Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Apr-Jun;20(2):141-5.
doi: 10.1179/2049396714Y.0000000059. Epub 2014 Mar 20.

Cancer incidence and mortality among temporary maintenance workers in a refinery/petrochemical complex in Korea

Dong-Hee Koh, Eun-Kyo Chung, Jae-Kil Jang, Hye-Eun Lee, Hyang-Woo Ryu, Kye-Mook Yoo, Eun-A Kim, Kyoo-Sang Kim

Cancer incidence and mortality among temporary maintenance workers in a refinery/petrochemical complex in Korea

Dong-Hee Koh et al. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2014 Apr-Jun.

Abstract

Background: Petrochemical plant maintenance workers are exposed to various carcinogens such as benzene and metal fumes. In Korea, maintenance operations in petrochemical plants are typically performed by temporary employees hired as contract workers.

Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate cancer risk in temporary maintenance workers in a refinery/petrochemical complex in Korea.

Methods: Subjects consisted of 14 698 male workers registered in a regional petrochemical plant maintenance workers union during 2002-2007. Cancer mortality and incidence were identified by linking with the nationwide death and cancer registries during 2002-2007 and 2002-2005, respectively. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for each cancer.

Results: Increased SMR 3·61 (six cases, 95% CI: 1·32-7·87) and SIR 3·18 (five cases, 95% CI: 1·03-7·42) were observed in oral and pharyngeal cancers.

Conclusion: Our findings may suggest a potential association between oral and pharyngeal cancers and temporary maintenance jobs in the petrochemical industry. Future studies should include a longer follow-up period and a quantitative exposure assessment.

Keywords: Cancer,; Construction,; Leukemia; Maintenance,; Oral,; Petrochemical,; Pharynx,; Refinery,.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Chung E, Shin J, Lee B, Kwon J, Lee N, Chung K, et al. Characteristics of occupational exposure to benzene during turnaround in the petrochemical industries. Saf Health Work. 2010;1:51–60. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Huebner WW, Schnatter AR, Nicolich MJ, Jorgensen G. Mortality experience of a young petrochemical industry cohort: 1979–1992 follow-up study of US-based employees. J Occup Environ Med. 1997;39:970–82. - PubMed
    1. Huebner WW, Chen VW, Friedlander BR, Wu XC, Jorgensen G, Bhojani FA, et al. Incidence of lymphohaematopoietic malignancies in a petrochemical industry cohort: 1983–94 follow up. Occup Environ Med. 2000;57:605–14. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Koh DH, Kim TW, Yoon YH, Shin KS, Yoo SW. Lymphohematopoietic cancer mortality and morbidity of workers in a refinery/petrochemical complex in Korea. Saf Health Work. 2011;2:26–33. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Raabe GK, Collingwood KW, Wong O. An updated mortality study of workers at a petroleum refinery in Beaumont, Texas. Am J Ind Med. 1998;33:61–81. - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources