Health hazard evaluation report HETA 95-0023-2531, American Azide Corporation, Cedar City, Utah

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995

OSTI ID:285202

Esswein, E; Trout, D; Hales, T

In response to a confidential request, an investigation was begun into possible exposures to sodium-azide and hydrazoic-acid at the American Azide Corporation (SIC-5169), Cedar City, Utah. Personal breathing zone samples indicated that concentrations of sodium-azide ranged up to 1.7mg/m3. Hydrazoic-acid levels ranged up to 1.1 parts per million (ppm). Sodium-azide levels exceeded the NIOSH recommended exposure level (REL) of 0.3mg/m3 in 28% of the samples and hydrazoic-acid exceeded the REL of 0.1ppm in 14% of the samples. On one occasion the air sample taken inside a supplied air helmet showed a hydrazoic-acid level of 0.13ppm which was greater than the 0.05ppm level recorded from samples on the worker`s collar. The packaging and reblending operation appeared to be those in which workers were most at risk. Medical screening was performed on 11 workers, ten of whom reported headaches occurring in the production areas within 6 months of the evaluation. During that same time period, nine of the 11 reported low blood pressure episodes.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 285202
• Report Number(s): PB--96-191762/XAB; HETA--95-0023-2531
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
AZIDES
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDRAZOIC ACID
RISK ASSESSMENT