Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 90-300-2208, L-TEC Welding and Cutting Systems Corporation, Florence, South Carolina

Technical Report · Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7034779

Boudreau, Y; Reh, C

In response to a confidential request from a group of employees of the L-Tec Welding and Cutting Systems Corporation (SIC-3548) in Florence, South Carolina, potentially hazardous working conditions were investigated. Of particular concern were skin rashes, irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, and leukopenia in machine shop workers using solvents and degreasers. The company employed about 480 workers and manufactured welding machines. About 100 employees worked in the machine shop. The most commonly reported health concern, numbness, and skin rashes appeared related to direct skin contact with methylene-chloride (75092) vapor. Several workers using Safety-Kleen-Solvent-MS reported joint pain, fatigue, dizziness and eye irritation. Only three of the samples had methylene-chloride levels above 10 parts per million; two were obtained when the ventilation system to the degreasing unit was deactivated. Exposures to Safety-Kleen were low. Of the five workers who reported leukopenia, white blood cell counts were below the race specific range in only one; workplace substances have not been associated with the development of leukopenia. The authors conclude that direct skin exposure to methylene-chloride could cause some of the numbness and skin irritation. Exposures were not in a range that would be likely to cause symptoms such as headaches and dizziness.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7034779
• Report Number(s): PB-92-231026/XAB; HETA-90-300-2208
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
METHYLENE CHLORIDE
HEALTH HAZARDS
SOUTH CAROLINA
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INHALATION
LEUKOPENIA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
PERSONNEL
WELDING MACHINES
WORKING CONDITIONS
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISEASES
HAZARDS
HEMIC DISEASES
IMMUNE SYSTEM DISEASES
INTAKE
MAMMALS
MAN
MEDICINE
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
SOLVENTS
USA
VERTEBRATES
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology