Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-78-52-1483: Westinghouse Corporation; Trafford, Pennsylvania

Details

• Personal Author:
  Burroughs, G. Edward ; Wilcox, Thomas G.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  Area and breathing zone concentrations were analyzed for hexahydrophthalic-anhydride (85427), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (71556), freon-11 (75694), freon-12 (75718), and particulates at Westinghouse Corporation (SIC-3079), Trafford, Pennsylvania in January 1977. The survey was requested by a local union due to complaints of eye irritation, nasal discharges, and breathing difficulties among employees in two areas of the facility. Twenty-seven employees were interviewed and pulmonary function tests, blood counts, and the radioallergosorbent technique (RAST) test for an anhydride specific immunoglobulin-E (IgE) antibody were conducted. Anhydride concentrations of 0.1 to 1.3 part per million were found
  
  there is no current Federal standard. Air concentrations of the other substances were generally below the relevant standards. Most of the workers reported symptoms of eye and nose irritation. Three reported asthma-like symptoms. All pulmonary function results and most blood counts were within normal limits. Seven workers showed the presence of an anhydride specific IgE antibody. The authors conclude that workers at the facility are exposed to the anhydride at concentrations capable of producing specific antibodies and allergy type symptoms. Recommendations include applying engineering controls to minimize exposure and periodically maintaining and adjusting the local exhaust systems.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Environmental Monitoring Hazardous Substances Irritants Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Air-quality-measurement Allergy IgE Antibodies Electrical-equipment Exposure-levels Hazards-Confirmed HETA-78-52-1483 Hexahydrophthalic-Anhydride HHPA Miscellaneous Plastics Products NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report OSHA Region 3 Phthalic Anhydride Radioallergosorbent-Technique Respiratory-irritants Toxic-vapors

  More +
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA78521483
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Pennsylvania ; 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:
  35 pdf pages
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00145169
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB85-220077
• 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 78-52-1483, 1984 Jul ; :1-32
• CAS Registry Number:
  Hexahydrophthalic anhydride (CAS RN 85-42-7) ; 1,1,1-Trichloroethane (CAS RN 71-55-6) ; Fluorotrichloromethane (CAS RN 75-69-4) ; Dichlorodifluoromethane (CAS RN 75-71-8)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1984
• 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-512:420ccc2f9f79181f22af512f924252c142daa35c8be48e198269e05a3a62aefef91c108f3bec3356412061e1711569eeb3c8114934fcf2d34d49ff9db11fb09d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172741/cdc_172741_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.71 MB ]