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HHE Search Results
1058 HHE reports were found based on your search terms. Reports are listed in order of year published with the most recently published reports listed first.
Year Published and Title
(1992) Metropolitan Sewer District, Mill Creek Facility, Cincinnati, Ohio. (Click to open report) In response to a confidential request from an employee, a health hazard evaluation was conducted at the Metropolitan Sewer District, Mill Creek Facility (SIC-4952) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Concern had been expressed regarding exposure to sulfur-dioxide (7446095), nitrogen oxides, inorganic acids, metals, dioxins, furans, and bacteria in the sludge dewatering and incineration buildings. There were approximately 60 employees on three shifts with the potential for exposure in the sewer sludge dewaterin... (Click to show more)In response to a confidential request from an employee, a health hazard evaluation was conducted at the Metropolitan Sewer District, Mill Creek Facility (SIC-4952) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Concern had been expressed regarding exposure to sulfur-dioxide (7446095), nitrogen oxides, inorganic acids, metals, dioxins, furans, and bacteria in the sludge dewatering and incineration buildings. There were approximately 60 employees on three shifts with the potential for exposure in the sewer sludge dewatering and incineration buildings. Personal breathing zone and area air samples were taken along with surface wipe and bulk materials samples. Contaminant concentrations did not exceed current environmental evaluation criteria for the substances investigated. Health complaints were not reported by employees at the time of the site visits. The authors conclude that concentrations of cadmium (7440439), chromium (7440473), lead (7439921), nickel (7440020), and quartz (14808607) in dewatered sludge and surface dusts represented potential ingestion and inhalation hazards. The authors recommend measures to prevent contact with contaminated materials.
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(1992) Morgan Shirt Company, Morgantown, West Virginia. (Click to open report) In response to a request from the management of the Morgan Shirt Company (SIC-2321), Morgantown, West Virginia, an investigation was made into potential respiratory effects as a result of handling and processing an imported fabric. Employees had noticed a vinegar type odor in their building, followed by respiratory symptoms when they started marking and cutting new fabric which had recently been received from India. Detector tube samples were collected and analyzed for acetic-acid (64197) and fa... (Click to show more)In response to a request from the management of the Morgan Shirt Company (SIC-2321), Morgantown, West Virginia, an investigation was made into potential respiratory effects as a result of handling and processing an imported fabric. Employees had noticed a vinegar type odor in their building, followed by respiratory symptoms when they started marking and cutting new fabric which had recently been received from India. Detector tube samples were collected and analyzed for acetic-acid (64197) and fabric samples were analyzed for latent volatile organics. Environmental samples were also collected for dust, fibers, temperature, humidity, and noise in three areas of the facility, the cutting room, and the first and second levels of the main building. The acetic-acid concentration in the detector tubes indicated less than 5 parts per million (ppm) acetic-acid concentrations. Fabric samples indicated trace quantities of acetic-acid and high molecular weight aldehydes. The latter were present only when the material was heated to 212 degrees- F. Total nuisance dust levels were below the limit allowed. Noise level monitoring indicated no excess levels of noise exposure. The authors conclude that no overexposures to acetic-acid, nuisance particulates or hazardous noise were identified during the survey.
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(1992) Nabisco Brands, Inc., Seville, Ohio. (Click to open report) In response to a request from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 880, an investigation was begun of possible airway irritation symptoms among workers exposed to the artificial food sweetener aspartame (22839470) at Nabisco Brands, Inc. (SIC-2099) in Seville, Ohio. Aspartame had been used as a food additive in sugar free products since 1983 at this facility. A series of on site surveys was conducted to evaluate work practices, assess employee exposures to airborne dusts, and condu... (Click to show more)In response to a request from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 880, an investigation was begun of possible airway irritation symptoms among workers exposed to the artificial food sweetener aspartame (22839470) at Nabisco Brands, Inc. (SIC-2099) in Seville, Ohio. Aspartame had been used as a food additive in sugar free products since 1983 at this facility. A series of on site surveys was conducted to evaluate work practices, assess employee exposures to airborne dusts, and conduct a medical evaluation. Results of the personal breathing zone air samples ranged from nondetectable to 301 micrograms/cubic meter (microg/m3). Area air samples ranged from nondetectable to 83microg/m3. No relationship was found between airborne aspartame exposure and respiratory symptoms or changes in peak expiratory flow rates. No relationship was found between reported symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness recorded at the time of peak flow measurements and the presence of aspartame. No dose response relationship was found for respiratory symptoms recorded during peak expiratory flow rates and exposure to aspartame. The authors conclude that there was no evidence for any occupationally related lower respiratory disorder at this facility. The authors recommend that improvements be made to local exhaust ventilation in several areas of the facility, and also recommend implementation of a respiratory protection program.
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(1992) New England Lead Burning Co. (NELCO), Eaton Metals, Salt Lake City, Utah. (Click to open report) In response to a request from the Director of the Department of Safety and Health, United Association of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, a follow up investigation was undertaken to determine if worker exposures to lead (7439921) had been reduced as a result of changes made after an initial evaluation at the New England Lead Burning Company (SIC-3443) project at Eaton Metals, Salt Lake City, Utah. The job at Eaton Metals involved the lining of two 85 foot long, 14.5 foot diameter steel ta... (Click to show more)In response to a request from the Director of the Department of Safety and Health, United Association of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, a follow up investigation was undertaken to determine if worker exposures to lead (7439921) had been reduced as a result of changes made after an initial evaluation at the New England Lead Burning Company (SIC-3443) project at Eaton Metals, Salt Lake City, Utah. The job at Eaton Metals involved the lining of two 85 foot long, 14.5 foot diameter steel tanks with lead sheets. All 22 employees on the day of the study provided blood specimens. The mean blood lead level was 23 micrograms/100 grams whole blood with a range of 4 to 38. No employee had creatinine (CR) levels above the normal range. Two employees had blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels above the normal range. Time weighted average exposures for airborne lead ranged from 23 to 1790 micrograms/cubic meter of air; all but one were above the Utah OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms/cubic meter. The short term lead concentrations for the various jobs ranged from 53 to 450 micrograms/cubic meter. Wipe samples revealed the presence of lead contamination on table surfaces in the lunch room, on workers' clothes and shoes, in the workers' cars, and on the floor of the change room. The authors conclude that employee blood lead levels were reduced below the level requiring bimonthly testing. However, personal breathing zone lead levels were above the PEL and wipe samples still indicated lead contamination. The authors recommend that additional efforts be made to clean up lead contamination. Respirators should be stored in protective bags.
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(1992) New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, Cooperstown, New York. (Click to open report) In response to a technical assistance request from the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, Cooperstown, New York a joint investigation was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of a dust control method. Air samples were collected to assess the effectiveness of water applied to hay bales in reducing airborne dust concentrations during the chopping of bedding at dairy farms (SIC-0241). Eight different barns were sampled over a 4 day period. During dry chopping operations, the av... (Click to show more)In response to a technical assistance request from the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, Cooperstown, New York a joint investigation was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of a dust control method. Air samples were collected to assess the effectiveness of water applied to hay bales in reducing airborne dust concentrations during the chopping of bedding at dairy farms (SIC-0241). Eight different barns were sampled over a 4 day period. During dry chopping operations, the average personal exposure to inhalable dust was 11.31mg/m3. The average exposure from wet chopping operations was 2.76mg/m3. The average area inhalable dust concentration from dry chopping was 11.08 mg/m3 and from wet chopping was 2.65 mg/m3. Endotoxin concentrations found on personal inhalable dust samples during dry sampling conditions had an average of 5,968 endotoxin units (EU) per cubic meter (m3) of air. Samples from wet chopping operations had lower endotoxin concentrations with an average of 1260 EU/m3. Fungal concentrations averaged 6.1x10(6) colony forming units per cubic meter (CFU/m3) in dry conditions and 4.9x10(5) CFU/m3 in wet conditions. Bacterial concentrations were also lower during wet chopping. The authors conclude that wet chopping significantly reduced the concentration of airborne dusts, endotoxins, viable fungi, mesophilic bacteria and gram negative bacteria.
