Health hazard evaluation report HETA 88-199-2071, Gates Energy Products, Inc. , Gainesville, Florida

Technical Report · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:5479623

Hammel, R R; Klincewicz, S L; Fidler, A T; Roper, P; Greife, A L

In response to a request from OSHA, an evaluation was made of possible hazardous exposures to nickel (7440020) and cadmium (7440439) dusts at the Gates Energy Products, Inc. (SIC-3691), Gainesville, Florida. The company manufactured a variety of rechargeable nickel/cadmium cells and batteries for industrial and consumer applications. The plate making areas had approximately 350 production workers and 60 maintenance workers. During a survey in February of 1989, nine of 39 cadmium exposed workers had urine cadmium levels greater than 10 micrograms/gram (microg/g) creatinine. In the survey conducted in October of 1989, 13 of 47 workers in the low and 21 of 49 in the high cumulative airborne cadmium exposure groups had urine cadmium levels greater than 10microg/g creatinine. No consistent differences in urine proteins were observed between the cadmium exposed and nonexposed groups in the analysis of either the February or October 1989 medical surveys. Cumulative airborne cadmium levels did not have a significant relationship with any measure of renal function used in the study. The authors conclude that a significant risk of overexposure to cadmium dust did exist at the facility and that subclinical effects such as significant increases in mean levels of urinary tubular enzymes alanine-aminopeptidase and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase are apparent in cadmium exposed workers with urine cadmium levels above 10 microg/g of creatinine compared to those below this level. The authors recommend specific environmental and medical monitoring measures.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5479623
• Report Number(s): PB-91-188961/XAB; HETA--88-199-2071
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
AZOLES
CADMIUM
CONTROL
CREATININE
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION IV
FLORIDA
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
IMIDAZOLES
IMINES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INHALATION
INTAKE
MEDICINE
METABOLISM
METALS
NICKEL
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
RECOMMENDATIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA