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HHE determination report no. HHE-79-112-636, Stearns-Roger Fabricators, Inc., Denver, Colorado.

Gunter BJ; Watanabe AS

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 79-112-636, 1979 Dec; :1-9

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/79-112-636.pdf

00092898

Personal and area air samples were analyzed for manganese (7439965) (Mn), iron-oxide-fume (1309371) (Fe), fluoride (7782414), nickel (7440020) (Ni), copper (7440508) (Cu), chromium-VI (Cr+6), and chrome (7440473), and workers were interviewed for exposure symptoms at Stearns-Roger Fabricators, Inc., (SIC-3441), in Denver, Colorado, on August 15 to 17 and September 24 and 25, 1979. Company management requested the evaluation on behalf of approximately 50 workers. Seven employees reported symptoms including runny or stuffy nose, headaches, shortness of breath, stomach pain, and fatigue, but most workers reported no health problems. Concentrations of Cr+6, Cu, Ni, and chrome were below OSHA standards of 0.5, 0.1, 1.0, and 1.0 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), respectively. Mn and Fe were below the threshold limit value of 5.0 (ceiling) and 5.0mg/m3, respectively. One welder was exposed to fluoride concentrations above the OSHA limit of 2.5mg/m3. The investigators conclude that workers were not overexposed, due mostly to good work and hygiene habits. They recommend local exhaust ventilation and electrostatic precipitators, no eating or smoking in the work areas, and ventilation for welders who work with flux or welding rods containing fluoride.

NIOSH-Author; HHE-79-112-636; NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation; Fabricated-metal-products; Hazard-Confirmed; Air-sampling; Air-contaminants; Toxic-substances; Chemical-exposure; Allergic-disorders; Region-8; Author Keywords: manganese; iron oxide; nickel; copper; chrome (metal); fluoride; welding; stainless steel

7439-96-5; 1309-37-1; 7782-41-4; 7440-02-0; 7440-50-8; 7440-47-3

19791201

Field Studies; Health Hazard Evaluation

1980

PB80-167125

A02

HHE-79-112-636

DSHEFS

3441

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

CO; OH