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Circular economy is presented as an alternative to promote sustainable and responsible development. This economic model involves deep organizational and production changes. INRS, the French institute for occupational safety and health, conducted a strategic foresight approach in order to assess its potential impact on working conditions and therefore, on health and safety at work. The aim was to anticipate future needs for the prevention of occupational risks by 2040. Indeed, if circular economy offers the opportunity for a better integration of prevention, this may cause also adverse effects on workers’ safety and health. The first step of the study was to set up a 15-member team, associating OSH, foresight and circular economy experts who followed the exercise from start to finish. In association with partners outside the group, they identified the main key influencing drivers in the development of circular economy. Each of these drivers was then documented, in order to consider contrasted hypotheses of development in the future. Then, they built together global scenarios combining several hypotheses considering the drivers most likely to have an effect on working conditions and consequently on safety and health. They then drew up four stories, taking into account specific sectors and aspects of professional activity in order to make more concrete the potential consequences of different modes of circular economy development. OSH experts could translate them in terms of health and safety issues in order to reflect on the most relevant subjects to be taken into account in the future by INRS.

The circular economy can be defined as an economic system of exchange and production intended to increase the efficiency of the use of resources at all stages of products’ life cycle (including goods and services). Since most natural resources are not inexhaustible, and fossil fuel consumption is considered one of the major factors of global warming, its development seems inevitable, even if it can only be progressive (spanning several decades) and may not apply to all sectors. The circular economy is likely to challenge work methods and working conditions. Consequently, a strategic foresight study has been conducted in order to assess the main consequences on occupational safety and health. In the practice of INRS which carried out this work, foresight is above all a tool to improve and facilitate thinking and decision-making.

Le monde du travail est traverse par des mutations dont le rythme et l’intensite se sont considerablement acceleres ces dernieres annees. Afin d’etre en capacite d’anticiper au mieux les besoins en prevention des annees a venir, l’INRS s’est dote d’une mission chargee d’assurer une veille sur ces mutations et de conduire des exercices de prospective thematiques. Les sujets etudies sont systematiquement lies aux principaux moteurs des transformations du travail notamment les evolutions technologiques (ex : robotisation, intelligence artificielle) et les enjeux environnementaux (ex : economie circulaire). L’objectif est toujours d’analyser leurs incidences sur les organisations du travail (ex : plateformisation) et leurs consequences en sante et securite au travail. L’objet de cette communication est de proposer des illustrations des innovations en cours dans le monde du travail pour mettre en lumiere leurs impacts (positifs et negatifs) sur les conditions de travail et les questions de prevention que leur developpement pourrait poser a l’avenir. Pour cela des exemples extraits des differents exercices de prospective conduits par l’INRS ces dernieres annees (Modes et methodes de production en France en 2040, Plateformisation 2027, Economie circulaire 2040) seront questionnes : – comment la cobotisation peut-elle contribuer a rendre le travail plus soutenable, y compris dans des petites entreprises ? – peut-on appliquer les principes generaux de prevention dans une organisation du travail reposant sur un algorithme ? – comment prevenir les risques professionnels dans les filieres de reparation, re-emploi, recyclage qui se developpent ?

Introduction Between 2014 and 2016, within the project ‘Futures’ developed by the Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health (PEROSH), the authors surveyed a panel of more than 100 European OSH researchers using a modified Delphi technique. The study aimed at providing an overview of knowledge gaps to be filled by OSH research in the forthcoming years to address the effects of societal, economic and technological change on working conditions and to make the research in this field able to contribute to the European sustainable development strategies. With the present study, the authors will try to understand if and how the OSH research priorities identified at European level are consistent with OSH research needs in other geographical areas. Methods The questionnaire developed for the European study will be submitted to a panel of researchers identified among different networks of OSH institutions, such as the Global network of WHO Collaborating Centres for Workers’ Health, the Asia-Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organisation, the Asian Occupational Safety and Health Research Institutes network and others covering different regions of the world. The researchers will be asked to assess and rate the importance of the OSH research priorities identified in the European study on a scale from 0 to 5. An open-ended question will be added to the survey to allow participants to identify other OSH research priorities specific to their geographical area and development scenario. Results and discussion The results of this study will allow a comparison between OSH research needs in different geographical areas. It will also provide some insightful information both to draft a global OSH research agenda for the next years and to highlight eventual specific areas of OSH were joint efforts at global level can support the improvement of working conditions within the frame of a sustainable development.

