PROPORTIONATE MORTALITY AMONG UNIONIZED CONSTRUCTION OPERATING ENGINEERS

This report presents the results of proportionate mortality ratios (PM R) and proportionate cancer mortality ratios (PCMR) among 15,843 membe rs of the international Union of Operating Engineers who had died betw een 1988-1993. Operating engineers represent one of the 15 unions in t he Building and Construction Trades Department and are responsible for the operation and maintenance of heavy earthmoving equipment used in the construction for buildings, bridges, roads, and other facilities. Using U.S. proportionate cancer mortality as the referent, statistical ly significant elevated mortality was observed for cancers of the lung (PCMR = 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09-1.19) and bone (PCM R = 2.14, CI = 1.19-3.52). Using US. proportionate mortality as the re ferent, statistically significant elevated mortality was observed for other benign and unspecified neoplasms (PMR = 1.54, CI = 1.09-2.13), e mphysema (PMR = 1.37, CI = 1.20-1.55), other injuries (PMR = 1.43, CI = 1.20-1.70) (which included crushing under/in machinery, tractor roll over, run over by crane), and suicide (PMR = 1.22, CI = 1.06-1.40). Th e PMR for leukemia and aleukemia (PMR = 1.19, CI = 1.02-1.37), but not the PCMR (1.07, CI = 0.92-1.24), was also significantly elevated. Som e of the occupational exposures that may have contributed to these exc esses include diesel exhaust, asphalt and welding fumes, silica dust, ionizing radiation, and coal tar pitch. The present study underscores the need to control airborne exposures to these substances and for inj ury prevention efforts aimed at operating engineers in the constructio n industry. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.