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Retrospective cohort study of a microelectronics and business machine facility
Sharon R Silver1, Lynne E Pinkerton, Donald A Fleming
1Division of Surveillance, Hazard Assessment and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
|December 31, 2013
Summary
This study of microelectronics workers found few significant health risks, but elevated risks for non-Hodgkin
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
- Environmental Health
Background:
- A cohort of 34,494 workers from a microelectronics and business machine facility was studied.
- Employment spanned from 1969 to 2001.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine health outcomes in a large cohort of workers in the microelectronics industry.
- To investigate potential links between occupational exposures and specific diseases.
Main Methods:
- Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMR) and Standardized Incidence Ratios were calculated.
- Cox regression modeling was used to assess exposure-outcome relationships.
Main Results:
- Overall mortality and cancer incidence showed statistically significant deficits.
- Elevated SMRs for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and rectal cancer were noted in hourly males.
- Excess testicular cancer incidence in salaried males and associations between tetrachloroethylene exposure and nervous system diseases were observed.
Conclusions:
- While few direct exposure-outcome links were identified, occupational risks cannot be excluded due to data limitations.
- The cohort's relative youth may also impact observed health outcomes.
