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Technical Assistance Report No. TA-80-14, Federal Government Park Building, Rockville, Maryland.

Authors
Lee SA
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, TA 80-14, 1980 Jan; :1-5
Link
NIOSHTIC No.
00093756
Abstract
A walk through survey of the third floor, laboratories, and roof of the Federal Government Park Building (SIC-8922) in Rockville, Maryland was conducted on November 30, 1979, to investigate the cause of complaints of headaches, nausea, sore throats, and eye irritations among employees of the Office of Health Maintenance Organizations (OHMO). The survey was requested by the Office of Resource Management. The OHMO was located on the floor below the laboratories, and complaints of unpleasant odors often coincided with the operation of the laboratory autoclaves. The health complaints sometimes occurred when the odors were not present. OHMO temperature control was erratic, and air movement was insufficient in some offices. Inspection of the building roof revealed an inoperative exhaust fan, which may have been connected to the laboratory autoclaves. A wide variety of toxic substances were used in the laboratories, and there was a substantial exposure potential. The authors conclude that a safety and health surveillance program is needed at this facility. Interlaboratory cooperation is required to establish clear lines of health and safety responsibility for the entire laboratory area. The building ventilation system should be redesigned to provide adequate supply and exhaust air.
Keywords
NIOSH-Author; NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report; TA-80-14; Medical-research; Hazards-Confirmed; Environmental-control-equipment; Work-environment; Air-pollution; Ventilation-systems; Exhaust-fumes; Toxic-substances; Office-workers; Scientific-personnel; Region-3
Publication Date
19800101
Document Type
Field Studies; Technical Assistance
Fiscal Year
1980
NTIS Accession No.
PB80-169840
NTIS Price
A01
Identifying No.
TA-80-14
NIOSH Division
DSHEFS
SIC Code
8922
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
State
MD; OH
Page last reviewed: September 2, 2020
Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Information Division