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Watershed Planning within a Quantitative Scenario Analysis Framework
Published on: July 24, 2016
Mortality among workers at the Savannah River Site
David B Richardson1, Steve Wing, Susanne Wolf
1Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA. david.richardson@unc.edu
American Journal of Industrial Medicine
|October 6, 2007
Summary
Workers at Savannah River Site (SRS) experienced lower overall mortality but elevated risks for pleural cancer and leukemia. Occupational hazards like asbestos and radiation may contribute to these increased cancer risks.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Savannah River Site (SRS) workers faced potential exposure to poorly characterized chemical and physical hazards.
- A mortality study was conducted to compare observed deaths among SRS workers with referent population rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the mortality experience of Savannah River Site (SRS) workers.
- To identify potential excesses in specific causes of death linked to occupational exposures.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 18,883 SRS workers hired between 1950 and 1986 was analyzed.
- Vital status and cause of death data were collected through 2002.
- Sex-specific standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated using U.S. and South Carolina mortality rates, stratified by pay type for men.
Main Results:
- Overall and cancer mortality were lower than expected for male SRS workers.
- Elevated SMRs were observed for pleural cancer (4.25) and leukemia (1.36 for hourly-paid men).
- Female workers showed higher-than-expected mortality for kidney (2.58) and skin (3.90) cancers.
Conclusions:
- Despite lower overall mortality, specific cancer excesses (pleural, leukemia) were noted in SRS workers, especially hourly-paid men.
- Occupational exposures, including asbestos and ionizing radiation, are plausible contributors to these observed excesses.
- Further investigation into specific workplace exposures and their long-term health effects is warranted.
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