Evaluation of Isocyanate Exposure during Polyurethane Foam Application and Silica Exposure during Rock Dusting at an Underground Coal Mine

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dowell, Chad H. ; Fent, Kenneth W.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  NIOSH received a request for an HHE from the United Mine Workers of America, Local 1702 representing employees at the Consolidation Coal Company Blacksville #2 Mine in Blacksville, West Virginia. The HHE request concerned potential exposure to MDI during the application of polyurethane foam and exposure to silica and asbestos during rock dusting. In an initial evaluation on March 31, 2009, we sampled the surface of the foam applicator gun for MDI contamination and collected bulk samples of the rock dust for silica and asbestos analysis. During a second evaluation on September 14-17, 2009, we collected PBZ air samples on day-shift rock dusters for respirable silica and dust. We did not detect MDI on the surface of the foam applicator gun. The bratticeman who applied the foam wore nitrile gloves that protected his skin from MDI. Inhalation exposure to MDI is unlikely because the foam was not aerosolized during application and does not readily evaporate due to its low vapor pressure. Low levels of silica were found in bulk samples of rock dust. Asbestos was not present in the rock dust. The PBZ air concentrations of respirable silica were below applicable OELs. However, according to a statistical analysis, there is a 73% probability that the rock dusters' PBZ concentrations may exceed the ACGIH TLV 5% of the time. Because of the potential for overexposure to respirable silica, we recommend continued use of N95 filtering facepiece respirators. Additionally, the company should implement a written respiratory protection program that incorporates medical evaluations and respirator fit testing.
• Subjects:
  Asbestos Coal Coal Mining Dust Inorganic Chemicals Isocyanates Mining Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Safety Silicon Dioxide

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• Keywords:
  Asbestos Bituminous Coal Underground Mining Calcium Carbonate Coal-mining Dusts Isocyanates MDI Mining-industry Personal-protection Personal-protective-equipment Polyurethane Foam Protective-equipment Respirable-dust Respirable Dust Respirators Respiratory-protective-equipment Rock Dust Silica Silica-dusts Underground-mining

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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, HETA 2009-0085-3107, 2010 Apr ; :1-19
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA200900853107
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  West Virginia ; OSHA Region 3
• 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:
  28 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Evans, Stefanie M. ; Galloway, Ellen ; Smith, Robin
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20036679
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2010-107540
• Citation:
  NIOSH [2010]. Health hazard evaluation report: evaluation of isocyanate ; exposure during polyurethane foam application and silica exposure ; during rock dusting at an underground coal mine, Blacksville, WV. By Fent ; KW, Dowell CH. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human ; Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for ; Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH HETA No. 2009-0085-3107,
• CAS Registry Number:
  4,4’-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (CAS RN 101-68-8) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9) ; Crystalline silica, quartz (CAS RN 14808-60-7) ; Asbestos (CAS RN 1332-21-4) ; Calcium carbonate (CAS RN 471-34-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2010
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  212112 - Bituminous Coal Underground Mining - (NAICS)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:3c0dcf3ed914a896dddc369fbd09d4488a7dfd3e65188f24e0014486358ddb341203edbfdc201edc8f8ce97ee9486af649ffdb1f4fd34908c0e5c49fd26f6983
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172531/cdc_172531_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.68 MB ]