Spain’s National Institute for Safety and Health at Work (INSST) published three new technical fact sheets on 17 September 2026, part of its collection “Agentes cancerígenos en el trabajo: conocer para prevenir” (Carcinogens at work: know to prevent). The fact sheets cover vinyl chloride monomer, epichlorohydrin and refractory ceramic fibers.
Three substances, three sectors
Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is a colourless gas used almost exclusively in the production of PVC. According to INSST, the substance damages the respiratory system, nervous system and liver, with cancer as a possible outcome. Epichlorohydrin, a reactive and flammable liquid with a sharp, garlic-like odour, is used in the textile, cosmetics and paper industries and can, besides cancer, cause organ damage, blood disorders and burns. Refractory ceramic fibers, widely used in industrial furnaces, boilers, automotive parts and aerospace applications, can cause lung cancer or pleural mesothelioma when inhaled.
Practical prevention front and centre
Each fact sheet stresses the importance of preventive measures following the classic hierarchy: eliminate exposure where possible, otherwise reduce and control it through technical and organisational measures. The fact sheets are freely available via the INSST portal and form part of a broader technical collection supporting workplace risk management.
For EHS professionals worldwide, this kind of practical fact sheet is relevant because vinyl chloride, epichlorohydrin and ceramic fibers are also used in numerous industrial processes outside Spain, often under exposure-limit regimes comparable to EU legislation on carcinogenic and mutagenic substances.
Source: Nuevas fichas de la colección “Agentes cancerígenos en el trabajo: Conocer para prevenir”, 17 September 2026
