Table 3
Summary risk estimates in five occupational subgroups of foundry workers
| Occupational subgroup (reference number) | Effect measure | Effect estimate | 95% CI* | Number of cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *CI, confidence interval; SIR, standardised incidence ratio; SMR, standardised mortality ratio; PMR, proportional mortality ratio; RR, relative risk; SMOR, standardised mortality odds ratio, OR, odds ratio; SRE, summary risk estimate; Best SRE, summary risk estimate without results marked with †. | ||||
| †Studies removed from analysis for Best SRE. | ||||
| Moulders | ||||
| Moulders, oven, casters, crane, shake-out (10) | SIR* | 1.14† | 0.81 to 1.61 | 32 |
| Core room (10) | SIR | 1.02 | 0.28 to 2.61 | 4 |
| Moulder/coremaker (23) | SMR* | 1.72 | 0.79 to 3.27 | 9 |
| Skilled moulders (4) | SMR | 8.96† | 3.29 to 19.49 | 6 |
| Moulder/coremaker (26) | PMR* | 1.46 | 0.30 to 4.27 | 3 |
| Metal moulders (27) | PMR | 0.97 | 0.26 to 2.48 | 4 |
| Moulders (28) | RR* | 3.08 | 1.15 to 8.23 | 4 |
| Metal moulders (29) | sMOR* | 2.1 | 0.43 to 6.14 | 3 |
| Metal moulders (30) | PMR | 1.97 | 0.41 to 5.76 | 3 |
| Moulders (43) | OR* | 3.9 | 0.4 to 35 | 4 |
| Moulders (49) | OR | 0.8 | 0.2 to 2.4 | 5 |
| Metal moulder (36) | OR | 0.4 | 0.1 to 1.7 | 2 |
| SRE*: | 1.44 | 1.00 to 2.06 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.02 (11df) | ||||
| Best SRE*: | 1.47 | 0.99 to 2.2 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.52 (9df) | ||||
| Furnacemen, heaters | ||||
| Moulders, oven, casters, crane, shake-out (10) | SIR | 1.14† | 0.81 to 1.61 | 32 |
| Metal furnacemen (23) | SMR | 1.38 | 0.55 to 2.84 | 7 |
| Metal heaters (22) | PMR | 1.33 | 0.61 to 2.53 | 9 |
| Metal furnace workers (26) | PMR | 0.21 | 0 to 1.15 | 1 |
| Furnacemen/metal heaters (28) | RR | 0.71 | 0.1 to 5.09 | 1 |
| Metal heaters (35) | OR | 1.9 | 0.4 to 8.7 | 5 |
| Furnacemen, smeltermen, pourers (36) | OR | 0.6 | 0.1 to 2.2 | 3 |
| Melters/reheaters (43) | OR | 1.5 | 0.1 to 17 | 2 |
| Smelting furnacemen (43) | OR | 0.7 | 0.2 to 3.7 | 3 |
| Heaters (46) | OR | 3.0 | 0.3 to 29 | 3 |
| Heaters (smokers) (53) | OR | 8.4 | 0.77 to 92.2 | 2 |
| SRE: | 1.14 | 0.87 to 1.50 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.51 (10df) | ||||
| Best SRE: | 1.15 | 0.74 to 1.77 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.42 (9df) | ||||
| Rolling mill operators | ||||
| Forge, hammer, roller, finisher (22) | PMR | 1.01† | 0.7 to 1.42 | 33 |
| Rolling tube mill (23) | SMR | 0.24 | 0.01 to 1.34 | 1 |
| Other metal mill (26) | PMR | 1.26 | 0.54 to 2.48 | 8 |
| Rolling mill (28) | RR | 3.54 | 0.88 to 14.2 | 2 |
| Forge, hammer, roller finisher (35) | OR | 1.4† | 0.6 to 3.4 | 11 |
| Rolling mill (43) | OR | 0.6 | 0.1 to 3.7 | 2 |
| Drawers, extruders (43) | OR | 1.0 | 0.1 to 7.1 | 2 |
| Hot rollers (48) | OR | 0.8 | 0.3 to 2.2 | 10 |
| Mill machine operator (53) | OR | 1.1 | 0.3 to 4.4 | 3 |
| SRE: | 1.09 | 0.83 to 1.43 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.75 (8df) | ||||
| Best SRE: | 1.15 | 0.73 to 1.80 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.60 (6df) | ||||
| Casters | ||||
| Moulders, oven, casters, crane, shake-out (10) | SIR | 1.14† | 0.81 to 1.61 | 32 |
| Casters (43) | OR | 3.6 | 0.7 to 18 | 7 |
| Iron casters (32) | OR | 1.47 | 1.13 to 1.90 | 133 |
| Furnace/smelt/pourer (36) | OR | 0.6 | 0.1 to 2.2 | 3 |
| SRE: | 1.34 | 1.09 to 1.65 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.32 (3df) | ||||
| Best SRE: | 1.48 | 1.14 to 1.91 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.35 (2df) | ||||
| Fettlers and finishers | ||||
| Finishing (10) | SIR | 0.93 | 0.42 to 1.76 | 9 |
| File, polish, sand, buff (22) | PMR | 0.95 | 0.61 to 2.53 | 19 |
| Fettler, metal dresser (23) | SMR | 0.24 | 0.01 to 1.34 | 1 |
| Forge, hammer, roller, finish (35) | OR | 1.4† | 0.6 to 3.4 | 11 |
| SRE: | 0.99 | 0.70 to 1.41 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.69 (3df) | ||||
| Best SRE: | 0.93 | 0.63 to 1.36 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.70 (2df) | ||||
| General foundry labourers | ||||
| Unspecified foundry (10) | SIR | 2.83 | 1.14 to 5.84 | 7 |
| Unskilled foundry (13) | SMR | 1.41 | 0.86 to 2.17 | 19 |
| Labourer—foundry (23) | SMR | 1.15 | 0.42 to 2.52 | 6 |
| Foundry n.e.c. (29) | sMOR | 0.90 | 0.02 to 5.0 | 1 |
| Labourer (53) | OR | 0.9 | 0.3 to 2.8 | 4 |
| Best SRE: | 1.43 | 0.99 to 2.07 | ||
| Heterogeneity p=0.51 (4df) | ||||
