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Table 3 Definition of high-risk subjects for BPC (aged from 55 to 74 years) (Expert consensus)

From: Medical follow-up of workers exposed to lung carcinogens: French evidence-based and pragmatic recommendations

Occupational pollutant

Cumulative level of exposure or disease

Cumulative exposure duration

Active or former tobacco consumption dating back less than 15 years

Asbestos

Intermediateb

≥10 years

≥30 PY

High

<5 years

≥30 PY

High

≥5 years

≥20 PY

Asbestosis

 

≥20 PY

Pleural plaques

 

≥30 PY

Other carcinogenic agentsa

 

≥10 years

≥30 PY

Co-exposure

 2 carcinogenic agents

 

≥10 years

≥20 PY

  ≥ 3 carcinogenic agents

 

≥10 years

≥10 PY

  1. aaluminium production, coal gasification, coal tar pitch, coke production, X-rays and gamma rays, radon, iron ore mines, plutonium, steel foundries, the painting profession, rubber production, chromium(VI) compounds, beryllium, cadmium and its compounds, bis(chloromethyl) ether, chloromethyl methyl ether, metal cobalt with tungsten carbide
  2. Special cases: Crystalline silica (silicosis is necessary to integrate the high-risk group for BPC, independently of the duration of exposure); diesel engine exhaust fumes (a high level of exposure defined by employment in underground mines, tunnel construction or underground mine maintenance is necessary to integrate the high-risk group for BPC)
  3. bIn the sense of the jury of the 1999 french consensus conference on the follow-up of asbestos-exposed workers
  4. High exposure: Confirmed, high and continued exposure of a duration equal to or in excess of one year; examples: professional activities in the manufacture or transformation of materials including asbestos and their equivalents during intervention on materials or equipment likely to discharge asbestos fibres (e.g.: fireproofing, naval construction); Confirmed, high and discontinued exposure of a duration equal to or in excess of 10 years (e.g.: mechanics/machine operators on heavy goods vehicle brake systems, cutting of asbestos cement)
  5. Intermediate exposure: All other documented occupational significant exposure situations. The majority of these situations involve intevention on materials or equipment likely to discharge asbestos fibres