Industrial-hygiene survey report of Pan American Tannery, Gloverville, New York
As part of a larger study concerning the clustering of testicular cancer among finish-department employees in tanneries, a visit was made to the Pan American Tannery, Gloverville, New York. Area air samples were taken for dimethylformamide, glycol ethers, and substances in the general air. Bulk samples were also obtained to determine the potential for exposure to heavy metals. Major components in the air samples were identified as butyl-cellosolve, diisobutylketone, limonene, and 2-ethylhexyl-acetate. Dimethylformamide was not found in the air and was no longer used in the facility. Lead was found in concentrations as high as 22,400 parts per million in a bulk scraping from a ventilation duct. The high concentrations of lead result from lead based pigments. There were three cases of testicular cancer in finishing department employees, representing a crude standardized incidence ratio of 40.5. Area air samples indicate that exposure to glycol ethers did not exceed the Federal recommended limits. The authors recommend that an ongoing testicular cancer surveillance program be provided for past and present male employees in the finishing department. Improvements should be made in the personal protective equipment offered to the workers and strict controls be instituted regarding lead exposures.
- Research Organization:
- National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5771153
- Report Number(s):
- PB-89-186662/XAB; IWS-076.13
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
552000 -- Public Health
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
AIR POLLUTION
DISEASES
EPIDEMIOLOGY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INSPECTION
LEAD COMPOUNDS
LEATHER
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
PIGMENTS
POLLUTION
SAFETY
SURVEYS
TOXICITY