Mortality in a recent oil refinery cohort

A retrospective cohort mortality study of 10,763 Amoco Corporation oil refinery workers employed between 1970 and 1980 showed low overall mortality; the standardized mortality ratio for all causes of death was 73 for white males and 68 for black males. White male mortality was examined by several exposure classifications devised for group cohort members by potential for exposure to refinery processes and exposure to two components of petroleum (light aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy oils). Statistically significant elevations were found in various exposure groups for skin cancers, digestive system cancers, and benign neoplasms. Of these, skin cancer mortality appeared to increase with increasing exposure.