Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 84-066-1883, Artesian Industries, Mansfield, Ohio

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

OSTI ID:7098329

Crandall, M S; Singal, M; Anastas, M Y

In response to a request from workers at Artesian Industries, Mansfield, Ohio, an investigation was made of possible hazardous working conditions. Workers were experiencing lightheadedness, shortness of breath, fainting, lung problems, and skin rashes. For 86 air samples taken, respirable crystalline silica personal exposures averaged 0.12 mg/cu m (NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) for respirable crystalline silica, 0.05 mg/cu m); 38 of the samples exceeded the REL. All samples from the slip houses exceeded the NIOSH REL. The 18 samples taken in the casting area indicated that the average exposure limit was 0.06 mg/cu m, with eight samples exceeding the NIOSH REL. In the dry-finishing area 18 samples showed an average respirable silica concentration of 0.11 mg/cu m. Exposure to talc averaged 2.7 mg/cu m in the casting areas for 38 samples. Symptoms of chronic cough were noted in 20%, chronic bronchitis in 5%, and shortness of breath in 31% of the workers. Of 196 chest x-rays examined, 18 exhibited evidence of asbestos or talc exposure; five had symptoms of silicosis. The authors conclude that there is a serious, extensive problem regarding exposures to respirable silica and respirable talc dust.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7098329
• Report Number(s): PB-88-237581/XAB; HETA-84-066-1883
• 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
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ASBESTOS
DISEASES
DUSTS
FIBERS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM SILICATES
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
MINERAL INDUSTRY
MINERALS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
TALC
TOXICITY