Health hazard evaluation determination report 77-124-479, Interlake Steel, Inc. , Newport, Kentucky

Technical Report · Sat Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:5608921

Gilles, D

An evaluation of employee exposure to soluble oil during steel pipe manufacture has been made. Throughout the building during the time of this investigation, drums of coal, coke or wood materials were being burned to provide heat in the building. Several workers reported that the fires were being started or periodically renewed using the coating oil. Personal breathing zone samples for oil mist were collected. Nondirected medical questionnaires were administered to 12 randomly selected individuals to determine if they were experiencing any health problems which they felt were work related. It has been determined on the basis of environmental sampling the levels of oil, mist, welding fumes, mineral spirits, toluene and xylene did not exceed recommended criteria on an 8 hour time-weighter average concentration basis. However, results of employee interviews indicated workers are experiencing eye and upper respiratory irritation which they related to the open burning fires used to provide heat. Based on these complaints and on good housekeeping and safety practices, the open fires should be replaced with an appropriate alternative source of heat.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5608921
• Report Number(s): PB-291671
• 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
AIR POLLUTION
AROMATICS
FABRICATION
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
JOINING
KENTUCKY
MEDICINE
METAL INDUSTRY
NORTH AMERICA
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SAMPLING
SOUTHEAST REGION
STANDARDS
TOLUENE
TOXICITY
USA
WELDING
XYLENES