Evaluation of Chromium, Hexavalent Chromium, Cadmium, and Isocyanate Exposures in an Aircraft Refinishing Plant

Details

• Personal Author:
  Ceballos, Diana M. ; Gong, Wei ; Methner, Mark M. ; West, Christine A.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  The Health Hazard Evaluation Program received a request from the health and safety manager of an aircraft refinishing company. The manager was concerned about employee exposures to cadmium, chromium, hexavalent chromium, and isocyanates. During our initial visit, we evaluated the ventilation systems, collected air and surface wipe samples for metals, and held confidential health interviews with employees. During a follow-up evaluation, we collected personal air samples and surface wipe samples for chromium, hexavalent chromium, cadmium, and isocyanates
  
  and did a more detailed evaluation of the ventilation systems. We collected urine and blood samples to test for cadmium, chromium (urine only), and isocyanates. We did nasal examinations to look for ulcerations, irritation, scarring, and perforations related to chromium exposure. Sanders and painters were overexposed to airborne hexavalent chromium and cadmium. We measured low levels of chromium and cadmium in employee's blood and urine but found nasal tissue damage consistent with chromium exposure in some employees. Employees in the stripping and paint bays were also exposed to isocyanates. Employees reported respiratory symptoms such as chest tightness and wheeze, sinus congestion, irritation and nosebleeds, and one employee reportedly was diagnosed with isocyanate sensitization. The level of respiratory protection for some tasks and ventilation in all bays were inadequate. We found chromium, hexavalent chromium, and cadmium on surfaces throughout the workplace, suggesting that contaminants were migrating from production to nonproduction areas. We found chromium, hexavalent chromium, and cadmium on hands of employees during breaks and just before leaving the workplace indicating that improved hygiene was needed. We recommended improving the respiratory protection program, ventilation, housekeeping, and medical surveillance.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Aircraft Blood Cadmium Chromium Environmental Exposure Environmental Monitoring Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Hematologic Tests Isocyanates Metals Metals, Heavy Nose Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Paint Respiratory Protective Devices Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Sense Organs Skin Urine Ventilation Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Aircraft Parts And Auxiliary Equipment Aircraft Refinishing Air Sampling Blood Sampling Colorado Diisocyanates Employee Exposure Exposure Assessment Exposure Levels Exposure Limits HDI Heavy Metals Hexamethylene Diisocyanate Hexavalent Chromium Industrial Hygiene Medical Monitoring Nasal Cavity OSHA Region 8 Other Support Activities For Air Transportation Painters Paint Stripping Respirator Respiratory Protection Respiratory Protective Equipment Respiratory System Disorders Sampling Sanding Skin Exposure Spray Painting Surveillance Tissue Disorders Urinalysis Ventilation Systems Work Environment

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• 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 2013-0011-3278, 2017 May ; :1-51
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE201300113278
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• 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:
  58 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Bennett, James ; Booher, Donald E. ; Broadwater, Kendra ; Butler, Corey R. ; Clark, John ; Lee, Eun Gyung ; Fent, Kenneth ; Galloway, Ellen ; Hodge, Michael ; Moore, Kevin ; Nylander-French, Leena ; Sammons, Deborah ; Streicher, Robert ; Watts, Shawna ; Williams, Brian
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20049938
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2017-102698
• Citation:
  NIOSH [2017]. Evaluation of chromium, hexavalent chromium, cadmium, and isocyanate ; exposures in an aircraft refinishing plant. By Ceballos D, West C, Methner M, Gong W. ; Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control ; and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH Health Hazard ; Evaluation Report 2013-0011-3278,
• CAS Registry Number:
  Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Chromium (CAS RN 7440-47-3) ; Hexavalent chromium (CAS RN 18540-29-9) ; Hexamethylene diisocyanate (CAS RN 822-06-0)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  488190 - Other Support Activities for Air Transportation - (NAICS)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:62ef976a85d44008abce53aa75fc7af29219076e90fd8a4c3630dad471d4805869332e3412afee6afe80af87ad286dbd61566e59b591e5b60eb9625f9902935d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172388/cdc_172388_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.70 MB ]