Health hazard evaluation report heta 92-0160-2360, City of Lancaster, Division of Fire, Lancaster, Ohio

Technical Report · Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:5035758

Echt, A; Blade, L; Sheehy, J

In response to a request from the Division of Fire and the International Association of Firefighters Local 291, an evaluation was undertaken of exposure to diesel exhaust emissions in the engine houses of the City of Lancaster Division of Fire (SIC-9224) Lancaster, Ohio. At the time of the study, 77 uniformed employees and two secretaries worked in three engine houses. In Engine House 1, personal breathing zone (PBZ) samples ranged from 51.7 to 71.2 micrograms per cubic meter (microg/cu m) on the first night of sampling. PBZ samples in Engine House 2 ranged from 25.7 to 78.8 microg/cu m over two nights of sampling. Results for Engine House 3 ranged from 24.0 to 60.5 microg/cu m. With the exception of one measurement of 4.6 parts per million (ppm) of carbon-monoxide (CO) measured in the smoking room of Engine House 2, only trace CO was detected. Benzene solubles measured in Engine House 2 ranged from less than the limit of detection to 313 microg/cu m. The authors conclude that exhaust emissions containing diesel particulate may present a potential risk to firefighters. The authors recommend the use of engineering controls and work practices to reduce diesel exhaust emission exposures.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5035758
• Report Number(s): PB-94-140142/XAB; HETA-92-0160-2360
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
02 PETROLEUM
DIESEL ENGINES
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
HEALTH HAZARDS
GASEOUS WASTES
RISK ASSESSMENT
ENGINES
HAZARDS
HEAT ENGINES
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
MONITORING
WASTES
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects