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Health hazard evaluation report no. HHE-80-185-842, Department of Municipal Railway, Woods Division, San Francisco, California

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7065159

Environmental air samples were analyzed for sulfur-dioxide (7446095), formaldehyde (50000), nitrogen-dioxide (10102440), carbon-monoxide (630080), and total particulate matter emanating from diesel exhaust fumes at the Department of Municipal Railway, Wood Division, (SIC-4172), in San Francisco, California on July 23, and September 23, 1980. A representative of the Civil Service Association, Local 400, requested the evaluation on behalf of an unspecified number of workers. No sulfur-dioxide gas was detected. Carbon-monoxide concentrations ranged from below the limits of detection to 7 parts per million (ppm) compared with the California-OSHA standard of 50ppm. All total particulate samples were well below the California-OSHA standard of 10 milligrams per cubic meter. Informal medical interviews with 12 employees revealed complaints of headache, eye, nose, and throat or lung irritation. The author concludes that health hazards from sulfur-dioxide, formaldehyde, nitrogen-dioxide, carbon-monoxide, and total particulates do not exist, although symptoms reported are consistent with diesel fume exposure. They recommend medical surveillance, educational programs, and ventilation improvements.

Research Organization:
National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
OSTI ID:
7065159
Report Number(s):
PB-82-172172; HHE-80-185-842
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English