Health hazard evaluation determination report no. 79-16-628, Ashland Petroleum Company, 2nd Avenue, Freedom, Pennsylvania
Environmental air sampling was performed and nondirect medical questionnaires were administered on March 6 and 7, 1979 at Ashland Petroleum Company, Freedom, Pennsylvania to determine if employees were exposed to bauxite (1318167) dust and unknown toxic substances. The benzene (71432) soluble fraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAH) measured 0.43 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/cu m) and exceeded the OSHA recommended exposure limit of 0.20mg/cu m in one of four sampling periods. Total dust particulates ranged from 1.1 to 8.5mg/cu m, lead (7439921) was undetectable, and sulfur dioxide (7446095) gas measured 3.1 micrograms/cu m. All were below their respective recommended limits of 15mg/cu m, 50mg/cu m, and 13mg/cu m. Medical reports of acute, intermittent irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, dry skin, occasional headache, sinus congestion, and wheezing with exertion were associated with increased heat and with the burning of certain products that probably contained sulfur dioxide. The authors recommend periodic vacuum cleaning of the burner house, periodic maintenance of the burner and ducts to seal leaks; a program of environmental sampling, preplacement and periodic medical examinations for exposed workers, maintaining medical records on all employees exposed for 1 or more years to sulfur dioxide, and a review of the value of the current preemployment practice of routinely recording lower back radiographs.
- Research Organization:
- National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6889064
- Report Number(s):
- PB-80-193816
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ALUMINIUM ORES
AROMATICS
BAUXITE
BENZENE
CHALCOGENIDES
DISEASES
DUSTS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENT
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
LEAD
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
METALS
MINERALS
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
ORES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SAFETY
STANDARDS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
TOXICITY
WORKING CONDITIONS