Causes of cancer and reducing your risk
People working in certain jobs may have a slightly higher risk of cancer. This risk depends on what workers do or what they come into contact with. This is known as exposure. For example, exposure to asbestos, silica dust, petrol, and diesel engine exhaust can increase the risk of some types of cancer. As can working outside in the sun.
Types of work that can have a higher risk of cancer include:
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
Manufacturing and mining
Petrol refinery
Transport and distribution
Firefighting
Coming into contact with harmful things at work is responsible for 4-5% cancer cases in the UK. But it’s important to remember that many of these cases come from past or higher exposure levels to risks, when UK health and safety rules were less developed. It does not mean that you will definitely get cancer if you are exposed to something that increases your risk.
Health and safety rules are designed to protect people at work. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. There are rules for people working in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
UK laws mean that employers have to protect workers and prevent or lower exposure to anything that is known to cause cancer.
Exposure to asbestos increases the risk of certain cancers.
Asbestos is made up of tiny fibres and it was used in the past to insulate buildings. Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause mesothelioma (cancer of the lining around the lungs), as well as cancers of the lung, voice box, and ovary.
Using asbestos has been banned in the UK since 1999, but some older buildings still contain it. People who refurbish or repair buildings containing asbestos, such as those working in construction or painting, could still be at risk. As well as people who worked with asbestos in the past.
Cancer caused by asbestos usually takes a long time (more than 20 years after exposure) to develop. Being exposed to asbestos doesn’t mean you’ll definitely get cancer.
If you do develop mesothelioma because of asbestos at work, you may be eligible for compensation.
Asbestos only becomes dangerous when its fibres are released into the air.
On the HSE website there is information for you and your employer on how to manage risk from asbestos, and what to do if you discover or disturb asbestos while working. If you’re worried about asbestos in your home or workplace, leave it alone, and get advice from an approved contractor from the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association.
Hazardous substances are chemicals, materials or other matter that may be harmful to humans. Some can increase the risk of cancer. For example, silica dust and diesel engine exhaust emissions can increase the risk of lung cancer.
Long-term, repeated exposure to petrol in the workplace can increase the risk of bladder cancer and Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
Exposure to these substances may be higher in some occupations. These include the construction, mining, manufacturing and oil refinery industries.
In the UK, laws on the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) exist to protect workers. Employer’s must prevent or lower exposure to substances. This is done via a workplace COSHH risk assessment.
The HSE also set UK Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) for hazardous substances. There are specific limits for substances that are known to cause cancer or mutations in DNA.
Find out about how COSHH may affect you in your industry. You can talk to your employer about the measures they have taken to assess and control hazardous substances in your workplace.
Firefighters can be exposed to a range of substances that may increase cancer risk. These include:
chemicals released during fires
chemicals in some firefighting foams
exposure to diesel exhaust
certain building materials, including asbestos.
Research shows that firefighters have a higher risk of mesothelioma and bladder cancer than the general population.
The risks that firefighters face have changed over time. This is because things such as building materials, firefighting responsibilities and safety measures have changed. In the past, some firefighting foams contained certain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These chemicals are now banned, heavily restricted, or under review in the UK. Foams containing PFAS are now being phased out or have already been replaced.
Some PFAS have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, but evidence in humans is limited. Researchers are continuing to study the long-term health effects of PFAS and related chemicals. You can learn more about PFAS in our article.
In the UK, fire and rescue authorities are responsible for protecting firefighters' health and safety. They must assess workplace risks, take steps to reduce exposure to harmful substances, and provide appropriate training, equipment and guidance.
Fire services in the UK are regulated by the HSE.
Pesticides include weed killers (herbicides) and insect killers (insecticides). There is some evidence that people who regularly work with high levels of pesticides, such as agricultural workers or farmers, may have a small increased risk of some types of cancer.
However, there aren’t enough high-quality studies to be certain of a link between pesticides and cancer, so we need more research.
There are regulations on pesticide use to protect workers and the public. You can find out more about the policies set out by the World Health Organisation, and the Health and Safety Executive.
Too much UV radiation from the sun can damage the DNA in skin cells and cause skin cancer. If you’re working outside, it’s important to protect your skin and work in the sun safely.
The sun is often strong enough in the UK to damage your skin, even when it’s cloudy. In the UK, the sun can be strongest from mid-March to mid-October, between 11am and 3pm.
Protect your skin by:
Spending time in the shade when you can, and during your breaks.
Covering up with clothes, a wide-brimmed hat that shades your face and neck and UV protection sunglasses.
Using sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and 4 or 5 stars on body parts not covered by clothing. Use it generously and reapply often.
If you do get sunburnt whilst working, talk to your employer about how to manage this risk in the future.
Find out more about staying safe in the sun.
The evidence for a link between night shift work and cancer is unclear. Some studies suggest an increased risk of cancer while others do not. If there is an increased risk, it is likely to be small. But we need more quality research to know for sure whether or not night shift work affects the risk of cancer.
We know that working a shift pattern can make it more difficult to maintain healthy habits that lower the risk of cancer. Not smoking and keeping a healthy weight can help lower cancer risk.
Find out proven ways to reduce your risk of cancerLast reviewed: 21 Oct 2026
Next review due: 21 Oct 2029