Objectives This study, developed within the frame of the Partnership for European Research on Occupational Safety and Health joint research activities and based on the frame designed by the 2013 European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) study, is the first example of using the points of view of European occupational safety and health (OSH) researchers. The objective is to identify priorities for OSH research that may contribute to the achievement of present and future sustainable growth objectives set by the European strategies. Methods The study was carried out using a modified Delphi method with a two-round survey. Each round involved a panel of about 110 researchers representing the network member institutes was selected according to specific criteria, including the ownership of research expertise in at least one of the four macroareas identified by the reference report developed by EU-OSHA in 2013. Results The study identified some innovative research topics (for example, ‘Emerging technological devices’ and ‘OSH consequences of markets integration’) and research priorities (ie, crowdsourcing, e-work, zero-hours contract s ) that are not reflected in previous studies of this nature. The absence of any reference to violence and harassment at work among the researchers’ proposals is a major difference from previous similar studies, while topics related to gender issues and electromagnetic fields show a lower importance. Conclusions The innovative design of a research priorities identification process, which takes advantage of a large, representative and qualified panel of European researchers allowed the definition of a number of research priorities able to support the inclusion of innovative OSH research issues in the scope of the next European research agenda.

Purpose of the studyIn addition to their daily activity i.e. health risk assessment, monitoring and research, health agencies seek to anticipate future risks to human health. The tools used routinely are watch and foresight. This article describes a project led by a consortium of agencies and research institutions in France, aiming at combining watch and foresight. Sustainable development and its health implications were chosen by the panel.MethodTo describe the implementation of sustainable development in France in the next twenty years, a foresight exercise was performed, which led to the following five scenarios: (a) priority without limits to growth; (b) from the technological dead end to social fragmentation; (c) liberalism and green technology; (d) sobriety and low technology; (e) ecological transition orchestrated by the state. In a second step, one hundred risks related “events” were identified through a watch activity and analyzed by projecting them into the future, according to the five scenarios. The events transcribed as “mini stories” were not necessarily considered in the scenarios as they frame a more global vision.ResultsThis activity evidenced a variety of views, between panel members; this advocates for a collective approach. Risks to human health identified and discussed in the panel included those related e.g. to multi-recycling, agricultural practices, new dietary patterns, green jobs frequently characterized by multiple exposures, and the effect of certain technological innovations. These risks are often common to several scenarios and show various levels of impact on health.; ObjectifAu-delà de leur activité quotidienne d’évaluation de risque, de surveillance et de recherche, les agences sanitaires s’efforcent d’anticiper quels seront les risques de demain. Les outils utilisés en routine sont la veille et la prospective. Cet article décrit un projet, mené par un consortium d’agences et d’établissements de recherche, visant à combiner veille et prospective. Le thème choisi est le développement durable et ses implications en santé publique.MéthodeUn exercice de prospective a été mené, qui a permis de définir cinq scénarios possibles décrivant l’implémentation du développement durable en France dans les vingt années qui suivent : (a) priorité sans limites à la croissance ; (b) de l’impasse technologique au morcellement social ; (c) technologies vertes et libéralisme ; (d) sobriété et faible intensité technologique ; (e) transition écologique orchestrée par l’État. Dans un second temps, une centaine d’éléments de veille ont été analysés, en les projetant dans le futur, selon les cinq scénarios. Ces éléments de veille constituent des mini récits mettant en scène des risques particuliers, non nécessairement envisagés dans un scénario qui constitue une vision plus globale.RésultatsCet exercice a mis en évidence la grande variabilité de ces projections dans le futur, d’un individu à l’autre, ce qui milite pour une approche collective. Parmi les risques discutés, ceux liés au multi-recyclage, aux pratiques agricoles, aux nouveaux modes d’alimentation, aux métiers verts souvent caractérisés par des multi-expositions, et ceux dus à certaines innovations technologiques. Souvent ces risques sont communs à plusieurs scénarios mais peuvent se décliner de manière très différente.

