Health-hazard-evaluation report HETA 89-125-2021, Pan American Tannery, Gloversville, New York

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6145792

Fajen, J M; Calvert, G M; Hills, B

In response to a request from the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, a study was made of possible occupational exposure to hazardous materials in the finishing department of the Pan American Tannery, Gloversville, New York. Concern had risen at the company following a report in a medical journal about testicular cancer in the tanning industry. A cluster of three men in the finishing department had already been identified with testicular cancer. Several examples of poor housekeeping and poor maintenance of the building were noted on the walk through study. Major contaminants in the air samples included 2-butoxyethanol, diisobutylketone, limonene, and 2-ethylhexyl-acetate. According to the authors, it is not possible to determine if any specific agent was responsible for the testicular cancer cluster due to the fact that several changes had been made over time in the engineering controls and chemical processing, and that written records were not available. The authors recommend measures to reduce worker exposures, including medical surveillance, ventilation improvements, work practices and housekeeping requirements.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6145792
• Report Number(s): PB-91-108217/XAB; HETA--89-125-2021
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACETATES
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ALCOHOLS
BODY
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CARCINOGENESIS
DISEASES
EPIDEMIOLOGY
ETHANOL
FEDERAL REGION II
GONADS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
KETONES
MALE GENITALS
NEOPLASMS
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
RECOMMENDATIONS
TESTES
USA
VENTILATION