Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 85-045-1762, American Crystal Sugar Co. , Crookston, Minnesota

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6149277

Almaguer, D; Boiano, J M

Employee exposures to airborne contaminants during sugar-beet processing and to welding fumes during facility maintenance were evaluated at a sugar beet mill owned by the American Crystal Sugar Company (ACSCO), in response to a request from ACSCO's management and the American Federation of Grain Millers International Union. During beet processing, personal breathing-zone and general air samples were collected and analyzed for several chemicals and total and respirable particulates of various dusts. Welding fumes were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma/atomic emission spectroscopy of personal filter samples. The following exposures were considered excessive by the most-stringent criteria: lime-kiln helper to total particulates; Weibul storage-bin housekeeper to sugar dust; diffuser operator and charger to formaldehyde; welders and cutters to total welding fumes and specific metals, particularly hexavalent chromium and nickel. High-volume air and settled-dust samples contained crystalline silica representing a potential hazard. Recommendations include improved particulate containment and ventilation, use of respirators where appropriate, and formaldehyde replacement.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6149277
• Report Number(s): PB-87-189510/XAB; HETA-85-045-1762
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
ARC WELDING
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
DUSTS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
FOOD INDUSTRY
FORMALDEHYDE
PARTICULATES
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
CHROMIUM
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INSPECTION
NICKEL
RESPIRATORS
SUGAR BEETS
TOXICITY
VENTILATION
AIR POLLUTION
ALDEHYDES
BEETS
ELEMENTS
FABRICATION
FOOD
INDUSTRY
JOINING
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PLANTS
POLLUTION
SAFETY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VEGETABLES
WELDING
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
552000 - Public Health