Background In the course of setting up the National Mesothelioma Surveillance Program (PNSM), established in France in 1998, the question arose as to the most suitable method of assessing occupational exposure. The aim of this study was to define the most suitable rating method for assessing occupational asbestos exposure in order to assess medico-social care. Method The study included 100 subjects—50 cases of mesothelioma and 50 controls—randomly selected and representing 457 jobs held. Job asbestos exposure was assessed by a six-expert panel using two methods: “by job” rating, where all the jobs in were assessed regardless of the subjects; and “by subject” rating, where all the jobs of a subject were assessed at the same time. Consensus was obtained and subjects' exposure was calculated for each rating. Then, two internal experts assessed job asbestos exposure with the “by subject” rating. Kappa coefficients were used to measure agreement between the ratings. Results Agreement between “by job” and “by subject” ratings was very good for subject probability of exposure (kappa = 0.84) and cumulative exposure index (kappa = 0.80). Agreement between the six-expert panel and the two internal experts was good for subject exposure (kappa for probability = 0.71; kappa for cumulative exposure index= 0.68). Conclusion This study shows that the two rating systems have good or very good agreement. These results validate the routine use in the PNSM of the “by subject” rating, with the advantage of being convenient and quick to provide feedback on occupational asbestos exposure to mesothelioma cases for compensation. Am. J. Ind. Med. 55:440–449, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Restitution d’un exercice de prospective de l’INRS sur les impacts de la plateformisation en sante et securite au travail. Introduction Les developpements d’Internet ont rendu possible la vente en ligne, de rapides developpements ont progressivement permis d’ameliorer ce qu’on appelle « l’experience client ». L’essor des « plateformes numeriques » en est l’illustration concrete. Popularise par Uber qui en fait ne represente qu’une facette de la plateformisation, ce nouveau concept prend de plus en plus de place dans l’economie, impactant jusqu’a la disruption a la fois le mode de consommation des clients et le mode d’intervention des prestataires. A travers cet exercice de prospective partenarial, l’INRS a souhaite interroger les evolutions possibles de ces nouvelles formes d’organisation de la production et leurs consequences en matiere de sante et securite au travail. Methode de travail utilisee « Ni prophetie ni prevision, la prospective n’a pas pour objet de predire l’avenir–de nous le devoiler comme s’il s’agissait d’une chose deja faite–mais de nous aider a le construire » (Hugues de Jouvenel). La demarche est structuree et elle repose sur une methode eprouvee et adaptable qui vise a se doter d’une representation de la situation actuelle, de comprendre ses origines, et d’identifier les principales forces de changement qui exercent ou pourraient exercer une influence sur le probleme etudie. Quatre scenarios d’evolution possible de la plateformisation a l’horizon 2027 ont ete construits et trois ateliers ont permis de se projeter sur des secteurs d’activite specifiques, la sante, le commerce et le second œuvre du bâtiment. Dans chaque cas les impacts possibles en matiere de sante et securite au travail ont ete explores. Resultats Les resultats mettent en evidence une difficulte d’application des principes generaux de prevention dans une organisation du travail plateformise. La communication mettra en exergue cela a travers quelques caracteristiques comme la prescription du travail via une intelligence artificielle ou la relation individuelle qu’entretient chaque travailleur independant avec la plateforme. Une confrontation des caracteristiques du travail plateformise a certains facteurs de risques psychosociaux tels que le manque d’autonomie, la pauvrete des rapports sociaux au travail ou l’insecurite de la situation de travail, sera egalement presentee. Enfin, des focus sectoriels sur le commerce et le second œuvre du BTP, permettront de se projeter sur des contextes de travail precis et d’identifier les moteurs de leurs evolutions leurs impacts possibles sur la sante mais aussi des avancees potentiellement positives pour les conditions de travail.

