Mortality experience at a hydrometallurgical nickel refinery in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta between 1954 and 1984

The mortality experience of 716 male hydrometallurgical nickel refinery employees who worked at Sherritt Gordon Limited in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta for at least 12 continuous months during the years 1954 to 1978 was examined. Mortality ascertainment was obtained utilizing the Canadian Mortality Data Base maintained by Statistics Canada and covered the years 1954 through 1984. Cause-specific mortality analyses were accomplished using male, age and calendar-year adjusted death rates for Canada and the province of Alberta. Total mortality was significantly below expectation (27 observed vs. 47 expected). Statistically significant fewer observed deaths were found for circulatory disease while multiple myeloma demonstrated a statistically significant increase of observed deaths. No deaths due to nasal cavity or paranasal sinus cancer were detected. Only one lung cancer death was found with three deaths expected (SMR 33). No association was found in this study between exposure to nickel concentrate or metallic nickel and the subsequent development of respiratory cancer.