Database

The speech by Peter Skinner MEP highlights sun light, stress and ergonomics as the key focus of regulatory attention in the coming years. Evidence from: Conference report, Bilbao 27th November 2000. Peter Skinner was particularly encouraged by the emergence of ergonomics standards in the USA. These are reported elsewhere in this database. The Radar report is available to subscribers: 1#1 12

Evidence from: Andrew@Reliabilityoxford.co.uk A brief reminder that the key outcome measures from epidemiology are often expressed as risk or odds ratios. A ratio of 1.0 indicates that the exposure effect relationship being tested shows neither an increased nor a decreased risk. That is, there was no detectable association between hypothetical cause and effect. A ratio of less than 1.0 (but more than 0.0) indicates that the exposure might be protective against the outcome. A ratio of more than 1.0 indicates increased risk. Similarly, a standardised mortality ratio (SMR) of 100 indicates no detected risk. In terms of probabilities, a risk ratio of more than 2.0 (or more than 200 for SMR) indicates that there is a probability of an association between exposure and outcome of more than 50%. This would seem to satisfy the test of the balance of probabilities.

This academic study suggests that physical work demands delay return-to-work following absence with occupational back pain. The greater the demands, the longer the delay. Causation may not be explained by prevailing orthodoxies concerning injury and breach of duty. Evidence from: M.Mahmud et al. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2000) Vol. 42 #12. p 1178. At the time of publication it was widely assumed that work was a direct cause of back pain and that pain must be an indication of injury. Neither of these is a fact but Worker’s Compensation administrators have adopted this line of thinking. This research used scans to see if degree of abnormality was predictive of outcome. It wasn’t. Neither was injury severity. In the absence of a violent event, such as being struck or falling from height, back pain may not be an indication of breach of duty or causation. Length of absence is not explained by injury factors. Radar opinion at the time was that psychosoci

Total caffeine intake was assessed before and during pregnancy. A connection between caffeine, feelings of nausea and spontaneous abortion is suggested. Evidence from: W.Wen et al. Epidemiology (Jan 2001) Vol. 12 p 38. Producers and providers of caffeinated products could be exposed to liability issues, but on the basis of this evidence this is  a low probability. The Radar report is available to subscribers: 1#1 9

This academic paper reports a strong and statistically significant association between vinyl chloride and liver cancer in employees. There is a dose-response relationship. Although not directly translatable, the work can be used to estimate liability exposure in other settings. Evidence from: K.Mundt et al. Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2000) Vol. 57 #11 p 774. Risk estimates are not easily translated into other workplace settings but may be indicative by way of a first approximation.  Current case load can be converted into anticipated case load using the data in this paper. The Radar report is available to subscribers: 1#1 8

An epidemiological study of uveal cancer – a form of eye cancer. The reported association with mobile phone use was very strong, but the precision is below the level that would normally pass the standard adopted by this author. Evidence from: A.Stang et al. Epidemiology (2001) Vol 12 p7. The study would have been more meaningful if known risk factors, such as UV exposure, had been corrected for. As it stands, the outcome should be added to the list of emf related emerging risks, but with low probability. Radar report is available to subscribers: 1#1 7