Rubber workers

Delzell E, Monson RR. 1982. Mortality among rubber workers VI. Men with potential exposure to acrylonitrile. J Occup Med 24 767-769. 

Sathiakumar N, Delzell E, Hovinga M, et al Mortality from cancer and other causes of death among synthetic rubber workers. Occup Environ Med 55(4) 230-235, 1998... 

In humans, cases of hepatomas have appeared years after acute exposure to carbon tetrachloride, however, none of the cases could establish a causal link between the exposure and development of neoplasms." Epidemiological studies have also given inconclusive results. A cancer mortality study of a population of rubber workers reported a significantly elevated odds ratio relating carbon tetrachloride with lymphatic leukemia, and lymphosarcoma and reticulum cell carcinoma." A recent retrospective cohort mortality study of aircraft maintenance workers found an increased risk of... 

Fine LJ, Peters JM, Burgess WA, Di Berar-dinis LJ Studies of respiratory morbidity in rubber workers. Part IV. Respiratory morbidity in talc workers. Arch Environ Health 31 195-200, 1976... 

In one isolated report, Russian rubber workers exposed to concentrations averaging 271-542 ppm with excursions to 677 ppm were reported to suffer keratitis, rhinitis, headache, leukopenia, neutrophilia, lymphocytosis, and... 

Several reports have been published on follow-up of styrene-butadiene rubber workers at eight plants in the United States and Canada. The most recent follow-up showed a consistent excess of leukaemia and a significant dose-response relationship with cumulative exposure to 1,3-butadiene, which remained after adjustment for exposure to styrene. 

Delzell, E., Sathiakumar, N., Hovinga, M., Macaluso, M., Julian, J., Larson, R., Cole, P. Muir, D.C. (1996) A follow-up study of synthetic rubber workers. Toxicology, 113, 182-189... 

Macaluso, M., Delzell, E., Sanders, M. Larson, R. (1997) Historical Estimation of Exposure to Butadiene and Styrene among Synthetic Rubber Workers (Progress Report, 10/196-8/18/97), University of Alabama at Birmingham report submitted to the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers... 

Matanoski, G, Francis, M., Correa-Villasenor, A., Elliott, E., Santos-Burgoa, C. Schwartz, L. (1993) Cancer epidemiology among styrene-butadiene rubber workers. In Sorsa, M., Peltonen, K., Vainio, H. Hemminki, K., eds, Butadiene and Styrene Assessment of Health Hazards (lARC Scientific Publications No. 127), Lyon, lARC, pp. 363-374... 

McMichael, A.J., Spirtas, R., Gamble, J.F. Tousey, P.M (1976) Mortality among rubber workers relationship to specific jobs. J. occup. Medicine, 18, 178-185... 

Bascom, R., Fisher, J.F., Thomas, R.J., Yang, W.N., Baser, M.E. Baker, J.H. (1988) Eosinophilia, respiratory symptoms and pulmonary infiltrates in rubber workers. Chest, 93, 154-158... 

A nested case-control study within a cohort of rubber workers in the United States was performed to examine the relationship between exposure to solvents and the risk of cancer (Checkoway et al., 1984 Wilcosky et al., 1984). The cohort consisted of 6678 male rubber workers who either were active or retired between 1964 and 1973. The cases comprised all persons with fatal stomach cancer (n = 30), respiratory system cancer (z7 = 101), prostate cancer ( = 33), lymphosarcoma (n = 9) or lymphocytic leukaemia (z7 = 10). These sites were chosen because they were those at which cancers had been found to be in excess in an earlier cohort analysis (McMichael et al., 1976). The controls were a 20% age-stratified random sample of the cohort (z = 1350). Exposure was classified from a detailed work history and production records. An association was observed between exposure for one year or more to carbon tetrachloride and lymphocytic leukaemia (odds ratio (OR), 15.3 / < 0.0001, based on eight exposed cases) and lymphosarcoma (OR, 4.2 p < 0.05, based on six exposed cases) after adjusting for year of birth. The relative risk associated with 24 solvents was examined and levels of exposure were not reported. [The Working Group noted that overlapping exposures limit the ability to draw conclusions regarding carbon tetrachloride.]... 

