Hormesis and industrial hygiene: A new hypothesis for low-dose response in occupational risk assessment

Abstract

The study of Jayjock and Lewis, 'Implication of Hormesis for Industrial Hygiene', represents a challenge for the scientific community to consider hormesis as a possible working hypothesis for redefining risk assessment strategy for low-dose exposures in the realm of industrial hygiene. This invited commentary aims at examining some aspects of the study for which no proven and conclusive scientific evidence has yet been found, such as the limited nature of some statistical tests, the calculation of the safety factor, the place occupied by hormesis in industrial hygiene and, finally, the impact that scarce knowledge of this phenomenon and rejection by part of the scientific community has on the possibility, of using hormesis in the safeguarding of workers' health.