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Industrywide studies report, a walk-through survey of American Sterilizer Company, Erie, Pennsylvania.

Greife A; Steenland K; Ringenburg V

Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, IWS 67-26, 1985 Aug; :1-22

00152216

A walkthrough survey was conducted at American Sterilizer Company (SIC-3842), Erie, Pennsylvania in May, 1984. The purpose of the study was to determine the feasibility of including the facility in a NIOSH industrywide mortality/industrial hygiene study of ethylene- oxide (75218) exposure. The company produced sterilizers for hospitals and used ethylene-oxide to test the sterilizers for air leaks and gauge function from 1956 to 1982. Contract sterilization of various materials was also performed. Personnel records were adequate to determine exposed workers based on job categories, although some records for terminated employees in the late 1970s were missing. A review of the records indicated that the facility could contribute about 5,100 person years to the NIOSH study. The company conducted area air monitoring for ethylene-oxide in 1981 and 1982 under simulated conditions of exposure. The authors conclude that the facility meets most eligibility requirements for the NIOSH survey: having at least 400 person years of exposure, adequate personnel records, and no serious confounding exposure to a known leukemogen. The facility should be tentatively included in the NIOSH study.

NIOSH-Author; NIOSH-Survey; Field-study; Medical-facilities; Toxicology; Ventilation-equipment; Hygiene; Industrial-engineering; Analytical-models; Mortality-data; IWS-67-26; Region-3

75-21-8

19850806

Field Studies; Industry Wide

1985

PB86-117637

A03

IWS-67-26

DSHEFS

3842

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

PA; OH