HHE determination report no. HHE-77-130-527, Inland Steel Company, 10 and 14 Inch Merchant Mills, 3210 Waitling Street, East Chicago, Indiana, September, 1978.
Authors
Evans-WA; Price-JH
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 77-130-527, 1978 Sep; :1-17
Abstract
Environmental air sampling and employee interviews were conducted on March 14 to 16, 1978 at Inland Steel Company (SIC-332) in East Chicago, Indiana to evaluate worker exposures to coke oven gas fired furnace emissions, iron-oxide (1309371) lead (7439921). The evaluation was requested by an authorized representative of the United Steelworkers of America, Local 1010, on behalf of approximately 150 affected employees. Personal and area air sample concentrations of nitrogen-dioxide (10102440) and sulfur-dioxide (7446095) were below OSHA standards of 5 parts per million for each substance. One worker was exposed to concentrations of lead in excess of the proposed OSHA standard of 0.1 milligram per cubic meter (mg/m3), and one worker was exposed to excessive concentrations of iron-oxide (OSHA standard is 5mg/m3). Common health complaints among the workers included chest pain, headaches, and eye and throat irritation; these were consistent with sulfur- dioxide exposure. The authors conclude that a hazard exists at this facility due to sulfur-dioxide exposure. Recommendations are provided to reduce exposures through improved work and hygiene practices, changes in ventilation, medical and environmental monitoring, and use of respirators.
Keywords
NIOSH-Author; HHE-77-130-527; NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation; Hazards-Unconfirmed; Region-5; Sulfur-oxides; Vapors; Lead-fumes; Industrial-emission-sources; Medical-monitoring; Medical-examinations; Unions; Humans; Steel-manufacture; Steel-workers;
Author Keywords: sulfur dioxide; lead; iron oxide; nitrogen dioxide
CAS No.
1309-37-1; 7439-92-1; 10102-44-0; 7446-09-5
Document Type
Field Studies; Health Hazard Evaluation
NTIS Accession No.
PB81-143737
Identifying No.
HHE-77-130-527
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
