Mortality among workers at a uranium processing facility, the Linde Air Products Company Ceramics Plant, 1943-1949

Abstract

A retrospective cohort mortality study of 995 white males employed more than 30 d at a uranium processing facility in upstate New York between 1943 and 1949 investigated the association between excess observed deaths and long-term occupational exposure via inhalation to uranium compounds. Two comparison groups were used, the white male population of the United States and the white male population in the New York counties of Erie and Niagara. The vital status determination was 94.3% complete through 31 December 1979. With the use of the national comparison group, statistically significantly increased standardized mortality ratio (SMR) values were observed for all causes (SMR 118), laryngeal cancer (SMR 447), all circulatory diseases (SMR 118), arteriosclerotic heart disease (SMR 119), all respiratory diseases (SMR 152), and pneumonia (SMR 217). Site-specific outcomes of special interest with a statistically increased number of deaths above expected were laryngeal cancer (observed 5) and pneumonia (observed 17). No association was found with length of employment or work in the most hazardous areas of the plant. The comparison with regional rates gave similar results.