A COHORT MORTALITY STUDY OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

This report presents a mortality study among the 17,344 members of the Construction Workers' Health Insurance Society of Mie Prefecture in J apan. The study period was between 1973 and 1993. During this period, 480 members died Age-specific mortality rates of Mie Prefecture were u sed as comparison standards. Significantly elevated standardized morta lity ratio (SMR) and proportionate mortality ratio (PMR) were observed for ''accidents and adverse effects.'' In addition, the PMRs of all c ancers and ''cancers of trachea, bronchus and lung'' were also signifi cantly elevated. The job classifications were reorganized into three g roups, according to the frequency, of asbestos exposure the workers ex perienced on the construction sites. The asbestos exposure was based o n job classifications among 7,411 workers who had completed a self-adm inistered survey questionnaire. In the frequent-exposure group, the SM Rs were significantly elevated for all cancers. In the medium-exposure group, the SMRs were significantly elevated for all cancers and ''can cer of trachea, bronchus and lung.'' The PMR was significantly elevate d ''cancer of trachea, bronchus and lung.'' In the less-exposure group , the PMR was significantly elevated for ''accidents and adverse effec ts.'' This study provided support for the hypothesis that working in t he construction industry might be associated with high risks for asbes tos-associated cancers and accidental deaths. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc .