Health effects of gasoline exposure. I. Exposure assessment for U.S. distribution workers

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Environmental Health Perspectives

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.93101s613· OSTI ID:478928

Smith, T J; Hammond, S K ^[1]; Wong, Otto ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, MA (United States)
2. Applied Health Sciences, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States)

Personal exposures were estimated for a large cohort of workers in the U.S. domestic system for distributing gasoline by trucks and marine vessels. This assessment included development of a rationale and methodology for extrapolating vapor exposures prior to the availability of measurement data, analysis of existing measurement data to estimate task and job exposures during 1975-1985, and extrapolation of truck and marine job exposures before 1975. A worker`s vapor exposure was extrapolated from three sets of factors: the tasks in his or her job associated with vapor sources, the characteristics of vapor sources (equipment and other facilities) at the work site, and the composition of petroleum products producing vapors. Historical data were collected on the tasks in job definitions, on work-site facilities, and on product composition. These data were used in a model to estimate the overall time-weighted-average vapor exposure for jobs based on estimates of task exposures and their duration. Task exposures were highest during tank filling in trucks and marine vessels. Measured average annual, full-shift exposures during 1975-1985 ranged from 9 to 14 ppm of total hydrocarbon vapor for truck drivers and 2 to 35 ppm for marine workers on inland waterways. Extrapolated past average exposures in truck operations were highest for truck drivers before 1965 (range 140-220 ppm). Other jobs in truck operations resulted in much lower exposures. Because there were few changes in marine operations before 1979, exposures were assumed to be the same as those measured during 1975-1985. Well-defined exposure gradients were found across jobs within time periods, which were suitable for epidemiologic analyses. 8 refs., 1 fig., 7 tabs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 478928
• Report Number(s): CONF-9111356--
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives, Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives Journal Issue: Suppl.6 Vol. 101; ISSN 0091-6765; ISSN EVHPAZ
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
DATA ANALYSIS
GASOLINE
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
NEOPLASMS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
RISK ASSESSMENT
VAPORS
WORKING CONDITIONS