Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HETA-81-278-1371: Warrick Generating Station; Yankeetown, Indiana

Details

• Personal Author:
  Donohue, Michael T. ; Zey, John N.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  Exposures to boiler gases and coal dust were surveyed in August 1981 at Warrick Generating Station (SIC-4911), Yankeetown, Indiana. Evaluation was requested by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 702, on behalf of 165 workers. Air samples were collected for nitrogen-dioxide (10102440), nitric-oxide (10102439), sulfur-dioxide (7446095), coal dust, fly-ash, silica (14808607), and inorganic metals. Boiler units were checked for leaks. Questionnaires and medical examinations were completed. One of 22 personal samples for coal dust exceeded the OSHA standard of 2.4 milligrams per cubic meter. All other substances in the personal samples were within OSHA limits. Boiler leaks were found on the positive pressure boiler unit. Sulfur-dioxide concentrations in the boiler gas samples ranged from 15 to 20 parts per million (OSHA standard is 5 parts per million for an 8 hour time weighted average). Workers complained of cough, breathlessness, or wheezing. No deficits occurred in respiratory function tests. No cases of pneumoconiosis were found. The authors conclude that workers are exposed to high concentrations of sulfur-dioxide, coal dust, and crystalline silica. They recommend respiratory protection, maintenance of boiler units and seals, a heat stress survey for boiler units and dozer operators, and removal of asbestos insulation in the lunchroom oven.
• Subjects:
  Dust Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Power Plants Safety
• Keywords:
  Breathing-zone Coal Dust Crystalline Silica Electricity Generation, Nitrogen Dioxide Electric Power Generation Employee-exposure Fly Ash Hazards-Confirmed HETA-81-278-1371 Industrial-hazards NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation NIOSH-Technical-Assistance-Report Nitric Oxide OSHA Region 5 Power-generation Sulfur Dioxide

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHETA812781371
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Indiana ; 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:
  38 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Hartle, Richard W. ; Lucas, Cheryl ; Lee, Shiu Tao ; Colemen, Marion E. ; Collins, James H. ; Voit, Tom
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00133852
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB85-163459
• 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 81-278-1371, 1983 Sep ; :1-36
• CAS Registry Number:
  Nitrogen dioxide (CAS RN 10102-44-0) ; Nitric oxide (CAS RN 10102-43-9) ; Sulfur dioxide (CAS RN 7446-09-5) ; Silica, Crystalline (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
• Editor(s):
  Williams, Betty C.
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1983
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  4911 - Electric services - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:3604ab102a71b6f9b1e1b3aa2e003865fb675a498dd7497a04324a3016afa481d46c66d1e353e43c7920f21dabd0191ee3148df6e5570574311439591933d50a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172892/cdc_172892_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 5.04 MB ]