Construction workers are more likely to die from COPD compared to workers in other industries.
That’s according to a study, “COPD Mortality Among Workers in the Construction Industry, by Occupation: 2021-2022,” published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The Workers Health and Safety Centre (WHSC) in Ontario, Canada, issued a news release on the study, which was conducted by researchers from the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) using data from the 2021-2022 U.S. National Vital Statistics System.
Approximately 10% of the subjects analyzed after their deaths were employed by the construction industry for most of their lives. Of those, 11.6% had COPD listed as the underlying or contributing cause of death. Construction workers had 1.31 times the odds of COPD deaths compared with a reference group of office and administrative workers.
Within construction occupation groups, the occupations most likely to die from COPD included:
- Roofers
- Drywall installers
- Ceiling tile installers and tapers
- Painters
- Paper hangers
- Pipelayers
- Plasterers and stucco masons
- Insulation workers
The researchers wrote that these disparities could be addressed by reducing COPD risk factors in construction work. These include cigarette smoking and COPD-related workplace exposures.
A similar study published by Canada’s Occupational Cancer Research Centre in 2024 found elevated risks of developing COPD in both males and females in the construction sector. The Canadian researchers cited many of the same respiratory health hazards as the NIOSH researchers. They also added a few to the list, including:
- Pesticides
- Solvents
- Disinfectants
- Biological aerosols
- Airborne endotoxins
- Farm dust
- Cotton dust
The NIOSH researchers said that hazardous exposures must be eliminated or limited and workplaces should make personal protective equipment the last line of defense against COPD. WHSC added that access to quality training can help equip everyone in the workplace with the knowledge and tools to pursue prevention.
