Causes of death among workers in a bearing manufacturing plant.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Maizlish NA ; Mirer FE ; Park RM ; Silverstein MA ; Wegman, David H.
• Description:
  A study of mortality in workers in a ball bearing manufacturing factory (SIC-3562) was conducted. The study originated out of union concern over lung cancer resulting from exposure to cutting fluids. The cohort consisted of 702 hourly employees at a ball bearing factory in New Britain, Connecticut, with 10 or more years' service who died between January 1, 1969 and January 31, 1982. Death certificates were reviewed. Job histories were constructed from death benefit and pension files of the company and local union. The data were analyzed in terms of exposure to straight oil cutting fluids (comprehensive or restricted primarily to machining and grinding), water based cutting fluids (comprehensive or restricted only to machining and grinding), inorganic dusts, and other physical factors. Standardized proportional mortality analyses were performed for 565 white male and 116 white female deaths. Proportional mortality for stomach cancer and rectal cancer was significantly elevated in white males. Proportional mortality for stomach cancer was nonsignificantly elevated in white females. Males involved in grinding operations contributed the excess mortality from stomach cancer. Nonsignificant excesses in deaths from lung cancer occurred in both males and females. Three of four cases of death from malignant mesothelioma occurred in males in grinding or machining operations. Mortality from mental, psychoneurotic, and personality disorders and stroke was also significantly elevated. Applying the principles of case/control analysis showed that the deaths from stomach cancer were significantly associated with grinding and using water based cutting fluids. Lung cancer in white males was nonsignificantly associated with employment in forge and heat treatment jobs. Lung cancer in white females was significantly associated with grinding. The authors conclude that a significant increase in mortality from stomach cancer is present in the study population. The increase is associated with precision grinding done primarily with water based cutting oils. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Digestive System Digestive System Diseases Epidemiology Lung Lung Diseases Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Mortality Neoplasms Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Abrasives Contract-210-81-5104 Cutting-oils Cutting Fluids Forging Grinding Industrial-factory-workers Lung-cancer Lung Cancer Machining Fluids Mortality-rates Mortality-surveys NIOSH-Contract NIOSH-Publication Occupational-exposure Risk-analysis Risk-factors Stomach-cancer Stomach Cancer

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• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Contract
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Connecticut ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  13
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00180905
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 1988 May; 13(5):569-580
• Contact Point Address:
  Robert Park, UAW Health and Safety Department. 8000 East Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, MI 48214
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1988
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3562 - Ball and roller bearings - (SIC)
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1ac96676542489d59d85dcdbeefe01d8fdaaeaca2180e7f4d202ca1fa533b9f278d1d78823c1aceb48fa76b7c84e9b5cef4107e68b98eb0ff9448bbfc471ac69
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/185567/cdc_185567_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 769.42 KB ]