Health Hazard Evaluation Determination Report HE 79-43-663: Harbison-Walker Refractories: Clearfield, Pennsylvania

Details

• Personal Author:
  Chrostek, Walter J.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  Environmental samples for coal tar products were analyzed, and medical interviews were conducted at the Harbison-Walker Refractories (SIC-3297), Number 1, in Clearfield, Pennsylvania, on September 26 to 27 and June 27, 1979, to determine employee exposure to benzo(a)pyrene (50328), and fluoranthene (206440). The evaluation was requested by a representative of the United Steel Workers of America. The benzene soluble fractions for coal tar products ranged from 0.03 to 1.42 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/cu m). Four of the seven sample concentrations exceeded the OSHA limit of 0.2 mg/cu m for coal tar products. Benzo(a)pyrene concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 4.98 micrograms per cubic meter, chrysene from to 0.87 micrograms per cubic meter, benzo(a)anthracene from 0.22 to 2.41 micrograms per cubic meter, and fluoranthene from 0.11 to 1.00 micrograms per cubic meter. Five of the eight workers interviewed reported no health complaints. One worker reported photosensitization. Two workers reported adverse reactions to creosote exposure. The author concludes that workers are exposed to hazardous concentrations of coal tar products. He recommends installation of local exhaust ventilation, processing modifications, periodic maintenance of all equipment involved with the handling of coal tar products, use of protective clothing and equipment, and periodic atmospheric monitoring. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Air Pollution, Indoor Occupational Health Safety Skin Skin Diseases Ventilation Workplace
• Keywords:
  Air-contamination Control-methods Hazard-Confirmed HHE-79-43-663 Mineral-pitch NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Health-Hazard-Evaluation OSHA Region 3 Photosensitivity PNAs Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons Refractories Refractory Cements Skin-disorders Standards Total Benzene Solubles Ventilation-systems Workplace-studies

  More +
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE7943663
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Pennsylvania ; Clearfield (PA) ; 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:
  7 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  DiCostanza, Michelle
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00103207
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB80-169089
• 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, HHE 79-43-663, 1980 Aug ; :1-7
• CAS Registry Number:
  Benzo(alpha)pyrene (CAS RN 50-32-8) ; Fluoranthene (CAS RN 206-44-0)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1980
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3297 - Nonclay refractories - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2047ac663b86d183bc6c139d5b246c22fc5ed9e84b943f56f5bbbbe4ba2db630ddad142093e2dea1905ea0d45a3efca15a095ba2a0c5be5ec7f48ad8179393fb
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/173525/cdc_173525_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 418.58 KB ]