In the nested case-control study among rubber workers in the United States... 

Nested case-control study of brain cancer in petrochemical industry Nested case-control study of five types of cancer among rubber workers... 

In a case-control study within a cohort of 6678 rubber workers in the United States (lARC, 1987) (Wilcosky et al., 1984), one of the substances assessed was xylene, which was analysed as a potential risk factor in relation to each of five cancer types. There were somewhat increased odds ratios (OR) for prostate cancer (OR, 1.5 n = 8), lymphosarcoma (OR, 3.7 n = 4 p < 0.05) and lymphatic leukaemia (OR, 3.3 n = 4). [The Working Group noted that workers were typically exposed to multiple exposures.]... 

Cody RP, StrawdermanWW, KipenHM. 1993. Hematologic effects of benzene. Job-specific trends during the first year of employment among a cohort of benzene-exposed rubber workers. J Occup Med 35(8) 776-782. 

McMichael AJ, Spirtas R, Kupper LL, Gamble JF. Solvent exposure and leukemia among rubber workers an epidemiologic study. J Occup Med 1975 17 234. 

A study of rubber workers exposed to a mixture of resorcinol, formaldehyde, and ammonia revealed that these workers suffered acute drops in lung function and other respiratory symptoms over a work shift. The levels of exposure of the chemicals were low. The researchers concluded that the cause for the observed effects was unknown. I21 ... 

Gamble JF, McMichael AJ, Williams T, Battigelli M. Respiratory function and symptoms An environmental-epidemiological study of rubber workers exposed to a phenol-formaldehyde type resin. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 1976 (Sept) 499-513. 

Hodgkin s lymphoma Textile workers Machinery fitters Leukemia Metal processors Material handlers Rubber workers Painters... 

Macaluso, M., Larson, R., Lynch, J., lipton, S., and Delzell, E. (2004). Historical estimation of exposure to 1,3-butadiene, styrene, and dimethyldithiocarbamate among synthetic rubber workers. J Occup Environ Hyg 1, 371-390. 

Papermakers Rubber workers Tetraethyl lead workers... 

The awareness of industrial exposures causing psychiatric illness traces to the nineteenth century, when the psychiatric effects of carbon disulfide in French rubber workers became known. Many years passed before American medicine recognized the dangers of carbon disulfide. Eventually, American medical journals carried frequent reports about chemicals with psychiatric risks. Several landmark articles appeared that identified the hazards of carbon... 

P-Naphthylamine Dye makers and rubber workers Bladder cancer... 

Oil acne is the most common form of occupational acne and is most commonly observed in workers employed in the machine tooling trades. Others affected may include auto, airplane and truck mechanics petroleum refiners and rubber workers. The incidence of oil acne has declined in recent years because of decreased use of pure cutting oils and improved industrial and personal hygiene practices (Kokelj 1992). 

Irritant dermatitides are also common among rubber workers (Varigos and Dunt 1981 Kilpikari 1982 White 1988). The most common irritants are the alkalis, solvents, activators (stearic acid and other fatty acids), soaps and the various dusting/dipping/washing materials (calcium carbonate, calcium stearate, etc.) encountered in the workplace (Fig. 3). Mechanical friction is another important source of irritation. In a study of 1000 workers in an Australian tire factory, Varigos and Dunt (1981) identified 37 workers (3.7%) with dermatitis, of whom 34% had irritant dermatitis. 

Curious reactions can occasionally be seen among rubber workers. Plotnick and Birmingham (1993)... 

Fig. 3. The hands of a typical rubber worker are frequently contaminated with the various chemicals encountered in the workplace. The solvents and cleansing agents used to remove the accumulated grime are a frequent cause of irritant contact dermatitis. Reproduced with the permission of Donald V. Belsito, M.D., Division of Dermatology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS...

ICD is common among rubber workers, in whom it is usually caused by irritant solvents and cleansers... 

Kilpikari I (1982) Occupational contact dermatitis among rubber workers. Contact Dermatitis 8 359-362 Kilpikari I, Halme H (1983) Contact allergy to Hypalon rubber. Contact Dermatitis 9 529... 

Ethylenethiourea, a thiourea derivative, is a rubber chemical. It has caused contact dermatitis mainly in rubber workers. 

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