E Clare Harris1, Keith T Palmer1, Vanessa Cox1, Andrew Darnton2, John Osman3, David Coggon1. 1. MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. 2. Statistics and Epidemiology Unit, Science Directorate, Health and Safety Executive, UK. 3. Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To monitor the impact of health and safety provisions and inform future preventive strategies, we investigated trends in mortality from established occupational hazards in England and Wales. METHODS: We analysed data from death certificates on underlying cause of death and last full-time occupation for 3 688 916 deaths among men aged 20-74 years in England and Wales during 1979-2010 (excluding 1981 when records were incomplete). Proportional mortality ratios (PMRs), standardised for age and social class, were calculated for occupations at risk of specified hazards. Observed and expected numbers of deaths for each hazard were summed across occupations, and the differences summarised as average annual excesses. RESULTS: Excess mortality declined substantially for most hazards. For example, the annual excess of deaths from chronic bronchitis and emphysema fell from 170.7 during 1979-1990 to 36.0 in 2001-2010, and that for deaths from injury and poisoning from 237.0 to 87.5. In many cases, the improvements were associated with falling PMRs (suggesting safer working practices), but they also reflected reductions in the numbers of men employed in more hazardous jobs, and declining mortality from some diseases across the whole population. Notable exceptions to the general improvement were diseases caused by asbestos, especially in some construction trades and sinonasal cancer in woodworkers. CONCLUSIONS: The highest priority for future prevention of work-related fatalities is the minority of occupational disorders for which excess mortality remains static or is increasing, in particular asbestos-related disease among certain occupations in the construction industry and sinonasal cancer in woodworkers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/
OBJECTIVES: To monitor the impact of health and safety provisions and inform future preventive strategies, we investigated trends in mortality from established occupational hazards in England and Wales. METHODS: We analysed data from death certificates on underlying cause of death and last full-time occupation for 3 688 916 deaths among men aged 20-74 years in England and Wales during 1979-2010 (excluding 1981 when records were incomplete). Proportional mortality ratios (PMRs), standardised for age and social class, were calculated for occupations at risk of specified hazards. Observed and expected numbers of deaths for each hazard were summed across occupations, and the differences summarised as average annual excesses. RESULTS: Excess mortality declined substantially for most hazards. For example, the annual excess of deaths from chronic bronchitis and emphysema fell from 170.7 during 1979-1990 to 36.0 in 2001-2010, and that for deaths from injury and poisoning from 237.0 to 87.5. In many cases, the improvements were associated with falling PMRs (suggesting safer working practices), but they also reflected reductions in the numbers of men employed in more hazardous jobs, and declining mortality from some diseases across the whole population. Notable exceptions to the general improvement were diseases caused by asbestos, especially in some construction trades and sinonasal cancer in woodworkers. CONCLUSIONS: The highest priority for future prevention of work-related fatalities is the minority of occupational disorders for which excess mortality remains static or is increasing, in particular asbestos-related disease among certain occupations in the construction industry and sinonasal cancer in woodworkers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/
Authors: Nick Glozier; Geoffrey H Tofler; David M Colquhoun; Stephen J Bunker; David M Clarke; David L Hare; Ian B Hickie; James Tatoulis; David R Thompson; Alison Wilson; Maree G Branagan Journal: Med J Aust Date: 2013-08-05 Impact factor: 7.738
Authors: Manav V Vyas; Amit X Garg; Arthur V Iansavichus; John Costella; Allan Donner; Lars E Laugsand; Imre Janszky; Marko Mrkobrada; Grace Parraga; Daniel G Hackam Journal: BMJ Date: 2012-07-26
Authors: E Clare Harris; Keith T Palmer; Vanessa Cox; Andrew Darnton; John Osman; David Coggon Journal: Occup Med (Lond) Date: 2017-06-20 Impact factor: 1.611
Authors: Sophie Witter; Justine Namakula; Alvaro Alonso-Garbayo; Haja Wurie; Sally Theobald; Wilson Mashange; Bandeth Ros; Stephen Buzuzi; Richard Mangwi; Tim Martineau Journal: Health Policy Plan Date: 2017-05-01 Impact factor: 3.344
Authors: Paul D Blanc; Isabella Annesi-Maesano; John R Balmes; Kristin J Cummings; David Fishwick; David Miedinger; Nicola Murgia; Rajen N Naidoo; Carl J Reynolds; Torben Sigsgaard; Kjell Torén; Denis Vinnikov; Carrie A Redlich Journal: Am J Respir Crit Care Med Date: 2019-06-01 Impact factor: 21.405