Source
NIOSH 1992 Oct:18 pages
Abstract
In response to a request from the U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service a study was undertaken to characterize the exposure of forest fire fighting crews (SIC-0851) to chemical contaminants during the suppression of fires. Data were collected during the Gauley Mountain Fire at the New River Gorge National River in West Virginia. Eight hour time weighted average exposures ranged up to 9 parts per million (ppm) for both carbon-monoxide (630080) (CO) and sulfur-dioxide (7446095) (SO2). Of the 40 personal breathing zone measurements of SO2 exposure, 23 were at or above the NIOSH recommended exposure limit of 2ppm. Formaldehyde concentrations up to 0.10ppm were determined. No levels of silica (14808607) were detectable. Naphthalene (91203) measurements ranged up to 6.1 micrograms per cubic meter. The author concludes that fire fighters were overexposed to SO2 during wildfire suppression activities. The author recommends that SO2 exposures be reduced.
Keywords
NIOSH-Author; NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation; NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report; HETA-92-045-2260; Hazard-Confirmed; Region-3; Firemen; Toxic-gases; Aldehydes; Airborne-particles; Silica-dusts; Forestry-workers; Combustion-products;
CAS No.
630-08-0; 7446-09-5; 14808-60-7; 91-20-3;
Document Type
Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance;
NTIS Accession No.
PB93-214310
Identifying No.
HETA-92-045-2260
Source Name
Hazard Evaluations and Technical Assistance Branch, NIOSH, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Cincinnati, Ohio, Report No. HETA-92-045-2260, 18 pages, 26 references