Occupational Health and Safety in the smelting and foundry industries in Mexico.

This paper reviews the epidemiological features of the accidents and illnesses in smelters and foundries affiliated with Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social for the year 1977. The accident rate per 100 workers was 26, which was second to mining among all industries listed; this rate is almost double that for all factories as a whole, and the accidents tended to be more severe. In contrast, there was little reporting of occupational illnesses in smelters and foundries. There were only 29 illnesses with 20 resulting in permanent disability and one in death. The most common occupational illnesses were: acoustic trauma (50%), industrial bronchitis (20%), siderosis (10%), chemical and physical conjunctivitis (5%), and miscellaneous including poisonings (15%).