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Mortality from brain cancer and leukaemia among electrical workers
concentrations within a range well below the commonly accepted legal limit of intoxication of 0.10 mgfdL. There was a highly significant increase (p < 0.0055) in an operator’s tendency to leave the raadway (an error that is frequently fatal for motorcyclists), as well as a reduction in ability to complete a timed course. Moreover, performance errors increased while operators were “sobering up,” a dramatic finding not heretofore established in previous studies. Since the present definition of the legal limit of intoxication for motorcyclists is based on automobile studies, noted increases in reaction time and performance errors support the hypothesis that “legal alcohol levels” should be lowered for motorcycle operators. Industrial Safety Mortality Leukaemia D. R Loomis of Industrial
from Brain Cancer and Among Electrical Workers, and D. A. Savitz. British Journal Medicine, 47(g), 633-638.
The relation of brain cancer and mortality from leukaemia lo electrical occupations was investigated in a case-control study based an all deaths in 1985 and 1986 in the 16 states in the United States that report occupational data from death certificates to the national vital statistics registry. The case series comprised all 2173 men who died of primary brain cancer (International Classification of Diseases-9 (ICD-( code 191) and all 3400 who died of leukaemia (ICD-9 codes 204-208). Each was matched with 10 controls who died of other causes in the same year. Men employed in any electrical occupation had age race adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 1*4 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1*1*1*7)for brain cancer and l*O (95% CI @8-1.2) for leukaemia, compared with men in all other occupations. Brain cancer odds ratios were larger for electrical engineers and technicians (OR 2.7, 95% CI 2.1 3*4), telephone workers (OR 1*6,95%CI l-l2*4), electric power workers (OR l-7, 95% CI l*l-2*7), and electrical workers in manufacturing industries (OR 2.1, 95% CI l-3-3~4). There was some evidence of excess leukaemia among the same groups (ORs of l=l- 1-S) Summer 1994Atdume 2S/Number
2
despite absence of an association for all electrical workers. The excess of deaths from brain cancer was concentrated among men aged 65 or older, whereas leukaemia was associated with electrical work only among younger decedents and those with acute lymphocytic leukaemia. These results from a large and geographi~~ly diverse ~oFulation corroborate reports of increased mortality from brain cancer among electrical workers, but gives only limited support to suggestions of excess deaths from leukaemia. Presence of Endotuxins in Different Agricultural ~n~~nrnen~* S. A. ~~enc~~ck, J. J. May, l3. 5’.Pratt, L. A. Placitella, and J. E. Parker. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, l&(3), 279-284. Gram-negative bacterial endotoxins are ~ont~inants of dust from agricultural products. They represent a potential health hazard for farmers working in many different processes. However, the occurrence endotoxins has not been well characterized in the various farming operations. therefore, two farming activities with potential for generating airborne endotoxins were studied: 1) chopping of baled corn stalks or straw for bedding in New York State, and 2) oat bin unloading in Alabama. Actual airborne endotoxin levels in dusts obtained during bedding chopper operations far exceeded f90 endotoxin units (EU)lm3] the level at which acute pulmonary function decrements occur in cotton dustexposed individuals. Endotoxin contamination of laboratory-generated dust from an oat sample likewise exceeded these levels. This study documents the presence of potentially hazardous exposures to endotoxins in two common farm processes, which expands the knowledge of airborne endotoxin exposures on the farm. Key words: Gram-negative bacteria, bedding chopping, oats, agricultural occupations, endotoxin exposures. Pesticide Illness Surveillance: Review of the National Pesticide IIazard Assessment Program. S, f, Wagner. A~e~~~~ Journal of ~~du~tr~alMedicina 18(3), 307-312. IX9
from Brain Cancer and Among Electrical Workers, and D. A. Savitz. British Journal Medicine, 47(g), 633-638.
The relation of brain cancer and mortality from leukaemia lo electrical occupations was investigated in a case-control study based an all deaths in 1985 and 1986 in the 16 states in the United States that report occupational data from death certificates to the national vital statistics registry. The case series comprised all 2173 men who died of primary brain cancer (International Classification of Diseases-9 (ICD-( code 191) and all 3400 who died of leukaemia (ICD-9 codes 204-208). Each was matched with 10 controls who died of other causes in the same year. Men employed in any electrical occupation had age race adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 1*4 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1*1*1*7)for brain cancer and l*O (95% CI @8-1.2) for leukaemia, compared with men in all other occupations. Brain cancer odds ratios were larger for electrical engineers and technicians (OR 2.7, 95% CI 2.1 3*4), telephone workers (OR 1*6,95%CI l-l2*4), electric power workers (OR l-7, 95% CI l*l-2*7), and electrical workers in manufacturing industries (OR 2.1, 95% CI l-3-3~4). There was some evidence of excess leukaemia among the same groups (ORs of l=l- 1-S) Summer 1994Atdume 2S/Number
2
despite absence of an association for all electrical workers. The excess of deaths from brain cancer was concentrated among men aged 65 or older, whereas leukaemia was associated with electrical work only among younger decedents and those with acute lymphocytic leukaemia. These results from a large and geographi~~ly diverse ~oFulation corroborate reports of increased mortality from brain cancer among electrical workers, but gives only limited support to suggestions of excess deaths from leukaemia. Presence of Endotuxins in Different Agricultural ~n~~nrnen~* S. A. ~~enc~~ck, J. J. May, l3. 5’.Pratt, L. A. Placitella, and J. E. Parker. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, l&(3), 279-284. Gram-negative bacterial endotoxins are ~ont~inants of dust from agricultural products. They represent a potential health hazard for farmers working in many different processes. However, the occurrence endotoxins has not been well characterized in the various farming operations. therefore, two farming activities with potential for generating airborne endotoxins were studied: 1) chopping of baled corn stalks or straw for bedding in New York State, and 2) oat bin unloading in Alabama. Actual airborne endotoxin levels in dusts obtained during bedding chopper operations far exceeded f90 endotoxin units (EU)lm3] the level at which acute pulmonary function decrements occur in cotton dustexposed individuals. Endotoxin contamination of laboratory-generated dust from an oat sample likewise exceeded these levels. This study documents the presence of potentially hazardous exposures to endotoxins in two common farm processes, which expands the knowledge of airborne endotoxin exposures on the farm. Key words: Gram-negative bacteria, bedding chopping, oats, agricultural occupations, endotoxin exposures. Pesticide Illness Surveillance: Review of the National Pesticide IIazard Assessment Program. S, f, Wagner. A~e~~~~ Journal of ~~du~tr~alMedicina 18(3), 307-312. IX9