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Study of mortality among chemical workers in the Kanawha Valley of West Virginia.

Rinsky RA; Ott G; Ward E; Greenberg H; Halperin W; Leet T

Am J Ind Med 1988; 13(4):429-438

https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700130403

00179509

Mortality patterns among Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) chemical workers at three facilities in the Kanawha Valley of West Virginia were investigated. The study cohort involved 29,139 men who were employed for at least 1 day between January 1, 1940 and December 31, 1978. Vital status was determined for the workers, and the cause of death for deceased workers was determined from death certificates. As of the end of the study period, 5,785 workers were found to have died. Standardized mortality ratios were calculated. Mortality for specific causes of death was compared to the United States white male population. An excess number of deaths caused by liver cancer (12 versus the expected 1.2) was noted with a possible connection to exposure to vinyl-chloride (75014). These cases occurred primarily in persons with 10 years or more employment in polyvinyl-chloride resins production. An excess in the number of deaths due to lymphosarcoma and reticulosarcoma was also noted with no apparent trend relating these diseases to initial exposures to specific chemicals or to the duration of employment being clear at present.

NIOSH-Author; Mortality-surveys; Mortality-rates; Chemical-industry-workers; Chemical-manufacturing-industry; Liver-cancer; Reticuloendothelial-system-disorders; Cancer-rates; Risk-analysis; Epidemiology

AJIMD8

75-01-4

19880101

Journal Article

1988

4

0271-3586

American Journal of Industrial Medicine

VA; WV