Table 1

Key cohort characteristics and their exposure (based on arithmetic mean monthly concentration per sampling point)

No of workers in cohortProfessionally exposed
No of workers in cohort professionally exposed (%)Median work duration in professionally exposed jobs (years)Median cumulative dust exposure (mg/m3 years)Median cumulative fibre exposure (fibre/cm3 years)Median average dust exposure intensity (mg/m3)Median average fibre exposure intensity (fibre/cm3)
Gender
 Men22 46320 665 (92)9.331.4 (0.01–1641.4)19.3 (0.01–408.1)3 (0.4–100)1.8 (0.4–32.0)
 Women13 3749783 (73)10.949.4 (0.01–1184.4)32.9 (0.01–399.8)4.5 (0.1–100)3.1 (0.1–43.2)
Birth cohort category
 <193036102902 (80)18.888.2 (0.06–1641.4)42 (0.01–399.8)4.5 (1.2–100)1.8 (0.6–43.2)
 1930–193962265547 (89)20.292.1 (0.04–1078.1)50.5 (0.03–408.1)4.6 (0.7–100.0)2.2 (0.6–32)
 1940–194951904510 (87)13.254.1 (0.02–718.1)34.4 (0.01–220.3)3.6 (0.5–29.8)2.1 (0.4–11.9)
 1950–195988837468 (84)8.227.7 (0.01–409.2)18.1 (0.01–178.4)3.1 (0.2–28.3)1.9 (0.–11)
 1960–196959795020 (84)5.718.2 (0.01–364)12.2 (0.01–165)2.9 (0.1–30.1)1.9 (0.2–9.4)
 1970 on59495001 (84)4.113.4 (0.01–270.7)8.9 (0.01–116.8)3.0 (0.1–27.7)1.9 (0.1–12)
Year of first job period
 1930–195534363268 (95)25.1118.5 (0.12–1641.4)54.1 (0.01–408.1)5.5 (1.5–100)1.8 (1–43.2)
 1955–196449384611 (93)2090.4 (0.07–940.4)49.9 (0.04–296.3)4.6 (0.7–54.6)2.2 (0.6–16.2)
 1965–197472196331 (88)12.248.7 (0.02–392.2)31.8 (0.01–220.3)3.4 (0.5–24.3)2.0 (0.5–10.2)
 1975–198488577226 (82)722.5 (0.01–409.1)14.8 (0.01–165)3.1 (0.1–28.3)1.9 (0.2–10)
 1985–199460344784 (79)4.917.6 (0.01–328)11.2 (0.01–140.6)2.9 (0.1–30.1)1.9 (0.2–11)
 1995 on53534228 (79)4.113 (0.03–181.6)8.5 (0.02–95.6)2.9 (0.1–27.6)1.6 (0.1–12)
Work location
 FactoriesTotal10 1808984 (88)10.753.4 (0.04–1123.1)38 (0.03–408.1)5.3 (0.1–100)3.8 (0.1–43.2)
Men39743724 (94)10.150.3 (0.07–1123.1)35.2 (0.06–408.1)5.4 (0.2–86.4)3.8 (0.4–20.2)
Women62065260 (85)1154.8 (0.04–1044.2)39.3 (0.03–371.6)5.1 (0.1–100)3.7 (0.1–43.2)
 Mine/ external railTotal17 78114 076 (79)9.325.9 (0.01–1236.6)15.2 (0.01–96.2)2.8 (0.4–53.5)1.7 (0.4–2.4)
Men13 42911 987 (89)9.124.9 (0.01–1236.6)14.8 (0.01–96.2)2.8 (0.4–53.5)1.6 (0.4–2.4)
Women43522089 (48)10.732.0 (0.01–865.2)18 (0.01–92)3 (0.5–53.4)1.7 (0.6–2.4)
 BothTotal78767388 (94)9.741.4 (0.01–1641.4)26 (0.01–399.8)4.4 (0.1–100)2.7 (0.2–37.3)
Men50604954 (98)9.336.6 (0.07–1641.4)22.9 (0.03–318.8)4.2 (0.5–100)2.5 (0.5–37)
Women28162434 (86)10.550.1 (0.01–1184.4)33.6 (0.01–399.8)4.7 (0.1–100)3.2 (0.2–37.3)
Total35 83730 448 (85)9.937.2 (0.01–1641.4)23.4 (0.01–408.1)3.4 (0.1–100)1.9 (0.1–43.2)