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.