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Mortality of older construction and craft workers employed at department of energy (DOE) nuclear sites
Author(s) -
Dement John M.,
Ringen Knut,
Welch Laura S.,
Bingham Eula,
Quinn Patricia
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.20729
Subject(s) - medicine , hanford site , cohort , lung cancer , cohort study , environmental health , demography , radioactive waste , chemistry , sociology , nuclear chemistry
Background The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) established medical screening programs at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Oak Ridge Reservation, the Savannah River Site, and the Amchitka site starting in 1996. Workers participating in these programs have been followed to determine their vital status and mortality experience through December 31, 2004. Methods A cohort of 8,976 former construction workers from Hanford, Savannah River, Oak Ridge, and Amchitka was followed using the National Death Index through December 31, 2004, to ascertain vital status and causes of death. Cause‐specific standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated based on US death rates. Results Six hundred and seventy‐four deaths occurred in this cohort and overall mortality was slightly less than expected (SMR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.86–1.01), indicating a “healthy worker effect.” However, significantly excess mortality was observed for all cancers (SMR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.13–1.45), lung cancer (SMR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.24–1.87), mesothelioma (SMR = 5.93, 95% CI = 2.56–11.68), and asbestosis (SMR = 33.89, 95% CI = 18.03–57.95). Non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma was in excess at Oak Ridge and multiple myeloma was in excess at Hanford. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was significantly elevated among workers at the Savannah River Site (SMR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.02–3.29). Conclusions DOE construction workers at these four sites were found to have significantly excess risk for combined cancer sites included in the Department of Labor' Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOCIPA). Asbestos‐related cancers were significantly elevated. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:671–682, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.