MMVFs Onboard Ships: From an Observational Study to the Development of MMVFs Safety Plans

Abstract

Man-made vitreous fibers (MMVFs) are widely used in shipbuilding. Some MMVFs are “suspected of causing cancer” in Annex VI of Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 and can be easily found in ships (asbestos free or not ones). This study is an overview of the conditions/confinement of MMVFs onboard ships, focusing on the measures taken to reduce the risk of exposure and on the perception of risks, in analyzed ships. We suggest to improve on-board MMVFs safety plans (as for asbestos risk-management) and to strengthen National and European Authorities’ supervision/network on this theme also by the EU SHIPSAN ACT Joint Action’s tools.

Keywords

• MMVFs
• carcinogenicity
• air dispersion
• healthy working/living onboard
• chemical risk management