HHE Report No. HETA-81-016-942, Iowa Beef Processors, Inc., Dakota City, Nebraska.

Hervin-RL; Slovin-DL

NIOSH 1981 Aug:22 pages

00123428

Environmental and personal air samples were analyzed for chlorine (7782505), hydrogen-chloride (7647010), phosphates and other contaminants, and medical surveys were conducted at Iowa Beef Processors, Incorporated (SIC-2011) in Dakota City, Nebraska, on December 15 to 17, 1980. A representative of the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 222, requested the evaluation after reports of upper respiratory irritation among workers in the kill and carcass preparation room. Chlorine air concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 0.4 parts per million (ppm), below the OSHA standard of 1 ppm. Hydrochloric-acid concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 0.6 ppm compared with the OSHA standard of 5ppm. Other chemical evaluated were well below the corresponding environmental standards. Eye irritation, nasal irritation, cough, and sneezing were reported on the medical questionnaires. Thirty eight of the 67 workers interviewed had experienced at least three of these symptoms during the same two week period. The authors conclude that a health hazard from exposure to chlorine existed at this facility. They recommend a thorough evaluation of the ventilation system and the water and chlorination facilities, and medical monitoring of affected workers.

NIOSH-Author; HETA-81-016-942; NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation; Hazards-Confirmed; Region-7; Health-surveys; Air-sampling; Pulmonary-system-disorders; NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report;

7782-50-5; 7647-01-0;

19810801

Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance; Field Studies

1981

PB83-126417

A03

HETA-81-016-942

DSHEFS;

Pulmonary-system-disorders

2011;

Hazard Evaluations and Technical Assistance Branch, NIOSH, Cincinnati, Ohio, 22 pages, 6 references

IA; NE; OH;