Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 85-482-1730, HETA 86-116-1730, Winters Industry Foundry, Canton, Ohio
An assessment was made of possible exposure to the catalyst dimethylethylamine (DMEA) at the Winters Industry Foundry in Canton, Ohio, in response to a request from the Molders and Allied Workers Union, Local 154. Symptoms of vision disturbances consisting of blurred, foggy, or halovision had been reported by workers at the facility along with headaches and stomach pain. Long-term personal breathing-zone air samples were taken during the core-manufacturing processes and revealed the following airborne concentrations: DMEA, nondetectable to 29 mg/cum; respirable free silica, nondetectable to 1144 micrograms/cu m; methylene chloride, nondetectable to 4.7 mg/cu m; perchloroethylene, 2.2 to 6.4 mg/cu m; 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 451 to 764 mg/cu m; and total reactive isocyanate groups, nondetectable to 144 microg/cu m. No airborne concentrations of ammonia or nitrosamines were detected. Over 90% of the employees experienced at least one symptom or effect which was consistent with DMEA exposure. The authors conclude that a health hazard exists with regard to exposure to free silica. The authors recommend that concentrations of DMEA be kept as low as possible, although there are at present no regulations concerning safe levels of this chemical in the workplace.
- Research Organization:
- National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6354798
- Report Number(s):
- PB-87-174108/XAB; HETA-85-482-1730
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
552000 -- Public Health
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
AIR POLLUTION
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
METAL INDUSTRY
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
POLLUTION
SAFETY
SOLVENTS
TOXICITY