Mortality Among North Carolina Construction Workers, 1988–1994

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dement, John M. ; Lipscomb H ; Wang E
• Description:
  This study evaluated proportionate mortality patterns among all male construction workers in North Carolina who resided and died in North Carolina during the period 1988-1994. Proportionate Mortality Ratios (PMRs) and Proportionate Cancer Mortality Ratios (PCMRs) compared the number of deaths among male construction workers with the number of deaths expected based on the gender, race, and cause-specific mortality experience of the entire North Carolina population by five-year age groups for the same years of study. PMRs based on United States death rates also were calculated. Among all male construction workers, significantly elevated mortality was observed for several causes possibly related to work including malignant neoplasms of buccal cavity (PMR = 143), pharynx (PMR = 134), and lung (PMR = 113), pneumoconiosis (PMR = 111), transportation accidents (PMR = 106), and accidental falls (PMR = 132). Elevated mortality also was observed for causes more related to lifestyle and non-occupational factors including alcoholism (PMR = 145), cirrhosis of the liver (PMR = 129), accidental poisoning (PMR = 136), and homicide (PMR = 141). Patterns of elevated mortality for Whites and Black men were similar and PCMR mortality patterns for Blacks and Whites combined were similar to PMRs. Construction workers were at significantly increased risk for deaths resulting from falls from ladders or scaffolds, falls from or out of buildings or structures, and electrocutions. Construction trades found to have statistically elevated cancer risks include laborers and roofers (buccal cavity), painters (pharynx), laborers (peritoneum), and carpenters, painters, brick masons, and operating engineers (lung). These data are consistent with other reports demonstrating excess mortality from asbestos-related diseases (pneumoconiosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma) among construction workers. Drywall workers and laborers were found to have a statistically elevated risk of death as a result of respiratory tuberculosis. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Asbestos Construction Industry Demography Epidemiology Inorganic Chemicals Lung Lung Diseases Mortality Neoplasms Occupational Health Race Factors Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Asbestos Cancer Cancer-rates Construction Construction-industry Construction-workers Construction Trades Demographic-characteristics Lung-cancer Mortality-data Mortality-rates Proportionate Cancer Mortality Ratio Proportionate Mortality Ratio Pulmonary-cancer Pulmonary-system-disorders Racial-factors Respiratory-system-disorders Statistical-analysis

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• ISSN:
  1047-322X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; North Carolina ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  45-58
• Volume:
  14
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20025785
• Citation:
  Appl Occup Environ Hyg 1999 Jan; 14(1):45-58
• Contact Point Address:
  Eileen Wang, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1999
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction
• Performing Organization:
  Center to Protect Workers' Rights
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19950701
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• End Date:
  20010630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8d7035676e85c7a961a9b309ae5d4e9335a84737d1eebc3964424e46930429cc9485d9a8ba5d9072945a1fa0407def399a08ad01f832e22be96ee8a6fb9ac2d2
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/197010/cdc_197010_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 414.62 KB ]