Proportionate mortality study of workers in the garment industry exposed to formaldehyde

Journal Article · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1984 · Am. J. Ind. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700070305· OSTI ID:5404917

Stayner, L; Smith, A B; Reeve, G; Blade, L; Elliott, L; Keenlyside, R; Halperin, W

In order to evaluate the human carcinogenicity of formaldehyde, the authors conducted a proportionate mortality study of garment workers engaged in the production of shirts from formaldehyde-treated cloth. This study included three plants, and was based upon 256 deaths identified from a death-benefit insurance fund. No deaths due to nasal cancer were observed, and the mortality from respiratory cancer (11 cases, PMR = 95) was slightly less than expected. Statistically significant (p less than . 05) elevations in proportionate mortality were observed for malignant neoplasms of the ''buccal cavity'' (three cases, PMR = 750), for ''biliary passages and liver'' (four cases, PMR = 313) and for ''other lymphatic and hematopoietic sites'' (four cases, PMR = 400). A proportionate cancer mortality (PCMR) analysis also was conducted, and cancer of the ''buccal cavity'' (three cases, PCMR = 682), and other ''lymphatic and hematopoietic sites'' (four cases, PCMR = 342) were still significantly elevated. The observed excesses in cancer mortality were primarily experienced by white females, who made up the major portion of the workforce, and workers with more than 10 years of latency and duration of exposure, a criterion for inclusion for most workers in the study group. The neoplasms observed were not equally distributed among the three facilities included in the study. Because of the small number of deaths involved and the lack of consistency with other studies, the authors believe that these findings should be viewed cautiously, pending the outcome of more definitive studies.

• Research Organization: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH
• OSTI ID: 5404917
• Journal Information: Am. J. Ind. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. J. Ind. Med.; (United States) Vol. 7:3; ISSN AJIMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALDEHYDES
BILIARY TRACT
BODY
BODY AREAS
CARCINOGENS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
FACE
FORMALDEHYDE
GLANDS
HAZARDS
HEAD
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEMATOPOIETIC SYSTEM
INDUSTRY
INSURANCE
LIVER
MORTALITY
NEOPLASMS
NOSE
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORAL CAVITY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PERSONNEL
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SEX DEPENDENCE
TEXTILE INDUSTRY
TIME DEPENDENCE
TOXICITY