Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 88-389-2147, International Salt Company, Avery Island, Louisiana

Technical Report · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5481676

Ferguson, R P; Knutti, E B

In response to a request from the project director of the International Chemical Workers Union, an evaluation was made of exposure to asbestos (1332214) and diesel emissions at the International Salt Company (SIC-1479) mine and mill, Avery Island, Louisiana. The only detectable overexposures were to coal-tar pitch volatiles (CTPV) and nitrogen-dioxide (10102440) (NO2). Eleven of 14 samples for CTPV showed detectable levels ranging from 0.06 to 0.46mg/cu m. Ten of these samples exceeded the NIOSH time weighted average of 0.1mg/cu m. Nine full shift personal NO2 samples were collected and gave concentrations ranging from 2.2 to 3.5 parts per million (ppm). All nine samples exceeded the NIOSH ceiling of 1ppm. Airborne asbestos was not detected, but settle dust and bulk materials contained asbestos. A medical study of 159 employees showed 14 workers with mild obstruction, one with moderate obstruction and one with severe obstruction on pulmonary function tests. The authors conclude that overexposures to coal-tar pitch volatiles and NO2 existed at the time of the survey. The authors recommend specific measures to reduce exposure to workplace contaminants. A followup medical survey is recommended.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5481676
• Report Number(s): PB-92-145747/XAB; HETA--88-389-2147
• 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
ASBESTOS
CHALCOGENIDES
COAL TAR
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIESEL ENGINES
ENGINES
EXHAUST GASES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUIDS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEAT ENGINES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
LOUISIANA
MATTER
MINERS
MINES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
RECOMMENDATIONS
TAR
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
USA
VOLATILE MATTER
WASTES