Health Hazard Evaluation Report: HHE-80-025-989: U.S. Steel, Tubing Specialties; Gary, Indiana

Details

• Personal Author:
  Daniels, William J. ; Orris, Peter
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  Environmental and breathing zone air samples were analyzed for sulfuric-acid (7664939) at United States Steel, Tubing Specialties (SIC-3317), in Gary, Indiana, on February 12 to 13, 1980, and on August 6, 1981. Followup medical surveys were conducted in October 1980 and January 1981. A representative of the United Steelworkers of America, Local 2697, requested the evaluation on behalf of approximately 16 affected workers. Sulfuric-acid concentrations ranged from none detected to 0.97 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/Cum), compared with OSHA standard of 1mg/Cum. Medical questionnaires revealed significant irritative effects from exposure to sulfuric-acid mist. Of 14 present and three past employees interviewed, 94 percent reported mucous membrane irritation, 65 percent reported shortness of breath, 71 percent reported chronic cough, and 88 percent complained of chronic sputum production. Pulmonary function test results were within normal limits. The authors conclude that a potential health hazard from exposure to sulfuric-acid mist existed at this facility. They recommend the regulation of acid strength and temperature, proper use of the inhibitor and foaming agents, consideration of exhaust ventilation implementation, proper distancing of workers from sulfuric-acid tanks, and the installation of an air filtration system in the east side crane cab.
• Subjects:
  Dust Occupational Health Safety
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE80025989
• 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:
  18 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Bloom, Thomas F.
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00122598
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB82-186958
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, Ohio : U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HHE 80-025-989, 1981 November ; 1-18
• CAS Registry Number:
  Sulfuric acid (CAS RN 7664-93-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1982
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3317 - Steel pipe and tubes - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7767c0e89ebfe5ebd30afb11ea4dc54465fa31ef49d3d94109310198ecac2fcac2a81334268ed6dfa2aa5982120f6fdf64025bfac1609f9b86b2f9f34d2f17ee
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/173212/cdc_173212_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.14 MB ]