Cancer is Australia's most widespread chronic disease. Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide, and according to the World Health Organization, the impact of cancer is projected to increase in the future.

Accounting for 19 per cent of Australia’s total burden of disease (years of life lost to premature death and disability) the impact of cancer on our population and economy is second to none.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s cancer control initiative emphasises three aspects of cancer control: primary prevention, early detection and therapy. Whilst the latter two are the domain of healthcare experts, all workplaces can improve the role they play in helping employees reduce their risks of developing cancer.

Primary prevention

The W.H.O. estimates around 40% of cancer cases are due to known preventable causes.

According to the department of Health and Ageing, cancer is potentially one of the most preventable of all diseases. The Australian Cancer Council declares primary prevention as, “the best way to reduce occupational cancer.”

Straight away, your workplace can implement cancer primary prevention policies to limit workers’ exposure to two significant risk factors for cancer. Consider implementing:

• Sun-smart policy. Skin cancers account for four-fifths of all new cases of cancer in Australia every year. Limiting your workers’ exposure to ultraviolet radiation reduces their risk of skin cancer. It also reduces the burden of skin cancer on your productivity and bottom-line, as well as risk of litigation by workers whose cancer is considered occupational.

This Cancer Council Australia skin cancer guide explains how you can limit your workers’ exposure to ultra violet radiation.

• Smoke-free policy. Tobacco smoking caused 11.1 per cent of new cases of cancer and nearly 20.4 per cent of all cancer deaths in 2003. Can your workplace and employees afford those odds? The Cancer Council of New South Wales has a great guide to implementing smoke-free policy in the workplace. The basic elements involve:
  • Educating staff on the risks of smoking;
  • Providing access to quit programs;
  • Enforcing limited or no smoking breaks; and
  • Anti-smoking hiring policy.

Reducing workers’ exposure to occupational carcinogens

The Australian Cancer Council estimates the percentage of cancer cases in Australia attributed to occupational exposure at between two and 11 per cent. It is also estimated that over 50 agents encountered in Australian occupational environments are possibly or confirmed carcinogenic. This list will almost certainly increase as time goes by, so the important thing to do is act on what is known now.

In Australia, employers are legally obligated to inform employees about any chemical hazards in the workplace, including those that are carcinogenic.
Carcinogens can be found in chemicals, dusts, types of radiation, gasses and industrial processes. The Canadian Centre for OH&S has published a detailed list of occupational groups associated with carcinogen exposure.

To limit workers’ exposure to occupational carcinogens, you can:

• Replace known carcinogens with non-carcinogenic agents or at least less-hazardous ones;
• Utilise better environmental controls of carcinogens, such as ventilation and enclosures;
• Physically isolate carcinogens from workers;
• Replace human handling of carcinogens with robotics;
• Ensure workers use high-quality personal protection equipment (PPE);
• Educate staff on the handling of hazardous substances; and
• Constantly monitor your carcinogen control measures to ensure safe exposure levels at all times.

Lifestyle Risk Factors

The common link between many different chronic diseases is their lifestyle risk factors.

Cancer shares many lifestyle risk factors with the other chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that 32.9 per cent of the cancer burden is due to lifestyle risk factors. Some of these include:

• Smoking (20.1 per cent of total cancer burden of disease)
• Obesity (high body mass 3.9 per cent of cancer burden);
• Poor nutrition (low fruit and vegetable consumption 2 per cent of cancer burden);
• Lack of physical activity (5.6 per cent of cancer burden); and,
• High alcohol consumption (3.1 per cent of cancer burden).

It is interesting to note that although 5 to 10 per cent of all common cancers are caused by people’s genetic tendencies, modifying lifestyle risk factors may still reduce the risk of developing cancer in these people.

Early detection is also a major aspect of the National Health Strategy. The main aim is to provide access to national cancer screening programs for cancers such as breast and cervical cancer.

You can encourage workers to visit early screening programs, and provide subsidised or ideally free, regular access to these services for employees who have contact with known carcinogens in their work.

This RTW Matters article outlines how to implement new health and wellbeing programs effectively in the workplace. It details what works and what doesn’t, so you really can work to prevent the impact of cancer and other chronic diseases in your workplace.