Take Responsibility
Manage Cancer Risk at Work

Work related or occupational cancers, are caused wholly or partly, by exposure to a cancer causing agent (carcinogen) in the workplace. Hazardous carcinogens in the work environment may include certain chemicals, compounds, agents, mixtures and exposure situations.

Note that:

Listen to radio interview with Prof Michael Herbst, CANSA’s Health Specialist, and read press release: English | Afrikaans

Occupational Carcinogens & Related Cancers

According to WHO the most common types of occupational cancers are: lung cancer, mesothelioma, and bladder cancer. Find more information regarding these cancers… and read our fact sheet regarding occupational cancers for more detail.

Top SA Culprits

Being mindful of workplace health hazards, is the first step in ensuring that a healthy environment is created for all. The main culprits in our country are:

• asphalt fumes (coal tar pitch):  affecting road tar workers
• benzene: affecting workers who work with petrochemical compounds such as diesel fumes
• hexavalent chromium: affecting workers who work with compounds including electroplating, welding, and chromate painting
• formaldehyde: affecting workers in synthetic chemical industries and in beauty salons
• coke oven emissions: affecting workers in the steel industry

Protection at Work

View our slideshow for more information regarding leglislation protecting South Africans in the workplace:

The South African Institute for Occupational Health helps in informing and advising workers about safe and healthy working environments and unsafe or unhealthy work environments may be reported to the Department of Labour.

Employer’s Responsibilities

As far as is reasonably possible:

• Employers should strive to provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of their employees. #LowerCancerRisk
• They should also conduct their undertaking in such a way as to ensure that persons, other than those in their employment, are not exposed to health hazards.
• Employers can also encourage their employees to go for regular health checks and screening. #EarlyDetection #RegularScreening

Should an employer fail to ensure a safe and healthy work environment, and not respond to a complaint raised by an employee, employees have the right to report the matter to the local office of the Department of Labour. (Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993)

Employee’s Responsibilities

• Employees should adhere to health and safety regulations or procedures in the workplace for their own protection, as well as the protection of fellow employees.
• They should know their own bodies and take note of changes in their bodies, and go for regular health checks and screening, in order to detect cancer or other conditions as early as possible.  They should also be aware of the symptoms of cancer. #KnowYourBody #KnowTheSigns #RegularScreening
• Employees should report any unsafe or unhealthy situation to their employer as soon as possible, or to a health & safety work representative in their workplace, who will report it to the employer. #LowerCancerRisk
• An employee who is injured or whose health is compromised due to an incident at work, should report this to his employer, or health & safety representative, no later than the end of the particular shift during which the incident occurred. If this is not possible, then as soon as possible thereafter.

Employers and employees are welcome to contact their local CANSA Care Centre for more information or to organise a health talk or cancer screening. #LowerCancerRisk #EarlyDetection