HHE determination report no. HHE-74-78-297, Amax Speciality Metals, Parkersburg, West Virgina.
Authors
Thoburn-TW; Straub-WE
Source
Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HHE 74-78-297, 1976 Jun; :1-15
Abstract
A Health Hazard Evaluation investigation was conducted by NIOSH on July 16-19, 1974, at the Amax Speciality Metals, Parkersburg, West Virginia, a facility engaged in the production of nuclear reactor grade zirconium (7440677) and hafnium (7440586) (SIC-3339) from crude zirconium-tetrachloride. The survey was prompted by a request from an authorized representative of the 150 affected employees regarding the appearance of a skin rash and abnormal respiratory function tests in some of the workers. Based on medical interviews and cutaneous examination of the exposed workers, personal observations made by NIOSH investigators, review of medical records and studies, and a review of the pertinent literature it was determined that a dermatitis problem and a respiratory irritancy problem existed in conjunction with the company's refining of zirconium and hafnium. In November 1974, zirconium operations were discontinued due to the inability to purchase or manufacture economically crude zirconium-tetrachloride.
Keywords
NIOSH-Author; NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation; HHE-74-78-297; Hazard-Confirmed; Region-3; Industrial-plants; Air-contamination; Transition-metals; Chemical-processing-industry; Refractory-metals; Respiratory-irritation; Primary-metallurgical-processes; Skin-disorders; Respiratory-system-disorders;
Author Keywords: dermatitis; respiratory irritation; zirconium; zirconium tetrachloride
CAS No.
7440-67-7; 7440-58-6
Document Type
Field Studies; Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance
NTIS Accession No.
PB89-166243
Identifying No.
HHE-74-78-297
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
