Dangerous and cancer-causing properties of products and chemicals in the oil refining and petrochemical industry: Part 5--Asbestos-caused cancers and exposure of workers in the oil refining industry

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Toxicology and Industrial Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/074823379100700103· OSTI ID:5433856

Mehlman, M A ^[1]

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1. UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical Group, Environmental and Community Medicine, Piscataway, NJ (USA)

In the oil refining and petrochemical industries exposure to cancer-causing asbestos particles, especially during equipment repair and maintenance, is very high. Up to 90% of workers in the oil refining industry had direct and/or indirect contact with asbestos, and more than half of this contact occurred without the use of any kind of precaution, thus these workers are in high risk of developing lung cancer and mesothelioma, both fatal diseases. The hazards include: inadequate health and safety training for both company personnel and workers, failure to inform about the dangers and diseases (cancers) resulting from exposure to asbestos; excessive use of large numbers of untrained and uninformed contract workers; lack of use of protective equipment; and archaeological approaches and responses to repairing asbestos breaks and replacement of asbestos in oil refining facilities. For a better understanding of practices and policies in the oil refining industry, refer to Rachel Scott's Muscle and Blood, in particular the chapter Oil (E.P. Dutton, New York, 1974), as well as to an editorial which appeared in the Oil and Gas Journal, April, 1968.

• OSTI ID: 5433856
• Journal Information: Toxicology and Industrial Health; (United States), Vol. 7:1-2; ISSN 0748-2337
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASBESTOS
CARCINOGENESIS
PETROLEUM
HEALTH HAZARDS
NEOPLASMS
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
RISK ASSESSMENT
DISEASES
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HAZARDS
INDUSTRY
PATHOGENESIS
020600* - Petroleum- Health & Safety
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology