Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 87-321-1880, Barmet Aluminum Corporation, Livermore, Kentucky

Technical Report · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6761040

Hills, B; Savery, H W

A study was made of possible hazardous working conditions at the Barmet Aluminum Corporation, Livermore, Kentucky. Concern was expressed over exposure to aluminum dross dust and ammonia vapors in the dross mill, cast house, and furnace building. Analyses were made of a bulk sample of dross, personal breathing zone air, and area air. Ammonia vapors were present in potentially harmful quantities. Airborne concentrations of total dust, respirable dust, and respirable silica dust exceeded NIOSH recommended exposure limits or OSHA permissible-exposure limits. A self-administered questionnaire was used to investigate symptoms in 12 workers from the dross mill and 12 workers from the rolling mill. Respiratory symptoms were not more common among dross mill workers than rolling mill workers. The authors conclude that workers were exposed to potentially hazardous levels of dust and ammonia vapor. The authors recommend specific measures to reduce dust concentration, control employee exposures to metal fumes, control noise exposures, and inform workers of the hazards of their jobs.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6761040
• Report Number(s): PB-88-237300/XAB; HETA-87-321-1880
• 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
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
AMMONIA
CONTROL
DUSTS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
METAL INDUSTRY
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
TOXICITY