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Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-91-391-2174, New England Lead Burning Co. (NELCO), Eaton Metals, Salt Lake City, Utah.

McCammon CS; Hales TR; Daniels WJ; Lee SA

Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HETA 91-391-2174, 1992 Jan; :1-20

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/1991-0391-2174.pdf

00206935

In response to a request from the Director of the Department of Safety and Health, United Association of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, a follow up investigation was undertaken to determine if worker exposures to lead (7439921) had been reduced as a result of changes made after an initial evaluation at the New England Lead Burning Company (SIC-3443) project at Eaton Metals, Salt Lake City, Utah. The job at Eaton Metals involved the lining of two 85 foot long, 14.5 foot diameter steel tanks with lead sheets. All 22 employees on the day of the study provided blood specimens. The mean blood lead level was 23 micrograms/100 grams whole blood with a range of 4 to 38. No employee had creatinine (CR) levels above the normal range. Two employees had blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels above the normal range. Time weighted average exposures for airborne lead ranged from 23 to 1790 micrograms/cubic meter of air; all but one were above the Utah OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms/cubic meter. The short term lead concentrations for the various jobs ranged from 53 to 450 micrograms/cubic meter. Wipe samples revealed the presence of lead contamination on table surfaces in the lunch room, on workers' clothes and shoes, in the workers' cars, and on the floor of the change room. The authors conclude that employee blood lead levels were reduced below the level requiring bimonthly testing. However, personal breathing zone lead levels were above the PEL and wipe samples still indicated lead contamination. The authors recommend that additional efforts be made to clean up lead contamination. Respirators should be stored in protective bags.

NIOSH-Author; NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation; NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report; HETA-91-391-2174; Hazard-Confirmed; Region-8; Lead-poisoning; Lead-dust; Occupational-exposure; Environmental-contamination; Author Keywords: Fabricated Plate Work; Tank Construction; Inorganic Lead; Lead Lining; Lead Burning; Lead Burners; Blood Lead; Zinc Protoporphyrin

7439-92-1

19920101

Field Studies; Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance

1992

PB92-193937

A03

HETA-91-391-2174

DSHEFS

3443

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

UT; OH