Re: We are killing nuclear workers!

[Susan Gawarecki <loc@icx.net>]

Hi all,

Catching up after post-Xmas travel...

I sat in on a teleconference where the results were released for a combined mortality study for female DOE/contractor workers at 10 facilities.  As Ted noted, the badged workers had lower mortality rates for most of the radiation-induced diseases looked at than the unbadged workers.  The design of the study was supposed to account for the "healthy worker" effect by looking only at workers and differentiating on the basis of exposure levels.  Consequently the researcher decided that there must be an internal "healthy worker" effect, in that the workers who took jobs that might expose them to radiation were self-selected healthier individuals than those who may have had jobs without such exposure.  That sounds like a lot of bull to me--most career paths are chosen early in life when people are generally healthy.  When I asked whether the exposure could have had a positive effect, the researcher said that by its design, the study could not have determined that.  However, I have no doubt that had the data supported a harmful effect, that the researcher would have concluded it was due to radiation exposure.  The reference info is at work, not home where I'm writing from, and if there is interest I will be happy to dig it out and forward it to the list after the first of the New Year.

My own opinion, of course.

Regards,
Susan Gawarecki

Ted Rockwell wrote:

> 2) A number of studies comparing total mortality and cancer mortality of
> badged and non-badged workers consistent showed the badged workers lower on both counts.

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