Mortality among rubber chemical manufacturing workers.
BACKGROUND
A retrospective cohort mortality study evaluated ischemic heart disease (IHD) among workers in the "rubber chemicals" manufacturing department of a Western New York plant. A previous study at the plant found elevated chest pain and angina among workers in this department.


METHODS
Mortality experience of workers employed from 1946-1988 was followed through December 31, 1994. Mortality was compared to U.S. population rates and to local Niagara county rates by using the NIOSH life table analysis system. Poisson regression was used to examine patterns of IHD within the cohort.


RESULTS
The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for IHD among workers in the rubber chemicals department was 1.51 (U.S. rates) and 1.19 (Niagara county rates). Increased mortality from IHD in the rubber chemicals department was most pronounced at younger ages (< 50, SMR = 2.4); workers in a second chemical production department also had an elevated (but not statistically significant) SMR of 1.5 for IHD.


CONCLUSIONS
IHD mortality among workers in the rubber chemicals department was elevated, particularly among those under 50 years of age. Potential occupational risk factors for IHD include the rotating shift pattern for employees assigned to two chemical production departments and chemical exposures present in the rubber chemicals department.
Prince
M M
MM
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation, and Field Studies, Industrywide Studies Branch, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, USA. mmp3@cdc.gov
Ward
E M
EM
Ruder
A M
AM
Salvan
A
A
Roberts
D R
DR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D009518:New York; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012408:Rubber / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States
D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride; D012408:Rubber