Industrial hygiene sampling survey report of ARCO Solar, Inc. , Chatsworth, California. Industrywide study

Technical Report · Thu Jul 05 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:5510162

Briggs, T; Garrison, R

Worker exposures to silver (7440224), lead (7439921), trichlorotrifluoroethane (76131) (TCF), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (71556) (TCE), silica (7631869) and total dust were surveyed at Arco Solar, Incorporated (SIC-3674) in Chatsworth, California, from April 4 to 6, 1979, as part of health research on photovoltaic solar energy conversion to direct electrical current. The company employs less than 100 people, of whom approximately 65% are employed in the production area. Employees were given physical examination on hiring and regularly thereafter. Personal and area air samples for particulate, silica, silver, lead, TCF and TCE were collected. Sample analysis revealed concentrations of particulate dust of 0.01 to 0.74 milligrams per cubic meter; silver, 10.4 to 21.4 micrograms per cubic meter; lead, less than 1.3 micrograms per cubic meter; TCE, 6.1 to 149 parts per million (ppM); and TCF a short term peak of 1390 ppM. Silver exceeded the OSHA standard of 10 micrograms per cubic meter for both samples. TCF exceeded the threshold limit volume of 1000 ppM. The authors conclude that no significant health hazards were found. They recommend that elevated exposures to silver and TCF be reduced to acceptable concentrations by installing local ventilation and monitoring work practices.

• Research Organization: PEDCo-Environmental, Inc., Cincinnati, OH (USA); National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA). Div. of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation and Field Studies
• OSTI ID: 5510162
• Report Number(s): PB-82-112145
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
570000 -- Health & Safety
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INSPECTION
LEAD
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
METALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
PERSONNEL
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SILVER
SOLAR ENERGY
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS