Mortality of filling station attendants.

Abstract

A. Mortality of filling station attendants. Scand J Work Environ Health 1994;20:331-8. OBJECTIV ES -Gasoline contains established human carcinogens, such as benzene. The health impact of exposure to this fuel, however, has not been fully elucidated. We report on the mortality of a cohort of 2665 filling station managers from the Latium region (Italy).M ETHODSThis is the first workplace-based cohort of gas station attendants. However, only selfemployed individuals were available for study (about 50% of the whole work force). The follow-up period extended from 1981 through 1992. The mortality experience of the cohort was compared with that of the regional population. RESULTS -The overall analysis for standardized mortality ratios (SMR) showed a significantly decreased mortality from all causes, mainly due to a deficit of cardiovascular diseases and malignant neoplasms. Nonsignificantly increased risks for esophageal cancer [SMR 241, 90% confidence interval (90% CI) 82-551] , brain cancer (SMR 195,90% CI 77-401) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (SMR 173,90% CI 47-448) were found for the men; mortality due to lung cancer and leukemia was lower than expected, and no kidney cancer death was recorded. Among the attendants of small stations (characterized by a small number of employees and high sales of gasoline per full-time employee), the SMR values for esophageal cancer (for men SMR 35 1, 90% CI 120-803) and brain cancer (for men and women SMR 266, 90% CI 105-559) showed increased values. CONCLUSIONS -Filling station attendants are exposed to gasoline vapors and seem at risk of cancer of various sites. Due to the power limitations of this study, however, a precise estimate of the risk for many causes of death was not achievable. Further cohort studies of greater size are warranted.

Personal exposure to benzene from fuel emissions among commercial fishers: comparison of two-stroke, four-stroke and diesel engines

“…Exposure to gasoline (leaded and unleaded gasoline) among filling station attendants has been associated with effects on intellectual capacity, psychomotor and visuomotor function, immediate and delayed memory and increased mortality from mental disorders (Schwartz, 1987;Kumar et al, 1988;Burbacher, 1993;Ritchie et al, 2001). Personal benzene exposure among filling station attendants has been reported to be about 10 times more (0.55 mg/m 3 ) than that predicted for fishers operating boats with two-stroke engines (Lagorio et al, 1994). Acute effects on the central nervous system from breathing emissions on boats are not likely.…”

Numerical investigation of VOC levels in the area of petrol stations

“…The negative effects of petrol vapour exposure on the health among petrol station attendants and residents in the vicinity of petrol stations have also been studied. It has been reported that exposure to petrol vapour increases the risk of acute myeloid leukaemia (Jakobsson et al, 1993), acute childhood leukaemia (Brosselin et al, 2009;Steffen et al, 2004), prostate cancer (Seidler et al, 1998) and other forms of cancer at various parts of the body (Lagorios et al, 1994). Artificial Neural Networks were also used to predict benzene exposure patterns for filling station employees (Sarigiannis et al, 2009).…”

Epidemiology of Hodgkin's Lymphoma

“…Some studies reported an increased risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma in white men employed in woodworking or wood-related industries (Fonte et al, 1982;Milham and Hesser, 1967;Sabroe, 1979 &Petersen andMilham, 1974). Conflicting results were reported regarding the association between Hodgkin's lymphoma and benzene exposure, rubber and chemical industries (La Vecchia et al, 1989;Lagorio et al, 1994;Rushton and Alderson, 1983;Schnatter et al, 1993;Sorahan et al, 1989 &Polan, 1979).…”