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(1992) Northwest Incinerator, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Click to open report) In response to a request from the City of Philadelphia and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, District Council 33, Local 427, an evaluation was undertaken of possible hazardous working conditions at the Northwest Incinerator (SIC-4953), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Full shift personal breathing zone and general area air samples were analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), total dust, respirable dust, crystalline... (Click to show more)In response to a request from the City of Philadelphia and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, District Council 33, Local 427, an evaluation was undertaken of possible hazardous working conditions at the Northwest Incinerator (SIC-4953), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Full shift personal breathing zone and general area air samples were analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), total dust, respirable dust, crystalline silica (14808607), and metals. Airborne concentrations of respirable nuisance dust were all well below the permissible exposure limits. Concentrations of PCDDs/PCDFs expressed as 2,3,7,8- tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin (1746016) (TCDD) equivalents ranged from 0.01 to 12.8 picograms per cubic meter. There was also significant lead (7439921) surface contamination in one wipe sample. The authors conclude that possible exposures to PCDDs/PCDFs via inhalation and from surface contamination did exist. The facility ceased operations immediately after the evaluation. The authors recommend measures to cut down on exposure should the site be reopened for use or remediation.
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(1992) Ohio Civil Rights Commission, 200 Goodall Complex, Cincinnati, Ohio. (Click to open report) In response to an employer request, an investigation was undertaken of poor indoor air quality at the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (SIC- 9441), Cincinnati, Ohio. The Commission occupied three floors of an office building which was newly renovated in 1985. Complaints began following water leaks from condensate pans in the air handling units on third floor east and third floor west beginning in August of 1990. Carbon-dioxide (124389) concentrations, temperature and relative humidity were measured ... (Click to show more)In response to an employer request, an investigation was undertaken of poor indoor air quality at the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (SIC- 9441), Cincinnati, Ohio. The Commission occupied three floors of an office building which was newly renovated in 1985. Complaints began following water leaks from condensate pans in the air handling units on third floor east and third floor west beginning in August of 1990. Carbon-dioxide (124389) concentrations, temperature and relative humidity were measured during the study at six different locations inside the building. Carbon-dioxide levels rose from a mean of 366 parts per million (ppm) in the morning to a mean of 638ppm in the afternoon. Temperatures ranged from 69.9 to 75.3 degrees-F. Relative humidity ranged from 51.5 to 75.5%. Over half the employees had experienced symptoms such as nasal congestion, headaches, or eye irritation while in the building. The filters for the outside air supply fit poorly and allowed dust from the outside to go around the filters, permitting entrance of organic material into the air handling system. Significant moisture blowby of the cooling coils was also noted. According to the authors, there was no clear evidence that the employees' respiratory symptoms were caused by contaminants in the building; however, the presence of thermophilic actinomycetes within this building raises concern. The authors recommend specific measures to help reduce complaints related to the indoor climate of the building.
