Epidemiologic study of refinery and chemical plant workers

Journal Article · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5824606

Hanis, N M ^[1]; Holmes, T M; Shallenberger, L G; Jones, K E

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1. Exxon Corp., E. Millstone, NJ

A dynamic retrospective cohort study was performed to examine the mortality experience of workers at Exxon's Baton Rouge, La., refinery and chemical plant. Included were 8666 regular employees who worked at least one month during the period January 1, 1970 through December 31, 1977, and retirees who were alive as of January 1, 1970. Mortality from all causes of death was lower than expected when compared with that of the US population of similar age, sex, and race. Analyses of mortality by specific site of cancer revealed elevated standardized mortality ratios SMRs) for cancer of the kidney, testis, brain/central nervous system, pancreas, and lymphopoietic sites; none of these elevations was statistically significant. Because of the higher than average mortality from cancer of the pancreas in some Louisiana parishes and the observation that one additional death from cancer of the pancreas in this study would have resulted in a statistically significant SMR at the 95% confidence level, some emphasis was placed on this finding. No evidence was found to link cancer of the pancreas to a specific occupational group. An examination of mortality by occupational class revealed some elevated SMRs for further study.

• OSTI ID: 5824606
• Journal Information: JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States) Vol. 24:3; ISSN JJOMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020600* -- Petroleum-- Health & Safety
560306 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CHEMICAL PLANTS
DISEASE INCIDENCE
DISEASES
EPIDEMIOLOGY
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LOUISIANA
MORTALITY
NEOPLASMS
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
PERSONNEL
PETROCHEMICAL PLANTS
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
RISK ASSESSMENT
SOUTHWEST REGION
USA