Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-81-433-1452: General Motors Corporation; Framingham, Massachusetts

Details

• Personal Author:
  Baker, Edward L. ; Ellenbecker, Michael J.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  Worker complaints of numbness and tingling in the hands and fingers were investigated on August 18, 1981, at the General Motors factory (SIC-3535) in Framingham, Massachusetts. The evaluation was requested by the Millwright and Machinery Erectors of Massachusetts Local Union 1121, on behalf of 19 symptomatic workers. Air samples were collected to assay respirable dust, lead (7439921), cadmium (7440439), chromium (7440473), and manganese (7439965). Thirteen workers completed symptom questionnaires and were given neurological evaluations. Only one dust sample, immediately adjacent to a torch cutting operation, exceeded the OSHA limit of 5 milligrams per cubic meter. One sample of lead exceeded the OSHA limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter, but none of the workers showed any evidence of lead absorption. Medical questionnaires and examinations confirmed the reported symptoms but found no work-related associations. The types of tools and work postures used caused vibration and nerve compression. The authors conclude that no toxic exposures exist at this factory that would cause the reported neurologic symptoms. Symptoms are probably due to ergonomic factors such as heavy cutting and grinding tools, and overhead work postures. The authors recommend the use of antivibration gloves, better workplace design, and further ergonomic evaluations.
• Subjects:
  Automobiles Dust Environmental Monitoring Metals, Heavy Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Air-samples Automotive-industry Cadmium Chromium Clinical-symptoms Conveyors And Conveying Equipment Ergonomics Extremities Hazards-Unconfirmed Heavy-metals HETA-81-433-1452 Industrial-hygiene-programs Lead Manganese Neuropathy NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report OSHA Region 1

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA814331452
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• 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:
  17 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Seixhas, Noel ; Kern, David ; Keyserling, Monroe ; Quinn, Margaret M.
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00139236
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB85-184091
• 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 81-433-1452, 1984 May ; :1-15
• CAS Registry Number:
  Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1) ; Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Chromium (CAS RN 7440-47-3) ; Manganese (CAS RN 7439-96-5)
• Editor(s):
  Pasley, Gloria
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1984
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3535 - Conveyors and conveying equipment - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:0b3a6852f62bdf6ff0f87af0a6db4f468e17ca9e11485e5c788348c93856e229678e090ff6695fb5134ea63aad0fa562fdde8365acaca2f3b10ba958405ebef8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172801/cdc_172801_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.62 MB ]