Cancer mortality study among French cement production workers.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the mortality and its causes, especially cancer, among French cement production workers.


METHODS
A cohort of all workers employed at least 1 year in one of the main four cement companies in France was assembled (9,118 workers, 122,124 person-years of follow-up between 1990 and 2005). A common job titles classification was used to analyse occupational risk factors. We conducted a standardized mortality ratio analysis based on age, gender and calendar-period-specific national mortality rates and explored the combined effect of job titles and duration through an internal Cox regression analysis.


RESULTS
The number of deaths during the follow-up period was 430 (4.7%). Malignant neoplasm was the cause of 48.1% of deaths. Overall, a deficit in all-causes mortality (standardized mortality ratio (SMR): 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61-0.74) and in cancer mortality (SMR: 0.80, CI 0.69-0.92) was observed. Working in the quarry, yard and shipping sectors was associated with a 50% higher all-causes mortality risk in comparison with the administrative sector.


CONCLUSIONS
This cohort study does not support previous observations that cement workers are at higher risk of cancer mortality than the general population. The length of follow-up should be increased, and specific exposures deserve analysis.
Dab
William
W
Hygiene and Safety Department, Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (French National Institute for Science, Technology, and Management), 292 Rue Saint-Martin, 75003 Paris, France. william.dab@cnam.fr
Rossignol
Michel
M
Luce
Danièle
D
Bénichou
Jacques
J
Marconi
Alain
A
Clément
Philippe
P
Aubier
Michel
M
Zmirou-Navier
Denis
D
Abenhaim
Lucien
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult