Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 87-121-1968, Riley Brothers, Inc. , Burlington, Iowa

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:7269275

Gupta, S; Kramkowski, R; Salisbury, S

A study was made of possible hazardous working conditions at Riley Brothers, Inc., Burlington, Iowa. Concern centered around the possibility that certain production workers were exposed to various solvents and that the solvent levels measured in their blood tests were quite varied in nature. The company manufactured paint for different uses according to customer specifications. Major products included formulations of solvent-based paints, and spray painting or dip painting of metal parts. Waterproofing material composed of coal-tar pitch was also made here for use by roofers. One paint formulator had a combined exposure to naphtha and xylene that was 1.7 times the recommended exposure limit. Short term exposures to xylene for two paint strippers were 157 and 173 parts per million (ppm) which exceeded the 150 ppm recommended level. Urinary methyl-hippuric-acid concentrations before and after work shifts indicated a cross shift change greater than 1500 milligrams/gram creatinine which corresponded to an air level of xylene exceeding 100 ppm. Some workers are at risk of developing adverse health effects. Improvements in the ventilation system, use of organic vapor respirators, and use of proper respiratory protection during specified projects are recommended.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7269275
• Report Number(s): PB-90-129016/XAB; HETA-87-121-1968
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
SOLVENTS
PAINTS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INSPECTION
NAPHTHA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
TOXIC MATERIALS
TOXICITY
VENTILATION
XYLENES
AIR POLLUTION
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
AROMATICS
COAL TAR OILS
COATINGS
DISTILLATES
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DISTILLATES
PETROLEUM FRACTIONS
POLLUTION
SAFETY
320305* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Industrial Waste Management
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
552000 - Public Health