Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA 99–0185-2787: Wonder Industries, Wyoming, Minnesota

Details

• Personal Author:
  McCleery, Robert E.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  On April 22, 1999, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) received a request for a health hazard evaluation (HHE) at the Wonder Industries facility in Wyoming, Minnesota. The confidential employee request expressed concern about the inadequate ventilation and possible generation of fumes from the various plastics used in the injection-molding processes in the facility. The employees reported symptoms of headaches, dizziness, sore throat, skin rashes, chronic ear problems, and shortness of breath. In response to this request, NIOSH investigators conducted an environmental investigation at the facility on November 17 and 18, 1999. NIOSH investigators collected five real-time, data-logged, area air samples for carbon monoxide (CO)
  
  five area air samples for aldehydes (formaldehyde and acetaldehyde)
  
  seven area air samples for hydrocarbons
  
  and eight area thermal tube air samples for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In general, aldehydes (formaldehyde and acetaldehyde) were found around all injection-molding machines in operation throughout the facility. The formaldehyde area air sample concentrations were below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.75 ppm and the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) of 0.016 ppm. The acetaldehyde area air sample concentrations found were below the OSHA PEL of 200 ppm. However, for both formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, due to their potential carcinogenicity, NIOSH recommends that occupational exposures be limited to the lowest feasible concentration. All of the real-time, data-logging instruments indicated that CO concentrations were below relevant evaluation criteria. Various VOCs were detected in area air samples. Hydrocarbon area air samples resulted in low levels and were well below relevant evaluation criteria. The low concentrations of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons measured in area air samples suggest that personal breathing-zone exposures should be below relevant evaluation criteria. However, NIOSH recommends a lowest feasible concentration for formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Suggestions to improve the health and safety of employees in this facility are presented in the Recommendations section of this report.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Aldehydes Ear Formaldehyde Hydrocarbons Lung Lung Diseases Nervous System Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Sense Organs Skin Skin Diseases

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• Keywords:
  Acetaldehyde Carbon Monoxide Dizziness Ear Disorders Ears Formaldehyde Hazards Confirmed Headaches Injection-molding Organic Compounds Plastic Plastic Products, Not Elsewhere Classified Polyethylene Polypropylene Pulmonary System Disorders Rash Region 5 Resin Respiratory System Disorders Skin Diseases Skin Irritants Sore Throat

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA9901852787
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Minnesota ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  17 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Burr, Gregory A. ; Grote, Ardith A. ; Smith, Robin F.
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20021134
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2002-108259
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HETA 99-0185-2787, 2000 Mar ; :1-10
• CAS Registry Number:
  Carbon monoxide (CAS RN 630-08-0) ; Formaldehyde (CAS RN 50-00-0) ; Acetaldehyde (CAS RN 75-07-0)
• Editor(s):
  Arthur, Penny
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2000
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3089 - Plastics products, not elsewhere classified - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:89531398431cbaf4781bdb6997e0139095185f654244fe23ac765fb6e8b8eaea39052d0b8ff0d4338b1ed5a121a11191db22bd12c2f1959b80dd50c7dd166f63
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/170944/cdc_170944_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 209.21 KB ]