Health-hazard-evaluation report MHETA 89-362-2027, Helen Mining Company, Homer City, Pennsylvania

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6275735

Ferguson, R P

In response to a request from the United Mine Workers of America, an investigation was made of possible hazardous working conditions at the Helen Mining Company, Homer City, Pennsylvania. One of the tipple operators had complained of headaches, dizziness and skin rashes from working with a mixture of solvents used in the float/sink test operation. The solvents included perchloroethylene and dibromomethane. A week prior to receiving the request, the use of dibromomethane had been discontinued. Consequently, on the visit to the site, no traces of dibromomethane were found. After engineering controls were installed, only one of seven personal breathing zone samples detected any perchloroethylene, and that sample was 0.12 parts per million, at the limit of detection. The author concludes that a hazard from perchloroethylene did not exist at the time of the evaluation. The author recommends replacing the rubber/cloth type glove being used with either a Teflon or Viton glove, and enclosing the work table.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6275735
• Report Number(s): PB-91-107953/XAB; MHETA-89-362-2027
• 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.
PENNSYLVANIA
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
SOLVENTS
HEALTH HAZARDS
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
RECOMMENDATIONS
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FEDERAL REGION III
HAZARDS
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540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology