HHE Determination, Report No. HHE-78-33-506, Grand Junction Steel Fabricating Company, Grand Junction, Colorado, July 1978.

Gunter-BJ

NIOSH 1978 Jul:10 pages

00099478

Environmental and medical surveys were conducted from January 30, to February 2, 1978 to evaluate exposures associated with the welding of sheet and angle iron at Grand Junction Steel Fabricating Company (SIC-3441) in Grand Junction, Colorado. The evaluation was requested by the local United Steelworkers of America Union on behalf of approximately 100 affected workers. Environmental samples showed that workers were overexposed to iron-oxide (1309371) fumes; concentrations exceeded the recommended threshold limit value of 5.0 milligrams per cubic meter. All other environmental measurements were within the most recent evaluation criteria. Medical interviews of 32 revealed showed that welders had complaints that were compatible with overexposure to welding fumes. The author concludes that a potential health hazard existed at the time of the survey. Local ventilation should be provided to reduce welding fume exposures, the respirator used in the paint booth area should be cleaned and maintained, and eating should be prohibited in the work area.

NIOSH-Author; HHE-78-33-506; NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation; Fabricated-structural-metal; Hazards-Confirmed; Region-8; Gases; Air-contaminants; Medical-screening; Ventilation-systems; Industrial-hygiene; Personal-protective-equipment; Humans; Unions;

1309-37-1;

19780701

Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance; Field Studies

1978

PB81-143950

A02

HHE-78-33-506

DSHEFS;

3441;

Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch, NIOSH, Cincinnati, Ohio, Report No. HHE-78-33-506, 10 pages, 3 references

CO; OH;