Last year, COVID-19 claimed thousands of lives all over the world making it one of the major health issues the world had ever faced in the 21st century. However, let us not forget the continually growing concern in the increasing number of people diagnosed with cancer a deadly disease which claimed millions of lives over history of humankind.
Alongside our ageing population, the expansions of industries and the radical changes of human lifestyle are determined to be the major causes of the expanding population of cancer patients.
Occupational cancer, or the type of cancer that is caused by work-related activities, is one of the leading causes of cancer and deceasing worldwide. Workforce that are exposed frequently to carcinogens, which are a number of different agents or substances that causes cancer to humans, are prone to developing this type of cancer.
Some of the substances that can cause cancer commonly found in workplaces are:
- Asbestos
- Arsenic
- Beryllium
- Benzidine
- Dioxins
- UV Rays/Sunlight
- Vinyl Chloride
- Wood Dusts
- Metalwork fluid
To decrease the incidence of occupational cancer, organizations must commit to improve work conditions and environment and increase the value of health and safety protocols to combat the prevalence of cancer at work. Industries must take into consideration the improvement of quality of work in workplaces where exposure to cancer-causing substances are rampant.
As we celebrate World Cancer Day, Al Moalem Institute supports the spread of awareness about Occupational Safety by offering our Health and Safety courses at special rates for individuals and organizations.
This offer supports the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) #WeCanICan global campaign to raise attention into creating a cancer-free future.
