Mortality and industrial employment. II. Industries with high mortality among young workers based on a social security sample

Abstract

Goldsmith and Hirschberg have published a preliminary report on mortality among a sample of social security recipients employed in 1965 and whose mortality experience was available through 1972. Among white males, but not among blacks or white females, mortality was higher among those age 16-20 in 1965 than among those 21-25. Among the industrial populations tabulated, young workers showed in a few cases significantly elevated standard mortality ratios, even when overall mortality was not increased. Accordingly, we have examined mortality for 1960-72 for those employed in 1960 for all the industrial groups (two digit SIC codes) to look for industries in which young workers have high mortality. Only those industries have been considered in which observed deaths at ages 11-30 (in 1960) exceed 10 and population at risk exceeds 200. Young workers appear to have significantly elevated mortality in: agricultural production (white males), metal mining (white males), real estate (white males), military and reserves (white males), miscellaneous business services (white females), and eating and drinking establishments (white females). For such industries, preventive measures should be considered.