Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 84-060-1645, General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio

Technical Report · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5655664

Lichty, P D; Zey, J N

Environmental and breathing-zone samples were analyzed for arsenic, other metals, arsine, and carbon monoxide at General Motors Corporation, Delco Moraine Division, South Facility, Dayton, Ohio in January and February, 1984. The evaluation was requested because of two arsenic-poisoning cases that occurred in department 48. All department 48 employees were surveyed by questionnaire. Urine arsenic concentrations were measured. Only 1 of 68 air samples contained arsenic, 3.3 microg/m/sup 3/. The OSHA standard for arsenic is 10microg/m/sup 3/. Arsenic was not detected in any bulk samples. Nickel and barium were detected at concentrations of 177 to 1280 and 502 to 678microg/m/sup 3/, respectively. The OSHA standard for either metal is 500microg/m/sup 3/. One copper sample, 5700microg/m/sup 3/, exceeded the OSHA standard of 1000microg/m/sup 3/. Carbon monoxide and arsine concentrations were below their relevant standards. No workers had symptoms of arsenic poisoning. Urine arsenic concentrations were within normal limits. The authors conclude that employees are not being exposed to detectable amounts of arsenic. The source of the arsenic poisoning cannot be determined. Employees are overexposed to nickel, barium, and copper. Recommendations include improving employee training and education regarding respiratory protection and reducing employee exposures to nickel and barium.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5655664
• Report Number(s): PB-86-203478/XAB; HETA-84-060-1645
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
552000 -- Public Health
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
AIR POLLUTION
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ARSENIC
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIC HYDRIDES
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
BARIUM
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER
ELEMENTS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
METALS
NICKEL
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SAFETY
SEMIMETALS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS