Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

In-depth survey report of Yellow Freight System, Inc. , St. Louis, Missouri

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6275594
The survey was part of an industry-wide study to investigate mortality and industrial hygiene among truck drivers, dock workers and mechanics presumably exposed to diesel exhaust aerosol. During each of the surveys conducted at seven truck terminals, personal and area sampling was performed to evaluate exposures to submicrometer elemental carbon, submicrometer organic carbon, and several other particulate and gaseous components of diesel exhaust including respirable dust, nitrogen oxides, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and nitro substituted organics. The major source of exposures to diesel aerosol in the dock workers appeared to be the operation of diesel powered fork lift trucks on the dock. The major source of exposure for mechanics was during ingress and egress of diesel tractors to and from the shop areas. Exposures to nitrogen oxides and respirable dust were very low. The authors recommend that exposures to diesel exhaust should be reduced to the lowest feasible limits using source controls, work practices, substitution, and engineering controls.
Research Organization:
National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA). Div. of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation and Field Studies
OSTI ID:
6275594
Report Number(s):
PB-91-108209/XAB; IWS--146.23
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English