The three major causes of worker deaths are cancer, accidental injury and heart disease, while the construction, fishing and agricultural industries have the highest mortality rates, a new study by the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health found.
The study found that cancer ranked first among the causes of death for both the overall population and the working population, while the second most common cause of death for workers was accidental injury, but for the general public it was heart disease.
Liver cancer, lung cancer and oral cancer were among most common, in that order. Liver and lung cancer mostly afflict workers in the construction and fishing industries, while oral cancer, which can be caused by chewing betel nuts, appears mostly in the transportation and construction sectors.
Many workers in these isectors are required to work long hours and use betel nuts or cigarettes to help them stay awake, the study said. In addition, many workers in the sectors have habits that could cause lung or liver cancer, such as drinking alcohol, smoking and staying up late at night or sleeping too little.
The study also shows that women who work in shifts and therefore suffer from interrupted sleeping patterns are at risk of low levels of urinary melatonin, which can contribute to high rates of breast cancer.
To lower the risk of breast cancer and other diseases that might be caused by irregular sleeping patterns, the study recommended employers minimize the adverse effects of 24-hour shifts by doing more to educate employees about improving sleep quality.
When compared across age groups, the most common cause of death in workers aged 20 to 34 was accidental injury, while cancer took the lead in all age groups over 35.
Although the major causes of death for workers was basically unchanged from 2007 to 2008, the mortality rate dropped.
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