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Industrywide studies report: a walk-through survey of McCormick and Co., Inc., Baltimore, Maryland.

Morawetz JS; Steenland K

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 67-38, 1985 Oct; :1-33

00163136

A walk-through survey was conducted at three facilities of McCormick and Co. (SIC-2099), Baltimore, Maryland, to determine the suitability of this company for inclusion in an industrywide mortality and industrial hygiene study of workers potentially exposed to ethylene-oxide (75218) (EtO) in industrial sterilization processes. Ethylene-oxide has been used since 1938 to sterilize spices. Industrial hygiene records, production processes, and personnel records were evaluated. The facilities meet the requirements of being able to contribute at least 400 person years of data to the study, having adequate personnel records to identify past and present workers exposed to EtO, and do not have any serious confounding exposure to a known leukemogen, even though some of the workers were exposed during the 1940s and 1950s to a number of toxic chemicals. Methyl-bromide (74839) has been used as a fumigant in this plant and may have at times been present in low levels in the air. A possible connection between this compound and carcinoma induced experimentally in rats is noted, but the compound is not known to be a leukemogen.

NIOSH-Author; NIOSH-Survey; Field-Study; Region-3; Oxides; Food-processing-industry; Ethylenes; Fumigants;

75-21-8; 74-83-9

19851007

Field Studies; Industry Wide

1986

PB86-221751

A04

IWS-67-38

DSHEFS

2099

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

MD; OH