Health-hazard evaluation report No. HETA-84-474-1946, Electric Boat Division, General Dynamics Corporation, Groton, Connecticut

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5882450

McManus, K P; Moseley, C; Lowry, L K; Hattis, D; Berg, R

An evaluation was made of possible hazardous working conditions at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation, Groton, Connecticut. The request concerned the potential for reproductive effects stemming from employee exposure to glycol ethers during submarine construction and refitting operations at this site. About 800 workers were potentially exposed during the application of coatings. The primary solvent in epoxy paints used at this facility was 2-ethoxyethanol (2-EE). Breathing zone airborne exposures to 2-EE ranged from nondetectable to 84.3 mg/cu m, with a mean concentration of 9.9 mg/cu m. Exposures to 2-methoxyethanol ranged up to 17.2 mg/cu m. A potential health hazard existed as a result of exposure to 2-EE at the time of the survey. The author recommends that worker exposure to glycol ethers be reduced to the lowest possible extent, that workers possibly exposed to these chemicals be provided with and required to use personal protective equipment, and that a continuous program of biological monitoring and industrial hygiene assessment be instituted for these workers.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5882450
• Report Number(s): PB-89-188098/XAB; HETA-84-474-1946
• 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
ALCOHOLS
COATINGS
ETHERS
GLYCOLS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INSPECTION
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
PAINTS
POLLUTION
SHIPS
SOLVENTS
SURVEYS
TOXICITY