If you spend your days climbing into burning buildings, chasing bad guys, or performing extreme stunts, your health is at greater risk than that of the average office worker.
However, some professions have many hidden but equally sinister side effects. Here are the top 10 occupations associated with an increased risk of cancer.
10. Flight attendant / stewardess
It turns out that heaven isn't all that friendly to flight attendants and flight attendants. According to a study published in the journal Environmental Health, members of this profession are more exposed to ionizing radiation at high altitudes, which increases the likelihood of developing several types of cancer, including:
- breast cancer,
- cervix,
- uterus,
- thyroid gland,
- esophagus,
- colon,
- stomach,
- liver
- pancreas.
According to statistics, the incidence of breast cancer among flight attendants is 50 percent higher than among women who do not work in the field, while the rate of non-melanoma skin cancer among flight attendants is four times higher.
9. Airline pilot
Airplane cockpits are just as dangerous to human skin as tanning beds. The medical journal JAMA Dermatology reports that pilots and other crew members are twice as likely to suffer from melanoma as ordinary people.
One hour in the cockpit exposes pilots to the same amount of ultraviolet radiation as 20 minutes in a solarium. The risk of exposure to ultraviolet radiation increases when flying over dense clouds or snow.
8. Welder
According to scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the greatest health hazards from welding are welding fumes, as well as exposure to ultraviolet radiation. These factors can cause lung cancer, kidney cancer, and eye melanoma, as well as other health problems.
According to Breastcancer.org, women who do welding or other metal-related jobs have a 75% higher risk of developing breast cancer than the average woman.
7. Any sedentary job
Yes, you read that right: Sitting at a desk for too long can increase your chances of developing cancer. In this case, cancer of the colon and endometrium of the uterus. According to German researchers, those who spend most of their time in a sitting position have a 24% higher risk of colon cancer and 32% higher risk of developing endometrial cancer than people who occasionally get up from the table.
Therefore, when doing sedentary work, get up and warm up every hour and a half. A little, regular movement can have a big positive impact on your health.
6. Master of manicure and pedicure
Your perfectly polished nails can pose a serious health hazard to the manicurist who deals with them. Beauty salon workers absorb toxic chemicals through their skin and inhale indoor vapors and contaminated dust, which increases the risk of cancer and causes many respiratory problems.
This is why nail salons need to be well ventilated and their workers are advised to wear long-sleeved shirts, gloves and even masks, and wash their hands regularly.
5. Manufacturer of rubber products
Rubber is made from a variety of chemicals and this process exposes workers to vapors, dust and chemical byproducts that pose a serious health hazard.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a federal agency of the US Department of Health, several studies have shown "excess mortality" from health problems such as bladder cancer, stomach cancer, and lung cancer.
The American Cancer Society has added leukemia and lymphoma to the list, making rubber industry jobs some of the most susceptible to carcinogens such as benzene and other solvents, asbestos and formaldehyde.
Part of the problem, the CDC says, is that these toxins can be absorbed through the skin, not just through inhalation.
4. Farmer
The pesticides used in non-organic foods that health advocates are so worried about pose a much bigger problem for agricultural workers.
A ten-year long research project conducted by various government groups, including the National Cancer Institute and the US Environmental Protection Agency, is more likely to be diagnosed with certain cancers in farmers and their families than in other people.
These types include:
- leukemia,
- non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- multiple myeloma,
- sarcoma of soft tissues
- stomach cancer,
- brain cancer
- prostate cancer
- skin cancer.
Pesticides may be one of the main causes of these cancers in farmers, but other important factors are also engine exhaust from agricultural machinery, dust, animal viruses, fertilizers, fuel and specific microbes.
3. Firefighter
The risks of being engulfed in flames, inhaling a lot of smoke, or being trapped in a burning building are not the only risks facing firefighters, who are among the top 3 occupations with an increased risk of cancer.
According to statistics collected on the website of German firefighters, at the beginning of the service, the risk of cancer in representatives of this profession is 10% lower than the average.
This is due to the “effect of a healthy worker,” because mentally and physically strong people are hired as firefighters.
However, after 5 years of service, the likelihood of developing cancer rises to 20%, and after another 10 years - to 30%.
Why? When plastics, some building materials and other household substances burn, they release toxins. And firefighters inhale these toxins in the process of extinguishing the fire.
According to a study by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, firefighters have a moderately higher risk of cancer than the average person, but double the risk of certain cancers, namely testicular cancer and pleural tumors, caused by exposure to asbestos.
2. Auto mechanic
Asbestos is still sometimes used in brake pads and clutch discs because of its heat-resistant properties. And when repairing these parts of a car, asbestos fibers can get into the air - and the lungs of a mechanic. Asbestos is the leading cause of mesothelioma, a malignant tumor of the pleura, and the profession of an auto mechanic has one of the highest risks of developing this type of cancer.
In addition to asbestos, mechanics often come into contact with gasoline - during repairs or even to clean their hands. Gasoline contains benzene, which is a widely recognized cause of some cancers such as leukemia.
1. Miner
Different types of mining increase the risk of the most common types of cancer For example, coal dust can increase the risk of lung and stomach cancer, while other miners are more likely to come into contact with cancer-causing asbestos, uranium and radon.
Another big issue is diesel exhaust from drilling equipment.One study found that workers who worked underground and were regularly exposed to exhaust fumes were five times more likely to develop lung cancer than workers who did not breathe these gases.