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Background: Great Britain pioneered the use of asbestos and now has the highest mesothelioma incidence in the world. Dockyards were an important exposure source and environmental studies have shown strong associations with mesothelioma. Our aim was to assess whether there has been a geographical shift in the distribution of cases given the decline of shipbuilding and progressive exposure regulation. Methods: We compared spatial autocorrelation statistics (Moran’s I) for mesothelioma standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) at ward level for 2002-2008 and 2009-2015. Subsequently we measured the mean distance of the deceased’s postcode to the nearest dockyard at ward level using postcode centroid data provided by HSE and openstreetmap geodata. The coefficient of distance to dockyard for ward SMR was calculated using ordinary least squares regression for men and women, for the whole period, 2002-2008, and 2009-2015. Results: Moran’s I (p Conclusion: Moran’s I is lower for men in 2009-2015 than 2002-2008 suggesting mesothelioma deaths are becoming more dispersed but dockyards remain strongly spatially associated with mortality.

Background: Occupational hazards are important, preventable causes of COPD but the high-risk occupations are uncertain. In an analysis of current occupation in the UK Biobank cohort we reported 14 jobs of increased risk (De Matteis, S. et al. OEM 2016). Aims and Objectives: Our aim was to develop these findings using lifetime job-histories to identify occupations at increased COPD risk, taking into account potential confounders. Methods: We used OSCAR, an online tool that automatically codes full job-histories using the UK Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) v.2000 (De Matteis, S. et al. SJWEH 2016). In 2016 we administered OSCAR to all UK Biobank participants with an email address (n=324,653). All paid jobs of >6 months duration, were collated and coded. COPD was spirometry-defined as FEV1/FVC Results: Among 116,375 OSCAR-responders, we analysed the 94,551 with acceptable spirometry data and smoking information. Six occupations showed an increased risk of COPD confirmed by positive exposure-response trends, and in analyses restricted to never-smokers and never-asthmatics. In comparison with our findings for current occupation, some associations were confirmed (e.g. food/drink/tobacco processors: PR 1.70;95%CI:1.17-2.48) while others emerged (e.g. plastics processors: PR 1.86;95%CI:1.09-3.17; agriculture/fishing: PR 1.76;95%CI:1.22-2.55). Conclusions: In order to focus workplace preventive strategies, we are in the process of applying a job-exposure matrix to identify the underlying occupational respiratory hazards.