Mortality and cancer morbidity experience of female workers at the British Nuclear Fuels Sellafield plant, 1946-1998.
BACKGROUND
Studies of nuclear workers have focused mainly on the experience of male workers. To date, little has been published specifically on the experience of female workers in the nuclear industry.


METHODS
We report on the mortality, cancer morbidity, and tracing experience of the 6,376 females ever employed at the British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. plant at Sellafield to the end of 1998. These workers have accumulated 142,337 person-years of experience.


RESULTS
Radiation workers were exposed to low doses of radiation. No statistically significant associations were noted between mortality or cancer morbidity and cumulative assessed organ-specific internal plutonium dose or cumulative external whole body radiation dose overall, or for any of the individual disease groupings examined. The power of the study was insufficient to detect the risks indicated in other radiation studies.


CONCLUSIONS
This study offers reassurance that there is no detrimental effect on the health of the female workers from occupational exposures at Sellafield. Am. J. Ind. Med. 44:653-663, 2003.
McGeoghegan
D
D
Department of Occupational Health and Medical Statistics, The Princess Royal Building, Westlakes Scientific Consulting Ltd., Westlakes Science and Technology Park, Moor Row, Cumbria, United Kingdom. david.mcgeoghegan@westlakes.ac.uk
Gillies
M
M
Riddell
A E
AE
Binks
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011005:Plutonium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011210:Power Plants; D012306:Risk; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
D011005:Plutonium