Health-hazard evaluation report HHE-80-022-OC, Tetley, Inc. , Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6834127

Castellan, R M

Employee exposure to tea dust was evaluated for possible respiratory health effects. Personal and area airborne dust samples, taken along with area samples quantifying airborne fungi, and a noise survey comprised the tests run at the facility. The particle size distribution of the dust was such that much would be deposited in the nose and throat. This might explain the frequent upper respiratory problems experienced by Tetley workers. Airborne fungi concentrations were not directly related to gravimetric dust concentrations. According to the author, results suggest that health problems related to occupational exposure to tea dust, and possibly also to noise, exist among workers at the facility. Results also demonstrated the effectiveness of engineering controls for reducing potential work-place exposures in that the lowest fungal count was obtained nearby the tea-bag reclaiming process, which at the time was being conducted under a specially designed ventilation hood. Noise survey results indicated that recommended NIOSH levels were being exceeded in many instances.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6834127
• Report Number(s): PB-87-117602/XAB; NIOSH-TR-HHE-80-022-OC
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
DUSTS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
FOOD PROCESSING
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
NOISE POLLUTION
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INSPECTION
TOXICITY
AIR POLLUTION
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
POLLUTION
PROCESSING
SAFETY
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
552000 - Public Health