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(1992) Ropes and Gray Photocopy Center, Boston, Massachusetts. (Click to open report) In response to a request from a group of employees at the Pitney Bowes Management Services, Ropes and Gray Photocopy Center (SIC- 7334), Boston, Massachusetts, an evaluation was undertaken of worker exposures to photocopy emissions. The photocopy center has been in operation for 2 years. Six full time employees worked the day shift operating six photocopiers of various models. Approximately 1 million copies were generated monthly at the site. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of air samples ... (Click to show more)In response to a request from a group of employees at the Pitney Bowes Management Services, Ropes and Gray Photocopy Center (SIC- 7334), Boston, Massachusetts, an evaluation was undertaken of worker exposures to photocopy emissions. The photocopy center has been in operation for 2 years. Six full time employees worked the day shift operating six photocopiers of various models. Approximately 1 million copies were generated monthly at the site. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of air samples taken for volatile organic carbons revealed trace amounts of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (71556), isooctane (540841), toluene (108883), xylene (1330207), and benzene (71432). Ozone (10028156) concentrations as high as 0.41 parts per million (ppm) were detected at approximately 3 feet from the exhaust of each photocopier. Carbon-dioxide (124389) concentrations ranged from 300 to 825ppm. Respirable dust concentrations ranged from less than 10 to 50 micrograms per cubic meter. Carbon-monoxide (630080) was not detected. The authors conclude that the evaluation did not reveal a hazard to explain the respiratory symptoms experienced by the workers. The finding that the ventilation system moved too small an amount of air in a measured period of time may account for the accumulation of airborne contaminants within the building. Recommendations were made to improve the ventilation.
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(1992) Seaway Painting, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland. (Click to open report) In response to a request received from an engineering consultant, an evaluation was undertaken of health hazards at an elevated water storage tank in Annapolis, Maryland where exterior repainting was being carried out by Seaway Painting, Inc. (SIC-1629). The requestor was concerned about possible hazardous exposures to lead (7439921). The 135 foot high elevated water storage tank had an estimated exterior surface area of 35,000 square feet. It had been painted with a red lead primer, and an alky... (Click to show more)In response to a request received from an engineering consultant, an evaluation was undertaken of health hazards at an elevated water storage tank in Annapolis, Maryland where exterior repainting was being carried out by Seaway Painting, Inc. (SIC-1629). The requestor was concerned about possible hazardous exposures to lead (7439921). The 135 foot high elevated water storage tank had an estimated exterior surface area of 35,000 square feet. It had been painted with a red lead primer, and an alkyd lead based paint. During moving and set up of a primary containment structure, personal airborne lead exposures were below the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms/cubic meter (microg/m3). During abrasive blasting operations, levels outside the containment approached the PEL. Airborne lead concentrations in the containment ranged from 620 to 3000microg/m3. No workers had increased blood lead levels during the job. The authors conclude that a potential health hazard due to lead exposures existed during repainting of the structure; however, the worker protection program in place at the time of the study appeared to adequately protect the workers from the lead. The protection program was a comprehensive one which was in compliance with Maryland requirements.
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(1992) Simmons Industries, Inc., Siloam Springs, Arkansas. (Click to open report) In response to a request from the President of Simmons Industries, Inc. (SIC-2015), Siloam Springs, Arkansas, the ability of the local exhaust ventilation system in the hanging room of the poultry processing facility to protect chicken hangers from exposures to airborne organic dust was evaluated. Air quality analyses were conducted both at the Siloam Springs facility and at the similar facility of the same company located in Jay, Oklahoma. One of three 8 hour time weighted average (TWA) inhalab... (Click to show more)In response to a request from the President of Simmons Industries, Inc. (SIC-2015), Siloam Springs, Arkansas, the ability of the local exhaust ventilation system in the hanging room of the poultry processing facility to protect chicken hangers from exposures to airborne organic dust was evaluated. Air quality analyses were conducted both at the Siloam Springs facility and at the similar facility of the same company located in Jay, Oklahoma. One of three 8 hour time weighted average (TWA) inhalable dust concentrations from the Siloam Springs facility exceeded the Threshold Limit Value of 10mg/m3 for particulates not otherwise classified. Three similar samples taken at the Jay facility exceeded this limit. The Jay facility did not have a local ventilation system in operation. Endotoxin concentrations in all six of the TWA inhalable samples exceeded the recommended limit of 10 nanograms/cubic meter (ng/m3) at both facilities. Of the six samples, five exceeded 100ng/m3, a level associated with spirometric evidence of acute airways obstruction. The authors conclude that exposures in the hanging rooms of both poultry processing facilities represented a potential health risk. The author recommends that the exhaust ventilation system and work practices be changed to reduce exposures. A respiratory protection program should be implemented until dust exposures are controlled.
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