Etablir une connaissance retrospective des expositions professionnelles aux risques toxiques, quand l’information – en situation – n’a pas ete produite, suppose la mise en place de dispositifs d’enquete complexes. L’enquete permanente du GISCOP93, menee depuis mars 2002, a permis la reconstitution qualitative systematique des parcours professionnels de plus de 1200 patients atteints de cancer signales par des cancerologues, pneumologues et urologues de 4 hopitaux de la Seine-Saint-Denis. L’objectif de cette communication est de presenter l’experience d’expertise collective pluridisciplinaire mise en œuvre dans l’identification et l’estimation quantitative des expositions professionnelles a des cancerogenes connus. La reconstitution du parcours de chaque patient – poste par poste – est menee par des enqueteurs formes dans la double perspective, sociologique, du recit de vie, et ergonomique, de l’analyse de l’activite, tout en portant attention aux outils, a l’atmosphere de travail, a l’activite des collegues pouvant generer une exposition du patient non liee a son activite propre, a l’existence d’eventuelles protections individuelles et collectives. Chaque parcours fait l’objet d’une expertise collective, poste par poste. Les experts qui y participent detiennent une connaissance concrete des activites de travail exposees. En aveugle de la pathologie, une elaboration collective de l’identification des cancerogenes est produite, dans laquelle chacun des experts repere les cancerogenes en s’appuyant sur le recit du patient et sa propre experience de l’activite a ce poste de travail, en reference a une liste preetablie de 54 cancerogenes inscrits dans les listes du CIRC et de l’UE. L’exposition est egalement quantifiee selon les criteres de probabilite, intensite, frequence, pics et duree d’exposition. Identification et quantification sont mises en debat, d’abord entre les experts, puis avec l’equipe de recherche. Les difficultes rencontrees par les experts dans cette double tâche sont etroitement liees aux caracteristiques et a la precarisation du travail. Ils sont ainsi confrontes, dans certains cas, a l’impossibilite de nommer les cancerogenes meme si l’exposition s’avere probable, comme dans le cas des femmes ou des interimaires, du nettoyage ou de la gestion des dechets. Les resultats les plus marquants de cette expertise collective sont non seulement le tres fort taux des patients exposes (84 % de tous les patients dont le parcours a ete reconstitue et expertise) mais surtout la polyexposition forte, de longue duree, sans equipement de protection. Une analyse des types de polyexposition reperes dans l’enquete est en cours de publication et sera presentee parallelement.

Background Neurotoxicity of long-term exposure to toluene is known at higher levels than 50 ppm and is suspected at lower levels. Methods A cross-sectional study carried out in two printing plants on 129 blue collar workers explored such a low level exposure of toluene. With 231 samples of ambient air, toluene concentration was estimated from 0 to 18 ppm in Plant A (offset) and from 2 to 27 ppm in Plant B (heliogravure). Outside any period of acute exposure, the workers answered a self-administered questionnaire on neurotoxic symptoms, EUROQUEST, and performed six psychometric tests on a computer-assisted version of battery NES. Results After adjustment for confounders, we found significant relationships only between present exposure and Digit Span Forwards (DSF) performance (decrement is 1 digit for 40 ppm, P = 0.04) and Digit Span Backwards (DSB) performance (decrement is 1 digit for 25 ppm, P = 0.01). Neurotoxic symptoms were not significantly correlated with current exposure. No association was found between estimated cumulative exposure and either psychometric performances or neurotoxic symptoms. Conclusion In this study, low present exposure levels to toluene were associated with decrements of memory test performances. Am. J. Ind. Med. 41:77–88, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

La sous-traitance industrielle, et en particulier le recours à des entreprises extérieures intervenant en sous-traitance interne pour les opérations de maintenance dans les industries mettant en œuvre des procédés complexes (chimie, raffinage pétrolier, sidérurgie, etc.), a connu un développement considérable en France au cours des trente dernières années. Quelques études consacrées au sujet montrent que les travailleurs des entreprises extérieures sont plus souvent victimes d’accidents du travail que leurs collègues des entreprises utilisatrices sans qu’une comparaison rigoureuse soit possible puisque les tâches effectuées sont différentes. De même, dans plusieurs activités (maçons-fumistes, opérations de maintenance dans l’industrie chimique), des dépassements des valeurs limites d’exposition ont été mis en évidence. L’auteur suggère qu’à l’instar de l’industrie nucléaire, des études associant des chercheurs de différentes spécialités soient initiées afin de mieux comprendre les phénomènes (relations entre donneur d’ordres et entreprises extérieures, formes particulières d’organisation du travail, etc.) qui conduisent à ce surcroît d’accidents ou à ces expositions élevées. Industrial subcontracting, and particularly the use of contractors for maintenance operations in process industries, has developed significantly in France over the last thirty years. Several studies of the subject have shown that contracting firm employees are more frequent victims of occupational accidents than their colleagues working for the companies in control of the premises. A strict comparison has, however, always been impossible, since the contractors’ employees perform tasks that are different from those of the permanent workers. Moreover, in several activities (industrial furnace bricklayers, maintenance operations in the chemical industry) it has been clearly shown that exposure limit values are often exceeded. The author suggests that, as is the case in the nuclear industry, joint studies involving researchers from different specialty areas should be performed to obtain a better understanding of the phenomena (relationship between principal and contractors, particular forms of work organization, etc.) underlying the higher number of occupational accidents and high exposure levels. La subcontratación industrial, en particular el recurso a empresas exteriores interviniendo en subcontratación interna para las operaciones de mantenimiento en las industrias de procesos complejos (química, refinación del petróleo, siderurgia, etc.), ha conocido un desarrollo considerable en Francia durante los últimos treinta años. Algunos estudios dedicados a este tema enseñan que los trabajadores de las empresas exteriores son más frecuentemente víctimas de accidentes laborales que sus colegas de las empresas usuarias, sin que una comparación rigurosa esté posible, ya que las táreas realizadas son diferentes. También, se ha puesto de relieve excesos de los valores límites de exposición en varias actividades (albañiles deshollinadores, operaciones de mantenimiento en la industria química). El autor sugiere que, como en la industria nuclear, se inicien estudios asociando investigadores de diferentes especialidades para entender mejor los fenómenos (relaciones entre ordenantes y empresas exteriores, formas particulares de organización del trabajo, etc.) que conducen a este exceso de accidentes o a esta exposiciones elevadas.

