Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 85-045-1762, American Crystal Sugar Co. , Crookston, Minnesota

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6149277

Almaguer, D; Boiano, J M

Employee exposures to airborne contaminants during sugar-beet processing and to welding fumes during facility maintenance were evaluated at a sugar beet mill owned by the American Crystal Sugar Company (ACSCO), in response to a request from ACSCO's management and the American Federation of Grain Millers International Union. During beet processing, personal breathing-zone and general air samples were collected and analyzed for several chemicals and total and respirable particulates of various dusts. Welding fumes were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma/atomic emission spectroscopy of personal filter samples. The following exposures were considered excessive by the most-stringent criteria: lime-kiln helper to total particulates; Weibul storage-bin housekeeper to sugar dust; diffuser operator and charger to formaldehyde; welders and cutters to total welding fumes and specific metals, particularly hexavalent chromium and nickel. High-volume air and settled-dust samples contained crystalline silica representing a potential hazard. Recommendations include improved particulate containment and ventilation, use of respirators where appropriate, and formaldehyde replacement.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6149277
• Report Number(s): PB-87-189510/XAB; HETA-85-045-1762
• 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
ALDEHYDES
ARC WELDING
BEETS
CHROMIUM
DUSTS
ELEMENTS
FABRICATION
FOOD
FOOD INDUSTRY
FORMALDEHYDE
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
JOINING
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
METALS
NICKEL
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
PLANTS
POLLUTION
RESPIRATORS
SAFETY
SUGAR BEETS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VEGETABLES
VENTILATION
WELDING