Details:

• Personal Author:
  Reh, Christopher M. ; Bernard, Bruce P.

  Reh, Christopher M. ; Bernard, Bruce P. Less -
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  In response to a request from the Gas Workers Union Local 18007, an investigation was undertaken of possible exposure of workers to methyl-ethyl-ketone (78933) (MEK) and 4,4'-dimethylmethane- diisocyanate (101688) (MDI) in compounds used to encapsulate joints in underground natural gas mains at the Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company (SIC-4932), Chicago, Illinois. Air sampling was conducted above and below road level for MEK, MDI, and MDI polyisocyanate. MEK detected below road level ranged from none to 126.4 parts per million (ppm). MEK exposures above road level ranged from less than 0.3ppm to 2.0ppm. Area air samples contained MEK at levels of 12.7 to 511.8ppm. Two area air samples for MDI and MDI polyisocyanate were collected at each application site. No MDI or MDI polyisocyanate was detected in any of the samples. Of the 21 employees interviewed, 12 reported eye, nose and throat irritation while using the paint primer. None of those interviewed indicated that he had been fit tested or properly trained to wear respiratory equipment. The latex gloves provided were not adequate to protect the workers from skin exposure to the liquid chemicals in the system. The authors conclude that a potential health hazard existed during the installation of the encapsulation systems below road level. The authors recommend that measures be taken to reduce respiratory and dermal exposures.
• Subjects:
  [+]

  Occupational Health Safety Skin Skin Diseases
• Keywords:
  [+]

  4,4'-diphenylmethane Diisocyanate Acute Exposure Hazards Gas-industry Hazard-Confirmed HETA-89-318-2273 Inhalants Isocyanates Joint Encapsulation Systems Ketones MDI MDI Polyisocyanate MEK Methyl Ethyl Ketone Natural Gas Mains NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report Occupational-exposure OSHA Region 5 Skin-exposure Utilities, Electric & Other Services Utilities, Gas & Other Services
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA893182273
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Illinois ; OSHA Region 5

  Illinois ; OSHA Region 5 Less -
• 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:
  21 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Sussell, Aaron L.
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  00213731
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB93-214112
• 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 89-318-2273, 1992 Nov; :1-25
• CAS Registry Number:
  Methyl ethyl ketone (CAS RN 78-93-3) ; 4,4’-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (CAS RN 101-68-8)

  Methyl ethyl ketone (CAS RN 78-93-3) ; 4,4’-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (CAS RN 101-68-8) Less -
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1993
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  4932 - Gas and other services combined - (SIC 1987) ; 4931 - Electric and other services combined - (SIC 1987)

  4932 - Gas and other services combined - (SIC 1987) ; 4931 - Electric and other services combined - (SIC 1987) Less -
• Resource Number:
  HETA-89-318-2273
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  [+]

  urn:sha-512:4143183c11805d1aeb5fab2ee7e6550fa65c8439ad727d0e33405f93c668b8ba6f2d77ad71162a4a8c168ae5470c94cfe3d864e6a1bd1aae728a027945ca8f60
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/171503/cdc_171503_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF-176.35 KB]