Work-related carbon monoxide overexposures resulting from proximity to operation motorboats: Lake Havasu, Arizona, 2003.
Authors
Tapp-L; McCleery-RE; McCammon-JB
Source
APHA 132nd Annual Meeting and Exposition, Washington, DC, November 6-10, 2004. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association, 2004 Nov; :81444
Abstract
Carbon monoxide (CO) exposure assessment of municipal employees working in the Bridgewater Channel of Lake Havasu, Arizona, revealed a previously unrecognized occupational health hazard from CO exposure in the open air near motorboats. Recent evaluations found high levels of CO in the ambient air and exhaled breath of police, fire, and emergency medical personnel amid congested motorboat traffic. Air CO measurements along the Channel were in excess of all established short term exposure criteria. Full workshift CO exposure monitoring and exhaled breath CO analyses were conducted for 36 employees working in the Channel over a holiday weekend. Of the 78 workshifts involving air monitoring, 19 (24%) had exposures equal to or exceeding the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL). 54 of 78 (69%) had short-term exposures to CO that exceeded the NIOSH ceiling limit. Of the 63 workshifts involving nonsmokers, 42 (67%) had post-shift estimated %COHb levels at or above the ACGIH Biological Exposure Index of 3.5%. Recommendations were made that addressed boat manufacturing, boating laws, enforcement, and public awareness in efforts toward decreasing the risk of unnecessary CO exposure among employees (and vacationers) in proximity to large congregations of boats.
Keywords
Exposure-assessment; Employee-health; Employees; Employee-exposure; Occupational-hazards; Occupational-health; Health-hazards; Air-quality; Air-monitoring; Airborne-particles; Medical-personnel; Emergency-responders; Police-officers; Fire-fighters; Air-quality-monitoring; Exposure-limits; Environmental-health; Environmental-hazards; Environmental-health-monitoring
Contact
Loren Tapp, MD, Hazard Evaluations and Technical Assistance Branch, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway R-10, Cincinnati, OH 45226
Document Type
Abstract; Conference/Symposia Proceedings
Email Address
ltapp@cdc.gov
Source Name
APHA 132nd Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, November 6-10, 2004