International audience; In France, regulatory analysis of the environment and human health potential consequences is implemented for an isolated industrial activity that requests an authorization to operate using the health risk assessment method. To date, the question is enlarged to the impact of the combination of multiple sources of pollution on the same territory. The main conclusions of the work launched by the French High Council of Public Health focus on four key points: (i) the utility of conducting such an analysis at a territory scale, (ii) the delimitation of the area, (iii) the conditions for the different stakeholders' involvement, and (iv) the methodological specificities of the "zone health risk assessment." The work encompassed literature reviews, seminars, and interviews of stakeholders. The utility of a Z-HRA is the central objective for the management of risk. It can no longer be conducted only for itself. The delimitation of the zone entails economic, political, environmental, and population aspects. Stakeholders become key actors in a steering and monitoring committee. Among methodological specificities, cumulative exposure comes first. Interpretation of the results should focus on risk management objectives. Finally, inclusion of Z-HRAs in flexible regulations that can be adapted to the local context is recommended.

Objectives: To measure the levels of exposure to nitrogen trichloride (NCl 3 ) and aldehydes among cleaning and disinfecting workers in the atmosphere of food industry plants during cleaning and disinfecting operations, and to examine how they relate to irritant and chronic respiratory symptoms—which are indices of pulmonary function—and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to methacholine. Methods: 175 exposed workers (M = 149; F = 26) recruited from 17 enterprises of the food industry (8 cattle, pig, and ovine slaughterhouses, 8 fowl slaughterhouses, and 1 catering firm) and 70 non-exposed workers (M = 52; F = 18) were examined. Concentration levels of NCl 3 and aldhehydes were measured by personal sampling. Symptoms were assessed by means of a questionnaire and the methacholine bronchial challenge (MBC) test using an abbreviated method. Subjects were labelled MBC+ if forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) fell by 20% or more. The linear dose-response slope (DRS) was calculated as the percentage fall in FEV1 at last dose divided by the total dose administered. Results: 277 air samples were taken in the 17 food industry plants. For a given plant and in a given workshop, the actual concentrations of chloramines, aldehydes, and quaternary ammonium compounds were measured with personal samplers during the different steps of the procedures. For each cleaner, a total exposure index Σ was calculated. A statistically significant concentration-response relationship was found between eye, nasal, and throat symptoms of irritation—but not chronic respiratory symptoms—and exposure levels or exposure duration. No relation was found between BHR and exposure. Conclusions: These data show that cleaning and disinfecting workers in the food industry are at risk of developing eye, nasal, and throat irritation symptoms. Although NCl 3 exposure does not seem to carry a risk of developing permanent BHR, the possibility of transient BHR cannot be ruled out entirely.

