Mortality in a group of tar distillery workers and roofers

Abstract

Objective: A retrospective cohort mortality study was conducted to assess long-term health risk in a group of tar distillery workers and roofers in order to investigate the existence of carcinogenic effects related to the occupational exposures.

Methods: The study population consisted of 907 tar distillery workers and 866 roofers, employed at least one half-year between January 1947 and January 1980. This group was followed for mortality until January 1988. For the deceased workers the cause of death was provided by the Central Bureau of Statistics. The observed cause-specific mortality was compared with the expected cause-specific mortality calculated by means of the national mortality rates of The Netherlands.

Results: Mortality from cancer of the lungs and trachea was higher than expected in both groups, but not statistically significant. In addition the roofers had experienced an excess mortality rate from external causes.

Conclusions: The study provides some additional support for the carcinogenicity of coal tar exposures, but the findings were not statistically significant.