Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-82-113-1374: Mainstreet Enterprises; Lebanon, Indiana

Details

• Personal Author:
  Aw, Tar-Ching ; Stephenson, Richard L.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  In response to a request from the director of Mainstreet Enterprises (SIC-3273), a nonprofit rehabilitation sheltered workshop in Lebanon, Indiana, an evaluation was made of the occurrence of benign breast tumors among female workers exposed to concrete dust during packaging of dry powdered concrete mortar mix (Fix-Crete). Bulk samples of the finished Fix-Crete were collected to be analyzed for asbestos (1332214), crystalline silica (7631869), hexavalent chromium (18540299), and total chromium (7440473) content. Hexavalent chromium was found at concentrations of 32 micrograms per gram (microg/g) of bulk material. Total chromium, asbestos and silica were not detectable. Respirable particulate concentrations ranged from 0.8 to 2.3 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3). Total particulates ranged from 2.9 to 34.3mg/m3. After minor modifications of the ventilation system were made, retesting indicated personal breathing zone and air samples for respirable particulates averaged 0.5 and 1.1mg/m3, respectively. Total particulates ranged from 1.7 to 13.8mg/m3. No significant differences in the prevalence of benign breast tumors was noted in supervisors working on the concrete powder process when compared to those who did not work in this area. The authors conclude that there was an exposure to dust for one task. No evidence was found to link the occurrence of benign breast tumors to chemical exposures at the facility. The authors recommend that a further reduction of the mixer operator's exposure be brought about through effective engineering controls. Respirators should be used where appropriate. Vacuum cleaning equipment should be used to collect debris from the clothing of personnel and rehabilitees instead of compressed air. Protective gloves and cleaning and washing facilities should be made available.
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Dust Occupational Health Safety Ventilation
• Keywords:
  Breast Tumors Cement-industry Dust-inhalation Fibrocystic Breast Disease Hazard-Confirmed Hazard-Unconfirmed NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report OSHA Region 5 Portland Cement Ready-Mixed Concrete Respirable-dust Respirable Dust Sheltered Workshops Total Nuisance Dust Ventilation-equipment

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA821131374
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Indiana ; 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:
  20 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Osinbowale, Abraham ; Lovell, Pat ; Lipps, Debbie
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00178913
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB85-164515
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HETA 82-113-1374, 1983 Sep ; :1-17
• CAS Registry Number:
  Asbestos (CAS RN 1332-21-4) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9) ; Hexavalent chromium (CAS RN 18540-29-9) ; Chromium (CAS RN 7440-47-3)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1983
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3273 - Ready-mixed concrete - (SIC) ; 3241 - Cement, hydraulic - (SIC) ; 8331 - Job training and related services - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:46d5912a4ce10cddcaaca7b03538a3d17bca2f1c6a7902c9073366d0220edd3568c999ef4fbd4d980fb987d1a9ec84d0642b43e19a06a886f26230c643c1e2fa
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172025/cdc_172025_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.19 MB ]