Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 85-046-1763, American Crystal Sugar Company, East Grand Forks, Minnesota

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

OSTI ID:6149316

Boiano, J M; Almaguer, D

Following a request from the American Federation of Grain Millers International Union and management of the American Crystal Sugar Company (ACSCO), employee exposures to airborne contaminants during beet processing and welding fumes during facility maintenance were determined at a sugar beet mill owned by ACSCO. Exposures in excess of the most stringent criteria were found for calcium oxide and calcium carbonate in lime kiln workers, sugar dust in sugar bin workers, insoluble hexavalent chromium and nickel during welding, total welding fumes in one case, and nickel during a metal coating spray process. Quartz was found in several settled dust samples and high volume air samples. Nickel and chromium exposure presented potential cancer risks. The authors conclude that workers were overexposed to calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, sugar dust, total welding fumes, hexavalent chromium, and nickel at this facility. Recommendations include particulate containment, ventilation, and respiratory protection where appropriate.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6149316
• Report Number(s): PB-87-189460/XAB; HETA-85-046-1763
• 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
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BEETS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM OXIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHROMIUM
DUSTS
ELEMENTS
FOOD
FOOD INDUSTRY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON OXIDES
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
METALS
NICKEL
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
PLANTS
POLLUTION
SAFETY
SUGAR BEETS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VEGETABLES
VENTILATION