Premium
A cohort mortality study among cobalt and sodium workers in an electrochemical plant
Author(s) -
Mur J. M.,
Moulin J. J.,
CharruyerSeinerra M. P.,
Lafitte J.
Publication year - 1987
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.4700110108
Subject(s) - medicine , cohort , cohort study , cobalt , occupational exposure , occupational medicine , environmental health , metallurgy , materials science
We have studied the mortality between 1950 and 1980 of a cohort of 1,143 workers in an electrochemical plant producing cobalt and sodium. The mortality of the whole cohort is significantly lower than in the French population for all causes of death (SMR = 0.77), and especially for deaths from circulatory system diseases (SMR = 0.59). However, among cobalt production workers, there is a relative over‐mortality, especially from lung cancers (SMR = 4.66, 4 cases). The relationship between cobalt production and lung cancer mortality was supported by a case‐control study nested in the cohort study. The authenticity of the occupational origin of this risk could not be established due to the low number of cases and because the role of tobacco consumption could not be taken into account. Other studies should be carried out in plants producing or using cobalt.