Health hazard evaluation report HETA 87-171-1840, New Jersey Department of Transportation, Trenton, New Jersey

Technical Report · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:7072663

Mehta, M; Liveright, T; Dawkins, S

In response to a request from the Communication Workers of America Local 1032, an investigation of skin rash, sore throat, headache, runny nose, watery eyes, and inability to use contact lenses was made at the New Jersey Department of Transportation in Trenton, New Jersey. Air was sampled for formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, relative humidity, and dry-bulb temperature. An evaluation was made of the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system. The highest formaldehyde level was 0.094 parts per million (ppm), just below the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers recommended level (0.097ppm). Carbon dioxide levels were 400 to 1100ppm. Volume of outdoor air at three air handling units was 5 to 79 cubic feet/minute/person. Relative humidity was 28 to 34%; New Jersey Department of Health recommended 40 to 60%. Of 1200 employees, 828 completed questionnaires about health status and nature and extent of building-related complaints to pinpoint problem areas. While workers on the second and seventh floors had the most symptoms and complaints, there was no association between symptoms and any measurements taken. Recommendations include lowering indoor air temperature, which might result in decreased formaldehyde levels, complete assessment of the building-ventilation system, increase in amount of outdoor air supplied, and increase in humidity levels.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7072663
• Report Number(s): PB-88-188321/XAB; HETA-87-171-1840
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
FORMALDEHYDE
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
TRANSPORTATION SECTOR
AIR QUALITY
ALDEHYDES
AMMONIA
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INSPECTION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
TOXICITY
VENTILATION
AIR POLLUTION
BUILDINGS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
552000 - Public Health