Mortality of mastic asphalt workers.

This study was conducted to investigate the adverse health effects of exposure to bitumen fumes. A cohort of 679 mastic asphalt workers was followed from 1959 to 10 June 1986, during this period 169 deaths occurred. The overall standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was 163 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 141-190), the SMR was 225 (95% CI 172-288) for cancer and 223 (95% CI 130-358) for external causes. Among persons aged 40 to 89 years, significant increases were seen for lung cancer (SMR 290, 95% CI 188-429), nonpulmonary cancer (SMR 200, 95% CI 141-276), and liver cirrhosis (SMR 467, 95% CI 188-962). Bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma also occurred in excess (SMR 207, 95% CI 95-393). In conclusion, the inhalation of bitumen fumes may have contributed to the elevated mortality from cancer and respiratory diseases among mastic asphalt workers.

[1]  E. S. Hansen,et al.  Cancer mortality in the asphalt industry: a ten year follow up of an occupational cohort. , 1989, British journal of industrial medicine.

[2]  E. S. Hansen.  Cancer incidence in an occupational cohort exposed to bitumen fumes. , 1989, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[3]  O. Axelson.  Aspects on confounding in occupational health epidemiology. , 1978, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[4]  A. McMichael.  Standardized mortality ratios and the "healthy worker effect": Scratching beneath the surface. , 1976, Journal of occupational medicine. : official publication of the Industrial Medical Association.

[5]  S. Monarca,et al.  Urinary excretion of mutagens, thioethers and d-glucaric acid in workers exposed to bitumen fumes , 1989, International archives of occupational and environmental health.

[6]  I J Selikoff,et al.  INHALATION OF BENZPYRENE AND CANCER IN MAN , 1976, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.