Evaluation of Metals Exposure in an Architectural Metal Fabrication Shop

Details

• Personal Author:
  Methner, Mark M.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  The NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program received a request for a health hazard evaluation from the owner of an architectural metal fabrication shop who was concerned about potential exposure to metals during welding, grinding, and plasma cutting activities. During the site visit, employees did metal inert gas welding, used pneumatic grinders, and one employee operated a plasma cutting table. During our evaluation, we reviewed facility health and safety program documents ; observed work processes and practices, and workplace conditions ; collected personal air samples for metals ; and took measurements to estimate the capture air velocity of the portable welding fume extractors. We found that all employees had exposures below occupational exposure limits for each of the metals detected ; aluminum, chromium, copper, iron oxide, manganese, potassium, and zinc oxide. One of the portable fume extractors did not provide the minimum acceptable capture air velocity at the point of fume generation as recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. The plasma cutting table was equipped with a water bath to help capture emissions when cutting metal plate steel. We recommended the company perform maintenance on the underperforming fume extractor, such as replacing the filter, to determine if proper operation can be restored. If the performance cannot be improved, the unit should be replaced. We also recommended the company develop and follow a fume extractor filter check and replacement schedule.
• Subjects:
  • Aluminum Compounds
  • Chromium
  • Copper
  • Dust
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Ferrous Compounds
  • Health Promotion
  • Manganese
  • Metals
  More +
• Keywords:
  • OSHA Region 6
  • Metals
  • Welders
  • Welding
  • Welding industry
  • Welding fumes
  • Welding equipment
  • Grinding equipment
  • Exposure levels
  • Risk factors
  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 2019-0215-3371, 2020 Mar ; :1-14
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE201902153371
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Texas ; OSHA Region 6
• 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:
  18 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Booher, Donald E. ; Hamilton, Cheryl ; Moore, Kevin ; Watts, Shawna
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20059271
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2021-100111
• Citation:
  NIOSH 2020. Evaluation of metals exposure in an architectural metal fabrication shop. By ; Methner M. 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 2019-0215-3371,
• CAS Registry Number:
  • Aluminum (CAS RN 7429-90-5)
  • Chromium (CAS RN 7440-47-3)
  • Copper (CAS RN 7440-50-8)
  • Ferric oxide (CAS RN 1309-37-1)
  • Manganese (CAS RN 7439-96-5)
  • Potassium (CAS RN 7440-09-7)
  • Zinc oxide (CAS RN 1314-13-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  332323 - Ornamental and Architectural Metal Work Manufacturing - (NAICS)
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172328/cdc_172328_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 295.51 KB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e63e4c6eac220023b5956008751957ea93464c2ccd397b3e42581c1a49c364809ce33920de852c84af8ba72f94e06d2c88cd2eb197cf46c594c17e98dd386681