A mortality and morbidity study of refinery and petrochemical employees in Louisiana.
(9/51)
AIMS: To examine the mortality experience of 4221 employees from 1973 to 1999 and the illness absence patterns for 2203 employees from 1990 to 1999 of a chemical and refinery facility in Louisiana. METHODS: Mortality and illness absence data were extracted from the Shell Oil Company's health surveillance system (HSS). The standardised mortality ratio was used as a measure of mortality risk. Morbidity frequency and duration of absence were calculated by age, sex, and four health risk factors (cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolaemia, and obesity). RESULTS: Male employees experienced a significant deficit in mortality for all causes of death, all cancers, lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease compared with the corresponding US population. Brain cancer was non-significantly increased, with six observed and five expected deaths; mortality from leukaemia was consistently lower than expected. The majority of employees had no illness absences of six days or longer during the 10 year study period. The loss of productivity (in terms of days of absence) was greater for employees with health risk factors. Ever smoking male employees had a 79% increase of heart disease and more than 50% higher rates of respiratory disease and musculoskeletal disorders compared to non-smokers. Smokers were absent 2.9 and 1.6 more days than non-smokers and ex-smokers, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the comparison population, significantly fewer deaths were seen for all causes combined, all cancers, lung cancer, heart disease, or non-malignant respiratory disease. Illness absence rates and duration were higher among employees with health risk factors. (+info)
Mortality studies of machining-fluid exposure in the automobile industry. II. Risks associated with specific fluid types.
(10/51)
Excesses of digestive and respiratory cancers have been reported previously in association with exposure to machining fluids, agents in widespread use as coolants and lubricants in machining operations. Previous studies have had limited power to distinguish the effects of the different types of machining fluids in use. In a cohort of over 30,000 workers employed at two automotive plants in Michigan, mortality patterns were studied in relation to exposure to each of the three major fluid types--straight oils, soluble oils, and synthetic fluids. Standardized mortality ratios were estimated for subgroups of the cohort ever exposed to each of the three fluid types, and Poisson regression analyses were used to assess trends in risk with duration of exposure. The data suggest modest positive associations between exposure to straight oils and rectal, laryngeal, and prostatic cancer and a negative association between soluble and synthetic fluid exposure and lung cancer. (+info)
Risk of upper aerodigestive tract cancers in a case-cohort study of autoworkers exposed to metalworking fluids.
(11/51)
AIMS: To re-examine aerodigestive cancer risk in a cohort of autoworkers exposed to metal working fluids (MWF), using improved case definition and more recently diagnosed cases. METHODS: The autoworker cohort included 31 100 hourly workers alive on 1 January 1985 who worked at three automobile plants in Michigan. A case-cohort design was carried out that included incident cases of cancers of the larynx, oesophagus, and stomach, and a 10% sample of the cohort. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate MWF exposure effects. The smoothing method of penalised splines was used to explore the shape of the underlying exposure-response curves. RESULTS: The most important finding was the association between larynx cancer incidence and cumulative straight MWF exposure. The results for oesophageal cancer were less consistent. For stomach cancer there was no evidence of excess risk. CONCLUSION: This association between larynx cancer and straight MWF exposures was consistent with a previous finding in this cohort, providing further support for a causal relation. (+info)
Identification of ergonomic issues that affect workers in oilrigs in desert environments.
(12/51)
The main objective of this research was to conduct an assessment of ergonomic-related problems in oilrigs in a desert environment. A checklist, physical audit and medical records were used in the investigation. The results showed significant health, environment and work-related problems that could be attributed to ergonomic deficiencies in the work system of the oilrig. Some major ergonomic issues identified were hard physical work, back pain, discomfort, hot environment, long shift, and diverse schedule. Ninety-four percent of the employees perceived the workday as very long, 79% were dissatisfied with the work schedule, while 61% of the employees perceived the summer work environment as extremely hot. Ergonomics should be considered in the work system design so as to reduce or eliminate problems in oilrigs in hot desert environments. (+info)
Determinants of exposure to metalworking fluid aerosol in small machine shops.
