Risk of dust-induced lung disease in oil shale workers

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:7079722

Marine, W M; Savitz, D A; Gratt, L B; Perry, B W

Risks of non-neoplastic lung diseases for future US oil shale worker dust exposures were estimated. In the absence of an active industry, health effects rates from surrogate industries were utilized. The risk of chronic bronchitis, chronic airway obstruction, and pneumoconiosis was quantified from British coal worker data. The risk of occupational silicosis in oil shale miners was estimated using Peruvian metal mines and Vermont granite worker data. Ten percent SiO/sub 2/ composition of the dust in the respirable range from oil shale mining and crushing was used. Risk estimates were calculated at the nuisance dust threshold limit value (TLV) of 5 mg/m/sup 3/ and at the current SiO/sub 2/ TLV of 100 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/. Silicosis was the dominant pulmonary health effect, but at the 5 mg/m/sup 3/ dust level, pneumoconiosis, chronic bronchitis, and chronic airway obstruction are also important risks. Designing oil shale facilities to meet the nuisance dust TLV may not provide adequate protection to the future generations of workers involved in oil shale extraction and processing. 32 references, 1 figure, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 7079722
• Report Number(s): UCRL-15611; ON: DE84012677
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
016000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Health & Safety
04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040700* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Health & Safety
560306 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CHALCOGENIDES
COAL MINING
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA
DISEASES
DUSTS
GRANITES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
MINERALS
MINING
NUMERICAL DATA
OIL SHALE INDUSTRY
OIL SHALE MINING
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
PLUTONIC ROCKS
PNEUMOCONIOSES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
RISK ASSESSMENT
ROCKS
SILICA
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES