HHE determination report no. HHE-78-48-622, White Motor Company, Exton, Pennsylvania.
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 78-48-622, 1979 Oct; :1-20
Abstract
Environmental sampling, confidential employee interviews, a company records review, and work practices and conditions observations were conducted at the truck, cab and chassis assembly factory of White Motor Corporation (SIC-3711) in Exton, Pennsylvania from June 21 to 23, 1978 and February 28 and March 1, 1979 to determine potential hazards in the spray painting department. An evaluation request came from an authorized representative of an unspecified number of workers using a trademarked painting system (Centauri). Four of the 11 air lead (7439921) samples of 300, 380, 540, and 1,600 micrograms per cubic meter (micrograms/cu m) exceeded the OSHA standard of 200 micrograms/cu m for an 8 hour time weighted average. One sample of hexamethylene-diisocyanate (822060) (HDI) in the cab spray booth measured 192.5 micrograms/cu m. Solvent exposures to toluene (108883), xylene (1330207), and naphtha (8030306) were well below OSHA standards of 750 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/cu m) time weighted average, 435mg/cu m time weighted average and 400mg/cu m, respectively. Medical and environmental findings indicated repeated overexposure to HDI, and one worker had become sensitized. The author concludes that a potential health hazard exists for the workers exposed to Centauri paint and recommends that measures to control lead exposure be implemented, HDI exposure be minimized through improved respiratory protection, a less hazardous process material be substituted and some processes be automated and ventilation be improved.
Keywords
NIOSH-Author; HHE-78-48-622; NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation; Region-3; Hazard-Confirmed; Truck-and-bus-bodies; Industrial-factory-workers; Air-sampling; Chemical-exposure; Paint-spraying; Toxic-effects; Confined-space-operations; Environmental-contaminants; Respiratory-protection;
Author Keywords: lead; blood lead level; hexamethylene diisocyante; HDI; Centauri paint system
CAS No.
7439-92-1; 822-06-0; 108-88-3; 1330-20-7; 8030-30-6
Document Type
Field Studies; Health Hazard Evaluation
NTIS Accession No.
PB80-193808
Identifying No.
HHE-78-48-622
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
