Evaluation of Mercury and Noise Exposure at a Lightbulb Recycler

Details

• Personal Author:
  Beaucham, Catherine C. ; Charles, Melissa ; Shi, Dallas S. ; Somerville, Nicholas
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  Management at an electronics waste and lamp recycling facility requested a health hazard evaluation concerning employees' exposure to mercury, lead, and noise. During our two visits, we observed work processes, practices, and conditions, measured employees' exposure to mercury in air and the amount of mercury in employees' urine ; interviewed employees to learn about work history and practices, health and safety concerns, personal protective equipment use, training, and possible work-related health effects ; and measured employees' exposure to noise. Some employees had (1) airborne mercury exposures exceeding NIOSH and ACGIH occupational exposure limits, (2) elevated urine mercury levels and reported symptoms consistent with mercury exposure, and (3) noise exposures over the NIOSH recommended exposure limit. In addition to employee exposures, we measured elevated concentrations of mercury in the air throughout the facility, including in nonproduction areas. Additionally, we observed mercury-containing dust piles throughout the facility and areas where engineering and administrative controls could be used to reduce the potential for exposures. Air sampling results indicate worker exposures to mercury and noise exceeded relevant occupational exposure limits. We noted high urine mercury levels in employees who had high occupational exposure to mercury in air and found high occupational exposure to mercury even in nonproduction areas. Some employees also reported symptoms consistent with mercury exposure, suggesting exposures to mercury may have led to health effects. Some of these exposures could be preventable with improved ventilation, housekeeping practices, and health and safety programs. In addition, some workers were exposed to noise over the NIOSH recommended exposure limit. Equipment enclosures and preventative maintenance of equipment may help reduce hazardous noise exposures in these areas. Our recommendations included (1) installing local exhaust ventilation and repairing existing systems, (2) improving housekeeping procedures, (3) standardizing the use of personal protective equipment among employees who are exposed to mercury-containing dusts, (4) improving the hearing loss prevention program, (5) periodically reevaluating workplace equipment and safety and health programs, and (6) encouraging employees to report any new, persistent, or worsening health symptoms, especially those with a work-related pattern, to their healthcare providers.
• Subjects:
  • Ear
  • Electrical Equipment and Supplies
  • Hearing Loss
  • Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced
  • Mercury
  • Noise
  • Noise, Occupational
  • Occupational Health
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Recycling
  More +
• Keywords:
  • OSHA Region 5
  • Mercury
  • Noise exposure
  • Electronic devices
  • Recycling
  • Waste disposal
  • Hearing loss
  • Exhaust ventilation
  • Personal protective equipment
  • PPE
  More +
• Source:
  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, HHE 2023-0015-3402, 2024 Sep ; :1-44
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE202300153402
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DFSE - Division of Field Studies and Engineering
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  44 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Alarcon, Walter ; Booher, Donald E. ; Hamilton, Cheryl ; Niemeier-Walsh, Micah ; Walker, Sheldon ; Watts, Shawna
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070170
• Citation:
  NIOSH 2024. Evaluation of mercury and noise exposure at a lightbulb recycler. By Charles M, Shi ; D, Beaucham C, Somerville N. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, ; Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2023-0015-3402,
• CAS Registry Number:
  • Mercury (CAS RN 7439-97-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  562920 - Materials Recovery Facilities - (NAICS)
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172296/cdc_172296_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.71 MB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:68d530ad3c62880dc9acc95131bbdfe9de36ff164507620758a8e59683cb333ac489ed25b9fff0ac9ccca7b77c6726e4dae261a8849842943dff91b300172ffe