Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA 95-0092-2545: Kaiser Aluminum, Mead, Washington

Details

• Personal Author:
  Daniels, William J. ; Kang, Daehee
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  In response to a request from a representative of the United Steelworkers of America, Local 329, an investigation was begun into possible hazardous working conditions at Kaiser Aluminum (SIC-3334), Mead, Washington. Concern was expressed that since the introduction of spent activated alumina (RALF) at the site, potroom employees had experienced increased skin rashes and nasal bleeding. About 300 workers were employed in the potroom at this primary aluminum production facility. Personal and area samples were collected in the potroom, and a medical survey was conducted. The major metallic component in six bulk RALF samples was aluminum (7429905) ranging in concentration from 27.4 to 33.4% by weight. Long term personal breathing zone samples were taken, but no substantial difference was noted in airborne potroom emissions with or without the use of RALF. Medical survey findings were not conclusive regarding any increased skin problems experienced by employees using RALF. The authors conclude that no substantial difference was found in airborne potroom emissions when RALF was used. The authors recommend that ongoing environmental and medical monitoring be used to reduce the potential for adverse health effects from exposure to the potroom emissions.
• Subjects:
  Aluminum Compounds Dermatitis Environmental Monitoring Metal Workers Occupational Health Safety Skin Sulfur Dioxide
• Keywords:
  Air-quality-monitoring Air-sampling Aluminum-foundries Aluminum-industry Aluminum Fluoride Substitute Dermatitis Gaseous Fluoride Hazard-Confirmed HETA-95-0092-2545 Hydrogen Fluoride NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report Nosebleeds OSHA Region 10 Particulate Fluorides Potrooms Primary Production Of Aluminum RALF Skin-irritants Skin Problems Spent Activated Alumina Sulfur Dioxide

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA9500922545
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Washington ; OSHA Region 10
• 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:
  46 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Grote, Ardith A. ; Lee, Stephen A.
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00231104
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB96-209697
• 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 95-0092-2545, 1995 Dec ; :1-43
• CAS Registry Number:
  Aluminum (CAS RN 7429-90-5)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1996
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3334 - Primary aluminum - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:6a4a0c0f4244df5bd34075c5437050e007a1f31f093344e3201d9f0c10d05e954998bf1dd074be4c9a36a0070d869018497604e1ec7a290a21cc63cfc5df73f6
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/171199/cdc_171199_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.04 MB ]