Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-90-375-2334: Champion International; Bucksport, Maine

Details

• Personal Author:
  Martinez, Kenneth F. ; Parker, John E. ; Seitz, Teresa A. ; Tubbs, Randy L.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  In response to a request from employees, an investigation was begun into chemical exposures at Champion International Corporation (SIC- 2621), Bucksport, Maine. Two mill employees had died and other employees had worsening medical conditions. Champion manufactured lightweight coated magazine stock and employed about 1250 workers at this site. The facility operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A carpenter in kraft facilities and pulp mills, and a worker in the pulp lab had died of coronary artery disease and systemic vasculitis, respectively. Two other employees developed acute respiratory symptoms while working in Tower 3. The source of exposure was not identified, but the diagnosis was of toxic inhalation. Testing for thermophilic actinomycetes showed that the highest concentrations were found in Tower 3 and in the A-frame building. Cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis were not identified from the review of medical records. Water samples did not contain volatile organic chemicals or trace elements exceeding maximum permissible levels. The three control booths were very efficient in reducing potentially hazardous noise exposures. The authors conclude that this evaluation did not identify a specific health outcome which would suggest the need for further study. Potential exposures to noise, heat and thermophilic actinomycetes were identified. The authors recommend that a comprehensive heat stress management program be developed, that the hearing conservation program be improved, and that exposures to thermophilic actinomycetes be reduced.
• Subjects:
  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Cardiovascular System
  • Ear
  • Heat Stress Disorders
  • Hot Temperature
  • Microbiology
  • Noise
  • Occupational Health
  • Paper
  • Respiratory Tract Diseases
  More +
• Keywords:
  • NIOSH-Author
  • NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation
  • NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report
  • HETA-90-375-2334
  • Hazard-Unconfirmed
  • OSHA Region 1
  • Paper-manufacturing-industry
  • Noise-exposure
  • Microorganisms
  • Respiratory-system-disorders
  More +
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA903752334
• Document Type:
  Text
• Editor:
  Pfirman, Donna M.
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Maine ; OSHA Region 1
• 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:
  32 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Mannino, David ; Mouradian, Robert ; Ugolini, Corrado
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00215683
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB94-110418
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, Ohio: 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 90-375-2334, 1993 Jul ; :1-39
• Editor(s):
  Pfirman, Donna M.
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1993
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  2621 - Paper mills - (SIC)
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/171477/cdc_171477_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.47 MB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:98c4eed01adb4cceefbcc2334e8622ea9c6515f736ef4dd8621862d30d053658edc10380973f62c899e2558b1ebdddbb0820479181f2753c4c02deaa32a2de57