Search

Causes of death among 2,190 deceased operating engineers identified from the 1967 International Union of Operating Engineers death benefit listing were analyzed to determine if there were conditions occurring with unusual frequency that might be indicative of hazardous conditions in the work environment. The most striking finding was a three-fold excess of fatal accidents occurring at places other than the home or resident institution. The increased risk was evident in each of four regions of the country and at all ages under 65. Significant excesses in deaths from lung cancer and intestinal cancer were seen also. Comparative mortality from lung cancer was directly related to age, with the greatest increase (two-fold) occurring after age 75. There was no evidence of a greater than expected frequency of deaths from non-malignant respiratory disease among operating engineers.

Earlier proportional mortality studies of workers in a plastics producing plant in Massachusetts indicated excess mortality from certain digestive and genitourinary cancers. To more definitively examine mortality among these workers a retrospective cohort study was conducted for 2,490 male wage earners who worked at least one year during 1949-1966. Vital status was determined as of Dec. 31, 1976, for 99.7% of the cohort and death certificates were obtained for 98.0% of 603 observed deaths. Comparison with the local county white males revealed a slight excess in digestive system cancer (standard mortality ratio [SMR] = 101.8) and a statistically significant excess (p less than .05) in genitourinary cancer (SMR = 153.6). A relationship was suggested between cancer of the rectum, liver, and pancreas and both the duration and interval from onset of exposure. A secondary matched case-control study was conducted to determine if particular jobs or work areas were related to the excesses found in the primary study. This analysis did not support the hypothesis that digestive or genitourinary cancer was related to a general plant exposure or date of hire. Possible associations warranting continued surveillance were found between rectal cancer and cellulose nitrate production and between prostatic cancer and polystyrene processing. Digestive and genitourinary cancers other than rectal and prostate were not related to employment in any of 21 occupational exposure categories examined.

A cross-sectional mortality study of 4,341 deaths occurring among current and former employees of 17 PVC fabricators during 1964-1973 is presented. The objectives are: (1) to identify any angiosarcoma deaths among the employees of these fabricators, and (2) to examine the distribution of deaths by cause. No angiosarcoma deaths were found among the study group. Sex-race-cause-specific Proportionate mortality Ratios (PMR's) were computed, using the corresponding U.S. mortality as the standard. Among white employees, there appears to be an excess in total cancer mortality, particularly that of the digestive system. Observed deaths were found to exceed the expected in cancers of the breast and urinary organs among white females. Deficit mortality was observed in cirrhosis of liver among both male and female white employees.