH considered that the available data did not enable a threshold for these effects to be identified with any accuracy or confidence. However, such a threshold would certainly lie below the irritant threshold for hydrogen peroxide.
WATCH/20/2002
[Toxicological hazard assessment of two potential dialdehyde alternatives to glutaraldehyde (succinic dialdehyde and ortho-phthalaldehyde) in the sterilisation of medical equipment]
WATCH noted that there was very little information on the toxicological properties of succinic dialdehyde and ortho-phthalaldehyde. On the basis of the information that is available, WATCH concluded that both substances may have the potential to cause occupational asthma. It recommended that control strategies for both substances should take account of this potential health hazard.
[Progress report from Alan Moses]
WATCH briefly discussed this progress report and identified issues for further development ahead of the extensive discussion planned for the WATCH meeting to be held on 24 January 2003.
WATCH/21/2002
[To note matters arising from the last meeting of WATCH]
A further submission from the European Ceramic Fibre Association (ECFIA) had been provided to WATCH subseqent to the discussion on Refractory Ceramic Fibres (RCFs) at the May 2002 meeting. WATCH concluded that the views expressed in this submission did not warrant a reopening of the WATCH debate.
WATCH/22/2002
[To highlight matters of interest not covered elsewhere on the Agenda, including the ACTS Residential meeting in July]
The 65th meeting of WATCH will take place on 24 January 2003. It will be a one-day meeting in Rose Court.
Agenda published with decisions on the HSE Web site on 9 October 2002
