Table 4

PRs and 95% CIs of COPD risk spirometry defined as FEV₁/FVC<LLN for exposure to current job codified as seven-digit SOC code 2000 within each of the four-digit SOC codes for 14 occupations associated with a significant increased COPD risk, in the UK Biobank study (n=228 614)

SOC code four-digit, seven-digit	Occupations and job titles	Healthy exposed	Cases exposed	PR	95% CI
8217	Seafarers; barge, lighter and boat operatives
8122	Coal mine operatives	13	5	2.30	1.00	5.31
9132	Industrial cleaning process occupations	34	10	1.96	1.16	3.31
5313	Roofers, roof tilers and slaters
5313004	Contractor, roofing	23	6	2.70	1.41	5.13
5313018	Roofer	33	9	1.95	1.05	3.60
9134	Packers, bottlers, canners, fillers
9134127	Packer	50	10	1.84	1.05	3.22
9134174	Packer factory	23	5	1.73	0.80	3.74
5112	Horticultural trades	84	14	1.55	0.97	2.50
8111	Food, drink and tobacco process operatives
8111002	Bakery, assistant	35	10	2.61	1.46	4.68
9233	Cleaners, domestics
9233037	Cleaner, canteen	10	5	3.72	1.93	7.18
9233120	Supervisor, cleaning	39	10	2.10	1.18	3.58
9233072	Domestic, hospital	48	10	1.61	0.96	2.70
9233073	Domestic	100	20	1.60	1.08	2.38
9233020	Cleaner	790	147	1.52	1.30	1.78
5322	Floorers and wall tilers
5322008	Fitter, carpet	33	10	2.04	1.19	3.50
5322068	Tiler, ceramic	27	5	1.66	0.73	3.75
8114	Chemical and related process operatives	218	29	1.39	0.98	1.97
9211	Postal workers, mail sorters, messengers, couriers
9211056	Postman	408	61	1.51	1.18	1.93
9121	Labourers in building and woodworking trades
9121024	Handyman, not elsewhere classified	24	7	3.04	1.65	5.62
9121100	Worker, ground (building and contracting)	20	6	2.20	1.21	4.02
9121029	Labourer (building and contracting)	26	5	1.86	0.85	4.05
9121061	Man, maintenance	14	5	1.66	0.75	3.66
9244	School mid-day assistants	363	52	1.32	1.01	1.74
9223	Kitchen and catering assistants
9223123	Porter, kitchen	17	6	2.73	1.31	5.66
9223001	Assistant, catering	58	15	1.94	1.18	3.21
9223019	Assistant, kitchen	161	28	1.62	1.17	2.24

PRs and 95% CIs for exposure to each seven-digit SOC code and COPD risk (defined as FEV₁/FVC<LLN) were calculated by using a Poisson model with robust variance adjusted for sex, study centre (22 categories), age (5 years categories) and lifetime smoking exposure (ever, pack-years and years since quitting). Reference category: current workers not employed in the specific seven-digit SOC-coded job tested. In bold: occupations including detailed job titles significantly associated with COPD risk. Healthy=non COPD cases.
COPPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; LLN, lower limit of normal; PR, prevalence ratio; SOC, Standard Occupational Classification.