(13/51)
The purpose of this study was to evaluate personal exposure to metalworking fluid (MWF) aerosols in very small machine shops (1-8 machinists per shop) and to investigate workplace factors associated with exposures. A total of 20 willing machine shops in Vancouver, Canada (from 46 eligible shops, 43%) and 88 machinists participated (participation rate for machinists 92%). Most machinists wore two personal sampling trains (an open-faced 37 mm cassette and a PM10 impactor) on each of two full work shifts. Observational data were collected regarding potential determinants of exposure at 15 min intervals throughout each shift. A total of 322 personal samples were taken over 54 days. Mean aerosol exposure was 0.32 mg/m3 (range 0.06-2.19) for the 37 mm cassette samples and 0.27 mg/m3 (range 0.026-3.67) for PM10. Exposures from the two sampler types were highly correlated (R = 0.86). The mean shop-specific ratio comparing exposure from the 37 mm cassette with that from the PM10 sampler was 1.43 and varied significantly across shops, ranging from 0.97 to 2.19. Machine, task and shop characteristics associated with significantly increased aerosol exposure included the proportion of time spent grinding, operating an enclosed computer controlled machine, the presence of welding in the shop for both sampler types and the number of machines using MWF for PM10 samples only. Factors associated with reduced aerosol exposure included machining aluminum, milling, the height (and shape) of the shop roof (for both sample types) and the presence of mechanical shop ventilation (for the 37 mm cassette samples). (+info)
Increased urinary excretion of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine in engine room personnel exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
(14/51)
BACKGROUND: Previous investigations indicate that engine room personnel on ships are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from oil and oil products, with dermal uptake as the major route of exposure. Several PAH are known carcinogens and mutagens. AIMS: To investigate the urinary excretion of a marker for oxidative DNA damage, 8-hydroxydeoxy-guanosine (8OHdG), in engine room personnel, and to study the association between 8OHdG and 1-hydroxypyrene (1OHP), a biological marker for PAH exposure. METHODS: Urine samples were collected from engine room personnel (n = 36) on 10 Swedish and Norwegian ships and from unexposed controls (n = 34) with similar age and smoking habits. The exposure to oils, engine exhaust, and tobacco smoke 24 hours prior to sampling was estimated from questionnaires. The urinary samples were frozen for later analyses of 8OHdG and 1OHP by high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Excretion in urine of 8OHdG (adjusted to density 1.022) was similar for controls (mean 18.0 nmol/l, n = 33), and for those who had been in the engine room without skin contact with oils (mean 18.7 nmol/l, n = 15). Engine room personnel who reported skin contact with oil had increased excretion of 8OHdG (mean 23.2 nmol/l, n = 19). The difference between this group and the unexposed controls was significant. The urinary levels of ln 1OHP and ln 8OHdG were significantly correlated, and the association was still highly significant when the effects of smoking and age were accounted for in a multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that exposure to PAH or possibly other compounds from skin contact with oils in engine rooms may cause oxidative DNA damage. (+info)
Biocidal activity of formaldehyde and nonformaldehyde biocides toward Mycobacterium immunogenum and Pseudomonas fluorescens in pure and mixed suspensions in synthetic metalworking fluid and saline.
(15/51)
The microbicidal activity of four different biocides was studied in synthetic metalworking fluid (MWF) against Mycobacterium immunogenum, a suspected causative agent for hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and Pseudomonas fluorescens, a representative for the predominant gram-negative bacterial contaminants of MWF. The results indicated that M. immunogenum is more resistant than P. fluorescens to the tested formaldehyde-releasing biocides (Grotan and Bioban), isothiazolone (Kathon), and phenolic biocide (Preventol). Kathon was effective against mycobacteria at lower concentrations than the other three test biocides in MWF. In general, there was a marked increase in biocidal resistance of both the test organisms when present in MWF matrix compared to saline. Increased resistance of the two test organisms to biocides was observed when they were in a mixed suspension (1:1 ratio). The results indicate the protective effect of the MWF matrix against the action of commonly used biocides on the MWF-colonizing microbial species of occupational health significance, including mycobacteria. (+info)
Respiratory symptoms, immunology and organism identification in contaminated metalworking fluid workers. What you see is not what you get.
(16/51)
BACKGROUND: Metal working fluids (MWF) constitute a significant respiratory hazard, although symptoms experienced by workers are often poorly investigated and attributed. AIMS: A single possible case of extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA) led to a formal workplace investigation. It was clear that other exposed workers were affected. The aim of this study was to accurately quantify the clinical, immunological and microbiological findings in MWF workers following presentation of a sentinel case. METHODS: Eleven of 21 individuals participated; eight were assessed by symptom questionnaire, spirometry and serology and three workers provided blood samples only. The microbes cultured from MWF and air samples were used to determine the presence of precipitating antibodies. RESULTS: Work-related respiratory symptoms were reported in six of eight individuals questioned, two of these complaining of 'flu-like' symptoms. Personal breathing zone measures identified 2.1 x 10(3) to 1.1 x 10(5) colony-forming units/m3 air (CFU/m3). Pseudomonas fluorescens was isolated from air samples. Despite visible 'fungal' contamination of MWF, airborne fungi were detectable in only one sample, at 486 CFU/m3 air. MWF cultured Eurotium sp., Fusarium sp. and Pseudomonas sp. Precipitating IgG antibodies to Pseudomonas sp. were identified in 4/11 and to an extract of the MWF in 3/11. IgG to Pseudomonas was elevated in the two individuals who had the strongest precipitating bands to Pseudomonas sp. CONCLUSIONS: Workplaces with possible EAA must be investigated promptly, thus allowing clinical assessment to be contemporary to exposures and accurate microbiological profiling included to identify the likely cause. (+info)