A cohort mortality study of two California refinery and petrochemical plants

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · JOM, Journal of Occupational Medicine; (United States)

OSTI ID:6385917

Tsai, S P; Gilstrap, E L; Cowles, S R; Snyder, P J; Ross, C E ^[1]

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1. Shell Oil Company, Houston, TX (United States)

This study examined the 1973 to 1989 mortality experience of Shell's two California manufacturing locations' employees who worked more than 6 months before December 31, 1989 and pensioners who were alive as of January 1, 1973. Vital status of each employee as of December 31, 1989 was determined from various sources including company records, the National Death Index, and the Social Security Administration's Master Beneficiary Record file. The study included many long-term employees, with more than half (57%) of the total population working 20 years or longer. The total population exhibited 11% lower all causes mortality and 20% lower cancer mortality, as compared with the California general population. There were no significant excesses of any cause-specific mortality including cancer. Among total employees, mortality for several cancer sites showed a statistically nonsignificant increase, for example, cancer of the kidney (8 observed deaths and 6.02 expected), cancer of the bladder (11 observed deaths and 9.17 expected), and Hodgkin's disease (2 observed deaths and 1.01 expected). A review of these work histories revealed no predominant work area or job assignment. In contrast to the ecologic studies based on local county rates, lung cancer mortality in this study was significantly lower (Standardized Mortality ratio [SMR] = 0.73). In addition, statistically significant deficits in mortality were found for cirrhosis of the liver (SMR = 0.63) and all external causes of death (SMR = 0.74). This study also failed to show an increased mortality rate for cancers of the brain, stomach, and prostate--causes which have been reported to be elevated in other refinery and petrochemical employee studies.

• OSTI ID: 6385917
• Journal Information: JOM, Journal of Occupational Medicine; (United States), Journal Name: JOM, Journal of Occupational Medicine; (United States) Vol. 35:4; ISSN JJOMDZ; ISSN 0096-1736
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550900* -- Pathology
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADULTS
AGE GROUPS
AGED ADULTS
CALIFORNIA
CHEMICAL PLANTS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISEASES
ELDERLY PEOPLE
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
MINORITY GROUPS
MORTALITY
NEOPLASMS
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PETROCHEMICAL PLANTS
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
POPULATIONS
RISK ASSESSMENT
USA