Health-hazard-evaluation report HETA 89-196-2023, Hazen Research, Inc. , Golden, Colorado

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6314994

Hales, T R

As a result of a request from Hazen Research, Inc. (SIC-1041), Golden, Colorado, an evaluation was made of possible employee exposure to lead (7439921) in the company's fire assay operations. The fire assaying process separates noble metals from their ores using dry reagents and heat. The facility was run by one full time analyst. One personal breathing sample and three general area air samples were taken. Four short term area samples were collected in the fire assay lab. Questionnaires were completed by the assayist and one office employee, both of whom also provided blood samples for analysis. The personal breathing zone concentration of lead was 10 micrograms/cubic meter (microg/cu m) as an 8 hour time weighted average, well below the OSHA action level of 30 microg/cu m. Blood lead concentrations were less than 40 micrograms/deciliter. Symptoms consistent with lead exposure were not reported. However, the authors conclude that a potential for exposure existed; implementation of specific portions of the OSHA lead standard which were not in effect at the time of the visit is recommended.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6314994
• Report Number(s): PB-91-104554/XAB; HETA--89-196-2023
• 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.
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BODY FLUIDS
COLORADO
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INHALATION
INTAKE
LEAD
MATERIALS
MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE
METABOLISM
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
SAFETY STANDARDS
STANDARDS
USA