A conceptual model for take-home workplace exposures

J Occup Environ Hyg. 2018 Jan;15(1):D8-D11. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2017.1392531.

Abstract

The boundary between occupational and environmental exposures is often artificial, as occupational hazards can readily escape the workplace. One way that this occurs is when workers "take-home" occupational hazards, exposing family members. While take-home exposures have long been recognized, there is no comprehensive framework describing the pathways by which workers bring home workplace hazards. In this article, we provide such a conceptual model that includes three pathways for take-home exposures: external contamination, internal dose, and behavior change of workers. This conceptual model should help to describe the problems of take-home exposures more comprehensively in future research.

Keywords: Behavior change; conceptual model; para-occupational; take-home exposures.

MeSH terms

  • Behavior
  • Clothing
  • Communicable Diseases / transmission
  • Dust
  • Environmental Exposure*
  • Family*
  • Housing*
  • Humans
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Motor Vehicles
  • Occupational Exposure / adverse effects*
  • Occupational Stress
  • Workplace

Substances

  • Dust