skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Health hazard evaluation report No. 80-057-781 at Long Island Railroad, Richmond Hill, New York

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5138984

Environmental and personal air samples collected from the armature room, battery shop, and paint shop were analyzed for dusts, fumes and chemical pollutants at the Long Island Railroad (SIC-4020) Richmond Hill facility, New York, from June 2 to 5, 1980. The evaluation was requested by an authorized representative of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 589, on behalf of 800 hourly and 40 administrative workers. Breathing zone and general area samples were analyzed for particulates, asbestos (1332214), and metal dusts and fumes, vinyl-toluene (25013154), maleic-anhydride (108316), sulfuric-acid (7664939) mist, arsine (7784421), stibine (7803523), methyl-chloride (74873), isopropanol (67630), methanol (67561), methyl-ethyl-ketone (591786), heptane (142825), 1-nitropropane (108032), 2-nitropropane (79469), xylene (1330207), toluene (108883), butanol (71363), methyl-ethyl-ketone (78933), cellosolve-acetate (111159), butyl-acetate (123864), hexamethylene-diisocyanate (822060), and freon (75456). Analysis of breathing zone and general area samples indicated that all concentrations were well within the limits of the federal evaluation criteria, except for one sample of a nuisance particulate. The sample contained 16.1 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of particulate, which exceeded the OSHA standard of 5mg/kg. Two samples of methylene-chloride were measured at 115.3 and 187.2ppm, exceeding the NIOSH standard of 75ppm. Five samples of hexamethylene-diisocyanate ranged from 0.027 to 0.054ppm, exceeding the NIOSH standard of 0.005ppm. The author concludes that a potential hazard exists from overexposure to nuisance particulates, methylene-chloride and hexamethylene-diisocyanate. He recommends improved exhaust ventilation and provision of respiratory protection to employees.

Research Organization:
National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
OSTI ID:
5138984
Report Number(s):
PB-82-150855; HHE-80-057-781
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English