Proportionate mortality among unionized roofers and waterproofers.
BACKGROUND
The United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers (UURWAW) is one of the 15 building and construction trades departments in the AFL-CIO. The U.S. roofing industry, including both roofing and waterproofing applications, both unionized and nonunionized, comprises about 25,000 firms, employing approximately 300,000 people, about 200,000 of whom are involved in the application of roofs. The specific toxins to which roofers may be exposed at the job site include, among others, bitumens (asphalt and/or coal tar pitch) as well as asbestos and fiberglass from roof removal operations. Excess deaths from occupational injuries are also of concern.


METHODS
This study evaluated causes of mortality among 11,144 members of the UURWAW. Age-adjusted proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) were computed with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using U.S. age-, gender-, and race-specific proportional mortality rates for the years of the study, 1950-1996.


RESULTS
Statistically significant increased PMRs were found for all injuries (PMR = 142, CI = 134-150), especially falls (PMR = 464, CI = 419-513) and other injuries (PMR = 121, CI = 107-137), cancers of the lung (PMR = 139, CI = 131-148), bladder (PMR = 138, CI = 111-170), esophagus (PMR = 134, CI = 107-166), larynx (PMR = 145, CI = 106-193), and cancers of other and unspecified sites (PMR = 130, CI = 112-149), pneumoconioses and other nonmalignant respiratory diseases (PMR = 115, CI = 103-128), and homicides (PMR = 153, CI = 135-172). The occupational exposures which may have contributed to the excess risks of malignant and nonmalignant respiratory diseases include, among others, asphalt fumes, coal tar pitch volatiles and asbestos; however, cigarette smoking must also be considered a contributing factor.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study underscores the need to control airborne exposures to hazardous substances and especially to examine fall prevention efforts within the roofing industry. Am. J. Ind. Med. 37:478-492, 2000. Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Stern
F B
FB
Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, USA. FBS1@CDC.GOV
Ruder
A M
AM
Chen
G
G
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000401:mortality; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003033:Coal Tar / Q000009:adverse effects; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000009:adverse effects; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005898:Glass; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000009:adverse effects; D007750:Labor Unions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000401:mortality; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D044469:Racial Groups; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality
D006838:Hydrocarbons; C009753:fiberglass; D001194:Asbestos; D003033:Coal Tar; C006647:asphalt