HHE Determination, Report No. HHE-76-33-34-431, Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation Ravenswood, West Virginia.

Chrostek-WJ; Straub-W; Powell-K

NIOSH 1977 Sep:19 pages

00074941

A Health Hazard Evaluation investigation was conducted by NIOSH on July 27-29, 1977, at the Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation, Ravenswood, West Virginia in the facility for the production of virgin aluminum metal (SIC-3334) by electrolytic reduction of alumina (1344281) using prebaked carbon electrodes and cryolite (1344758) flux. The survey was prompted by a request from an authorized representative of the approximately 550 affected employees regarding physical impairment, primarily a high incidence of coronary heart disease in the pot and casting departments. Environmental sampling revealed that the anode setters in the pot area may be exposed to excessive concentrations of aluminum-oxide (1344281), while fluoride exposure was not excessive. In the casting area exposure to carbon-monoxide (630080), sulfur-dioxide (7446095) and ammonia (7664417) was minimal. According to available medical data, the findings related to determining whether a high rate of coronary disease existed were inconclusive. Recommendations are made for environmental control and medical surveillance of employees.

NIOSH-Author; NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation; HHE-76-33-34-431; Hazard-Unconfirmed; Region-3; Industrial-plants; Air-quality-measurement; Electrolysis; Air-contamination; Aluminum-industry; Airborne-particulates; Metallic-dusts; Respirable-dust; Cardiovascular-system-disorders; Foundry-practice; Inorganic-gases;

1344-28-1; 1344-75-8; 1344-28-1; 630-08-0; 7446-09-5; 7664-41-7;

19770901

Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance; Field Studies

1977

PB89-161277

A03

HHE-76-33-34-431

DSHEFS;

3334;

Hazard Evaluation Services Branch, NIOSH, Cincinnati, Ohio, Report No. HHE-76-33-34-431, 19 pages

VA; WV; OH;