Studies of the Scottish oil shale industry. Vol.1: A Socio – historical study of Scottish shale mining communities in Mid- and West Lothian, Final report on US Department of Energy Agreement no.DE-AC02-84ER66199

An oral history of life in the first half of the twentieth century in the shale mining communities of Mid and West Lothian, Scotland provided background information needed for a mortality study of these communities where the Scottish shale oil industry was located until 1963. Thirty-two semi-structured interviews with 41 old people provide a detailed socio-historical picture of life in an area dominated by this industry. Much of the information is preHousing conditions and perceptions of pollution are described. Details of working conditions, jobs and wages, focussing in particular on the shale industry, suggest that until the early 1920s shale workers were financially well off compared with workers elsewhere. Comparative wage levels then deteriorated until 1939. Women’s activities, roles, domestic and work positions indicate that although women had little exposure to industrial hazards in the workplace, their standard of living was very low and they had to work extremely hard. Health and health care, diet, smoking and drinking habits, leisure and migrations are other factors which could affect mortality patterns.sented using quotations from the interviews.Comparisons with contemporary studies show that, although the shale communities were poor with bad living conditions compared to today, there is no evidence that they were any worse off than contemporary working class communities, and thus no reason to expect that overall mortality levels should be raised. “”