Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and the Workplace: Current Position and Need for an Occupational Health Surveillance Protocol

Table 1

Classification of exposure conditions and demographics by Ashford and Miller (amended and supplemented by Winder).

Group	Nature of exposure	Demographics
Industrial workers	Acute or chronic exposure to industrial chemicals	Primarily males; 20–65 years old
Office workers (in ‘‘tightly closed buildings’’)	Inadequate ventilation. Offgassing from construction or refurbishment materials or from office equipment. Tobacco smoke	More females than males. White-collar workers. 20–65 years old. School children
Contaminated communities	Toxic waste sites. Contamination by nearby industry sites. Aerial pesticide spraying. Groundwater contamination. Other community exposures	Low to middle classes. All ages, male and female. Children or infants affected first or most; possible effects in pregnant women
Individuals	Heterogeneous.; Indoor air (domestic). Pesticides, consumer products, and drugs	White middle to upper classes, primarily females, 30–50 years old