Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 90-223-2211, Thomson Consumer Electronics, Marion, Indiana

Technical Report · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:6995558

Lenhart, S W; Driscoll, R

In response to a request from the Corporate Medical Consultant to Thomson Consumer Electronics (SIC-3673), Marion, Indiana, a study was undertaken of an illness outbreak in workers at the facility. There were about 1900 workers at the facility, which produced television picture tubes. Production occurred over three shifts, 6 days a week. Charcoal tube sampling indicated the presence of acetone (67641) n-amyl-acetate (628637), n-butyl-acetate (123864), isoamyl-acetate (123922), toluene (108883), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (71556), and trichloroethylene (79016). No contaminants were detected in the bag samples of air collected from the in/house compressed air system. One or more symptoms were reported by 593 (82%) of the workers. Those most commonly reported included headache (68%), sore throat (53%), fatigue (51%), eye irritation (50%), itchy skin (47%), irritated nose (45%), dizziness (45%), unusual taste in mouth (45%), unusual smell (41%) and cough. The authors conclude that symptoms were consistent with stress related health complaints in occupational settings. Concentrations of chemicals measured in the facility would not be expected to produce the effects seen in the outbreak. The authors recommend that trichloroethylene degreasing units be replaced with equipment which uses a less toxic degreasing agent. The facility should hire a full time industrial hygienist.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6995558
• Report Number(s): PB-92-222660/XAB; HETA-90-223-2211
• Resource Relation: Other Information: See also PB92-145861
• 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.
INDIANA
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
HEALTH HAZARDS
ACETONE
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
RECOMMENDATIONS
SYMPTOMS
TOLUENE
WORKING CONDITIONS
AIR POLLUTION
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
KETONES
MAMMALS
MAN
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
SOLVENTS
USA
VERTEBRATES
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology