Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA 96–0089–2657: Agrium, Inc. (Formerly Cominco Fertilizers), Beatrice, Nebraska

Details

• Personal Author:
  Hanley, Kevin W. ; Kinnes, Gregory M.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  In response to a request from the International Chemical Workers Union on behalf of employees at Agrium, Inc. (SIC-2873), Beatrice, Nebraska, an investigation was begun into possible hazardous working conditions at Homestead Nitrogen Operations (formerly Cominco Fertilizers, Inc.). The facility produced agricultural grade ammonium-nitrate. Adverse health effects reported by workers were thought to have resulted from exposure to chemical additives used in the boiler feed water
  
  the use of alternative additives had alleviated most of the symptoms in workers. There was still concern about the potential for exposure to nitrogen oxides, nitrosamines, ammonia (7664417), inorganic acids and volatile organic compounds. This study focused on areas of the site such as the acid facility and boiler house, where workers could be potentially exposed to the boiler additives and nitrogen oxides. Full shift samples for nitrogen-dioxide (10102440) (NO2) and nitric-oxide (10102439) were collected. One of the area samples had NO2 concentrations which exceeded the 5 parts per million (ppm) ceiling limit. Area samples also indicated airborne NO2 concentrations in excess of both the NIOSH short term exposure limit of 1ppm and the 5ppm limit established by the ACGIH. Environmental sampling also indicated the possibility of N-nitrosomorpholine (59892) formation during this process. The authors conclude that NO2 levels at the time exceeded the ceiling limit.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Ammonia Fertilizers Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Nitrogen Oxides Nitrosamines Occupational Health Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Ammonia Ammonium Nitrate Boiler Additives Chemical-industry-workers Chemical-manufacturing-industry Cyclohexylamine Diethylaminoethanol Fertilizer-industry Hazard-Confirmed HETA-96-0089-2657 Morpholine N-nitrosomorpholine NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report Nitric Acid Nitric Oxide Nitrogen-oxides Nitrogen Dioxide Nitrogenous-fertilizers Nitrogenous Fertilizers Nitrosamines OSHA Region 7 Oxides Of Nitrogen Respiratory Irritation

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA9600892657
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Nebraska ; OSHA Region 7
• 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:
  20 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Blythe, Ellen E.
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00240348
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB98-125552
• 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 96-0089-2657, 1997 Oct ; :1-19
• CAS Registry Number:
  Ammonia (anhydrous) (CAS RN 7664-41-7) ; Nitrogen dioxide (CAS RN 10102-44-0) ; Nitric oxide (CAS RN 10102-43-9) ; N-nitrosomorpholine (CAS RN 59-89-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1998
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  2873 - Nitrogenous fertilizers - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:13e202d3afd9a0705b48cdb897642902774202b175ce71849da87ddf5cc8dd5c38326f3dc39798a7c5020bbb49a96193e7707ee3c55f776aa9a91dcf3b0afdc1
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/171092/cdc_171092_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 241.03 KB ]