Health hazard evaluation report HETA 82-093-1453, Southwest Power Station City Utilities, Springfield, Missouri

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5516102

Zey, J N; Aw, T C

In response to a request from the Safety Department of City Utilities to evaluate employee exposures to coal and other dusts and fumes at the Southwest Power Facility (SIC-4911), Springfield, Missouri a visit was made to the site. All personal coal dust, fly ash, crystalline silica (14808607), nitrogen-dioxide (10102440), nitric-oxide (10102439), and sulfuric-acid (7664939) samples were below the lowest current criterion level. Four of eight personal sulfur-dioxide (7446095) samples exceeded the NIOSH recommended criterion of 1.3mg/cu m. Medical evaluation resulted in the identification of three workers with chronic bronchitis each of whom smoked cigarettes, eight workers with pulmonary function test abnormalities indicating obstructive airways disease, and two workers with features of restrictive lung disease. One chest X-ray was consistent with pneumoconiosis. The authors conclude that a health hazard existed for employees exposed to sulfur-dioxide and noise. A potential hazard also existed for employee exposure to heat stress in certain locations in the facility. The authors recommend improvements in the respiratory protection program, use of personal protective equipment, and initiation of an employee training program and environmental monitoring by management.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5516102
• Report Number(s): PB-91-188920/XAB; HETA--82-093-1453
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
016000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Health & Safety
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200400 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Health & Safety-- (1990-)
AEROSOL WASTES
AIR POLLUTION
ASHES
BODY
BRONCHITIS
CHALCOGENIDES
COAL FINES
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISEASES
DUSTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEDERAL REGION VII
FLY ASH
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INHALATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
INTAKE
LUNGS
MEDICINE
MINERALS
MISSOURI
MONITORING
NITRIC OXIDE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NOISE POLLUTION
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
ORGANS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
PNEUMOCONIOSES
POLLUTION
POWER PLANTS
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SAFETY
SILICA
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
STRESSES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SULFURIC ACID
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMAL STRESSES
TRAINING
USA
WASTES