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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

David Egilman, MD, MPH, Department of Community Health, Brown University, 8 N. Main St. #404, Attleboro, MA 02703, 508-226-5091, degilman@egilman.com and Nfn Scout, PhD, Scout, 110 Grove St., Lincoln, RI 02865.

In 1983 OSHA asked chemical producers for any new research data related to occupational benzene exposures in anticipation of hearings the following year to establish a new standard. As part of compliance with this request, Shell Oil presented the findings of their Benzene Historical Exposure Study (BHES) to coincide with the OSHA public hearing. Shell's BHES represented one of the most complete efforts to date to profile the exposure of a workforce and relate it to the benzene-linked adverse health outcome of AML leukemia. Shell was spurred to do this study following concerns about an abnormally high level of leukemia in their workers at two refineries. Yet, despite an earlier assessment showing the excess leukemia incidence was most likely related to benzene exposure – the BHES report and later publications showed no relationship between benzene exposure and the health outcomes, thereby supporting the conclusion that benzene was not related to this leukemia excess. The internal research papers shows how Shell systematically downgraded benzene exposure potential in the study, then further reduced the impact of the data with the misleading summary that none of the cases worked in highest benzene exposure jobs. This research influenced benzene rulemaking and plays a role in the larger ongoing battle to determine corporate responsibility for benzene exposures. This case study profiles the intersection of human rights, ethics, burden of proof and corporate resources in the complicated landscape of occupational health.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the tactics used by a major chemical company to disassociate a benzene-associated health outcome with occupational benzene exposure.
• Articulate how this case study fits into a larger profile of systemic under-acknowledgement of occupational benzene exposure.
• Evaluate how these corporate strategies influence OSHA rulemaking and federal guidelines.
• Assess the human right implications of corporate versus individual resources and the burden of proof needed to link occupational exposures with disease outcomes.

Keywords: Ethics, Occupational Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No