Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-83-156-1622: Leon Plastics; Grand Rapids, Michigan

Details

• Personal Author:
  Ahrenholz, Steven H. ; Anderson, Kern E.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  Environmental and breathing zone samples were analyzed for azodicarbonamide (123773), benzene (71432), styrene (100425), and toluene (108883) at Leon Plastics (SIC-3079), Grand Rapids, Michigan in March and May, 1983, and March, 1984. The evaluation was requested jointly by the union, the Michigan Department of Public Health, and a US Senator to investigate occupational exposures to chemical agents, particularly in the injection molding department where numerous worker compensation claims had been filed. Sixteen employees were interviewed. Azodicarbonamide concentrations ranged from undetectable to 280 micrograms per cubic meter (microg/m3) in May, 1983 and from undetectable to 752microg/m3 in March, 1984. There is no federal standard for azodicarbonamide. The concentrations of the other substances were below their relevant standards. Ammonia (7664417), styrene, and triphenylphosphate (115866) were identified as pyrolysis products above the azodicarbonamide presses. Symptoms of eye, nose and throat irritation, coughing, and wheezing were reported. Pulmonary function test results obtained by the University of Michigan could not be linked to azodicarbonamide exposures. The authors conclude that exposure to azodicarbonamide is the probable cause of the reported symptoms. Recommendations include using engineering controls and appropriate work practices to minimize exposure to azodicarbonamide.
• Subjects:
  Asthma Asthma, Occupational Benzene Environmental Health Environmental Monitoring Lung Occupational Health Plastics Respiratory System Safety Styrene Toluene

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• Keywords:
  Air-monitoring Azodicarbonamide Environmental-factors Exposure-levels Hazards-Confirmed HETA-83-156-1622 Injection Molding Irritation Miscellaneous Plastic Products NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report OSHA Region 5 Plastics-industry Pulmonary Sensitization Thermal Decomposition Products Triphenyl Phosphate

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA831561622
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Michigan ; 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:
  32 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Boiano, James M. ; Ruhe, Raymond L. ; Whitehead, Lawrence ; Neumeister, Charles E. ; Grote, Ardith A.
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00147418
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB89-143200
• 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 83-156-1622, 1985 Sep ; :1-32
• CAS Registry Number:
  1,2-Diazenedicarboxamide (ACI) (CAS RN 123-77-3) ; Benzene (CAS RN 71-43-2) ; Styrene (CAS RN 100-42-5) ; Toluene (CAS RN 108-88-3) ; Ammonia (CAS RN 7664-41-7 ; Triphenyl phosphate (CAS RN 115-86-6)
• Editor(s):
  Jenkins, Sharon
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1985
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3079 - Miscellaneous Plastics Products - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bdf0587d2f37d16588951510143a222a135a9743d50c0bd2506426b9809df1c97b1ac0635131ecbf083970a1fb98b2ff6b84f5eadbf84da8ddbb942e1083f308
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172705/cdc_172705_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 14.83 MB ]