A RETROSPECTIVE MORTALITY STUDY OF WORKERS IN 3 MAJOR UNITED-STATES REFINERIES AND CHEMICAL-PLANTS .1. COMPARISONS WITH UNITED-STATES POPULATION

Abstract

A dynamic retrospective cohort study was performed to examine the mortality experience of 21,698 workers at Exxon''s refineries and chemical plants in Baton Rouge, La., Baytown, Tex. and Bayway Bayonne, N.J. [USA]. Included were 15,437 regular employees who worked at least 1 mo. during Jan. 1, 1970-Dec. 31, 1977, and 6261 retirees who were alive as of Jan. 1, 1970. There were 137,702 person-yr of observation. Mortality in this total study population was generally lower than that of the USA population. Study follow-up was completed for 98.7% of the study population. The standardized mortality ratio for the 3198 deaths was 91, while that for deaths from all cancers (666) was 94. Certain slightly elevated disease-specific mortality ratios, although not statistically significant, could have been of biological importance.