NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) testimony to DOL (Department of Labor) on occupational standard for benzene, by E. Baier, July 25-26, 1977

Technical Report · Mon Jul 25 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:6032400

The effects of occupational exposure to benzene on human health are discussed. After a brief mention of earlier findings, most of the testimony revolved around an ongoing mortality-pattern study of workers exposed to benzene during the manufacture of a natural rubber cast film with the trade name Pliofilm. The cohort demonstrated a five-fold excessive risk of total leukemia and a ten-fold excess of myelogenous and monocytic leukemias combined. Employees' 8-hour time-weighted average exposures were fairly consistent with the recommended standard in effect at that time. In areas where excessive concentrations of benzene occurred, respiratory protection was required. A modification was recommended in the sampling and analytical method recommended by NIOSH in the criteria document. According to the testimony, employees should be educated as to the potential dangers from benzene exposure, continuing education programs should be in place, and monitoring and recording of engineering control data should be emphasized to assure that engineering controls are effective and working properly.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6032400
• Report Number(s): PB-87-220943/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
500600* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Regulations-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
552000 -- Public Health
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
AIR POLLUTION
AROMATICS
BENZENE
CARCINOGENS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INSPECTION
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
POLLUTION
SAMPLING
SOLVENTS
STANDARDS
TOXICITY