Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-82-302-1461: East Penn Foundry; Macungie, Pennsylvania

Details

• Personal Author:
  Catlett, Lawrence R. ; Cherniack, Martin G. ; Landrigan, Philip J. ; Lewis, Frank A.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  The incidence of silicosis among workers at the East Penn Foundry (SIC-3321) in Macungie, Pennsylvania was surveyed on October 12, 1982, and October 6, 1983. The evaluation was requested by the International Molders and Allied Workers Union, Local 295, on behalf of about 100 workers potentially exposed to free silica (7631869). Industrial hygiene records and medical records were reviewed. Respirable dust and free silica exposures were assessed. Earlier chest X-rays were read again for signs of silicosis and disease progression. Silica exposures for the core setters, makers, muller operators, shake out operators, and permanent mold fitting/mold cleaning operators exceeded the NIOSH recommended limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter. Current respirable dust concentrations were below the OSHA limit of 10 milligrams per cubic meter. The silica content of settled dust ranged from 7.4 percent for core setting to 78 percent for fitting conveyor shake out. Radiologic evidence of silicosis was found in almost 10 percent of the workers, and incidence was related to duration of exposure. The authors conclude that a serious exposure hazard to free silica exists at this foundry, along with a high prevalence of silicosis. They recommend exposure control measures including material substitution, use of ventilation, and exposure monitoring. Workers should be given preplacement and periodic medical evaluations. Work practices should be improved, and workers should be educated about the hazards of silica. Warning labels should be placed on packaged free silica.
• Subjects:
  Environmental Monitoring Lung Metals Metal Workers Occupational Health Pneumoconiosis Radiography Respiratory System Safety Silicon Dioxide Silicosis

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• Keywords:
  Air-quality-measurement Chest-X-rays Exposure-levels Foundries Foundry Gray And Ductile Iron Foundries Hazards-Confirmed HETA-82-302-1461 Industrial-hygiene Metal-industry-workers NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report Occupational Lung Disease OSHA Region 3 Pneumoconiosis Silica Silica-dusts Silicosis

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA823021461
• 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:
  39 pdf pages
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00139229
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB85-185551
• 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 82-302-1461, 1984 May ; :1-37
• CAS Registry Number:
  Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1984
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3321 - Gray and ductile iron foundries - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:aaee24d214df160b2f8863b1acc128b38b7174019c1d7ba5849acb5b80ee0bbe7154e8319afbad6cf41cd4b65cacb885b2b706bc58f6d924f2a2a10769c9a3c5
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172804/cdc_172804_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 8.14 MB ]