The use of peroxyacetic acid (PAA) in the disinfection processes in the food industry or for medical purposes is increasing. As it is the product of the reaction of acetic acid (AA) and hydrogen peroxide (HP) and coexists with them, and given the fact that the chemical properties of these two substances are not very different from PAA, the sampling and analysis of this substance in working atmospheres is difficult. A specific sampling device was developed. It is composed of: (i) a cassette with quartz fibre filters impregnated with titanium oxysulfate hydrate for the sampling of HP followed by; (ii) a tube filled with silica gel soaked with methyl p-tolylsulfoxide for the sampling of PAA. The analysis of this silica gel was performed by liquid chromatography with UV detection of the methyl p-sulfone generated by the sampling of PAA. The conservation of the sampling media (before and after sampling) and its efficiency were also checked. From the results of sampling campaigns performed in various workplaces, the relative contributions of PAA, AA and HP to an exposure index, taking into account the atmospheric concentrations and the threshold limit values, were established. This calculation shows that the simultaneous determination of PAA and HP, which the method presented in this paper allows, provides a fairly good estimation of the exposure.

Relations between exposure to chlorinated compounds and biological markers of response to oxidative stimuli were investigated in swimmers, taking into account the effect of training. Twenty-two male swimmers aged 15-25 years were surveyed twice. Prevalence of irritant symptoms and asthma and number of hours of training were reported. Exposure to nitrogen trichloride (NCl3) and blood response to oxidative stimuli [catalase, superoxide dismutase (Cu2+/Zn2+SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and ceruloplasmin, ferritin and total antioxidant concentrations] were measured. Univariate analyses were completed by multivariate analyses. High prevalences of irritant symptoms and asthma were found. Multivariate analysis confirmed the results of the univariate analyses and showed that Cu2+/Zn2+SOD activity was increased by exposure and by training (P3/4-0.01, P3/4-0.0001, respectively). Erythrocyte GSH-Px was decreased, whereas plasma GSH-Px was increased by exposure (P3/4-0.002, P3/4-0.002). No other association was found. Higher irritant symptoms and increases in the activities of erythrocyte Cu2+/Zn2+SOD and of plasma GSH-Px with exposure support the hypothesis that the production of reactive oxygen species is not only related to training but also to exposure to chlorinated compounds. Other athletes tend to have respiratory problems such as asthma, but the exposure to chlorinated compounds may increase the respiratory disease among swimmers.

The expiratory bradypnoea indicative of upper airway irritation in mice was evaluated during a period of 60 min of oronasal exposure to acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid vapours. The airborne concentration resulting in a 50% decrease in the respiratory rate of mice (RD 50 ) was calculated for each chemical. The concentration-response curves of acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid had similar slopes. The results did however show that the three chemicals had different irritant potencies. The RD 50 values of acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid were 227, 113 and 5.4 p.p.m. respectively. Moreover, a mixture containing 53 % acetic acid, 11% hydrogen peroxide and 36% peroxyacetic acid had an RD 50 of 10.6 ppm, 3.8 ppm being peroxyacetic acid, which is 1.4 times lower than the theoretical value estimated from the fractional concentrations and the respective RD 50 s of the individual components. On the basis of a TLV-STEL (threshold limit value for short-term exposure limit) equal to 0.1 RD 50 , the TLV-STELs for acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid should not exceed 20, 10 and 0.5 p.p.m. respectively. On the basis of a TLV-TWA (time-weighted average) equal to 0.03 RD 50 , the TLV-TWAs for these same chemicals should not exceed 5, 3 and 0.2 p.p.m. respectively. Finally, these values and existing TLVs in Europe and the USA are compared.

Objectives The deleterious role of cleaning products in work-related asthma has been suggested in recent studies. We aimed to study the relationship between asthma and occupational asthmogens, with a particular attention to cleaning agents, separately in men and women. Methods Analyses were conducted in 656 men and 699 women (18–79 years) from the follow-up of the case-control and familial Epidemiological study on the Genetics and Environment of Asthma (EGEA), with available data for work history. Lifetime and current occupational exposures to 18 specific asthmogens, including industrial cleaning agents, were estimated using an asthma job-exposure matrix with an expert re-evaluation step. Subjects with current asthma (266 men, 247 women), current adult-onset asthma (77 men, 98 women), or current asthma with high asthma symptom score (164 men, 176 women) were compared to non-asthmatics. Analyses were stratified by sex and adjusted for age and smoking. Results 32% of men and 28% of women had ever been exposed to asthmogens. Women were more exposed than men to cleaning agents (9% vs 2%,p Conclusions Our results confirm the deleterious role of occupational exposure to cleaning agents on asthma in women and are consistent with a role in both new-onset and work-exacerbated asthma. Grants: AFSSET-EST-09-15, PHC Van Gogh.