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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Industrial-hygiene survey report of Delta Air Lines, Inc. Technical Operations Center, Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5936818

A visit was made to the technical operations center of Delta Air Lines, Atlanta, Georgia to evaluate worker exposure, personal protective equipment and engineering controls in work areas where ethylene glycol ethers were used. At this facility the potential for inhalation and dermal exposure to the ethers exists primarily in the hangers during spray coating of the aircraft, small parts and ground support equipment. Approximately 20 male workers were potentially exposed directly during painting operations; approximately 50 to 60 workers working in adjacent areas may have been indirectly exposed. Concentrations of 2-ethoxyethyl-acetate (2-EEA) ranged from 0.29 to 2.77 parts per million (ppm); the OSHA permissible exposure limit was 100 ppm, and the NIOSH recommended exposure limit was the lowest feasible level. The actual inhaled dose would be much lower as a result of the use of personal protective equipment during painting operations. A potential for exposure to 2-EEA was also noted during the mixing of the paints and after the painting was completed. Protective equipment was not normally used at these times. The authors recommend specific efforts to minimize exposures.

Research Organization:
National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
OSTI ID:
5936818
Report Number(s):
PB-89-186605/XAB; IWS-134.20.12
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English