In-depth survey report: Assisting furniture strippers in reducing the risk from methylene chloride stripping formulations at Los Angeles Stripping and Refinishing Center, Los Angeles, California

Technical Report · Fri Mar 26 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:6456565

Estill, C F; Kovein, R J; Jones, J H; Morton, A

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is currently conducting research on ventilation controls to reduce furniture stripping exposures to methylene chloride to the OSHA PEL of 25 ppm. Low cost ventilation systems were designed by NIOSH researchers along with Benny Bixenman of Benco Sales, Inc. (Forney, TX). The controls were constructed and installed by Benco Sales. This report compares the methylene chloride levels of one worker stripping furniture using the recently installed ventilation controls and using the existing controls. During the survey, two different chemical stripping solutions (a standard formulation and a low methylene chloride content formulation) were used and compared. This survey tested three control combinations: (1) new ventilation, low methylene chloride stripper, (2) new ventilation, standard stripping solution, and (3) old ventilation, standard stripping solution. During each test, sorbent tube sampling and real-time sampling were employed. Sorbent tube, data collected in the worker's breathing zone, ranged from 300 to 387 ppm. Real-time data showed breathing zone exposures to range from 211 to 383 ppm while stripping and 164 to 230 ppm while rinsing. Data were inconclusive to determine which ventilation system or stripping solution produced the lowest exposures. Recommendations are made in the report to improve the newly installed ventilation controls.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Div. of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6456565
• Report Number(s): PB-99-147662/XAB; ECTB-170-20A
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
FURNITURE INDUSTRY
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
METHYLENE CHLORIDE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
US NIOSH
VENTILATION
WASTE MANAGEMENT
AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRY
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
SAFETY
US ORGANIZATIONS
320305* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Industrial Waste Management