In-Depth Survey Report: Assisting Furniture Strippers in Reducing the Risk from Methylene Chloride Stripping Formulations at Sunset Strip, Inc.; Huntington Beach, California

Details

• Personal Author:
  Estill, Cheryl F. ; Jones, James H. ; Kovein, Ronald J. ; Kurimo, Robert W. ; Shaw, Peter B. ; Watkins, Daniel S.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Division of Applied Research and Technology
• Description:
  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted research on ventilation controls for reducing furniture stripping methylene chloride exposures to the OSHA PEL of 25 ppm. Low cost ventilation systems were designed by NIOSH researchers along with Benny Bixenman of Benco Sales, Inc. (Cookville, Tennessee). The controls were constructed and installed by Benco Sales. The controls consisted of enclosing and attaching local exhaust systems to the stripping tank and the rinsing booth and adding an air shower at the stripping booth. This survey tested four control combinations using new ventilation: 1) worker A with an air shower, 2) worker A without an air shower, 3) worker B with an air shower, and 4) worker B without an air shower. During each test, sorbent tube sampling and real-time sampling were employed. Sorbent tube data collected in the worker's breathing zone ranged from 11 to 53 ppm. Passive monitor data results were similar. A statistical difference in breathing zone exposure was found between workers (p=0.0001), with worker A having the lowest exposures. No statistical difference in breathing zone exposures was found for the two air shower conditions
  
  therefore, more data are needed to determine ability of the air shower to lower exposures. Breathing zone exposures (95% confidence limits) for worker A, with or without the air shower, were lower than the OSHA PEL of 25 ppm. Differences between the workers are believed to be related to work practices. The goal of reducing methylene chloride exposures to the new OSHA standard of 25 ppm was achieved only for the case of the more experienced worker (worker A) while using the air shower. Exposure results are statistically different between workers. Additionally, use of the air shower resulted in only slightly lower exposures, with no statistical difference. Therefore, more data are needed to determine ability of air shower to lower exposures. Passive monitors results were similar to the sorbent sampling results and are recommended as an alternative sampling method for sampling short time periods. Other workers who are not stripping furniture but who are working in the shop should meet the 12.5 ppm OSHA action level.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Engineering Environmental Monitoring Interior Design And Furnishings Occupational Health Paint Safety Small Business Solvents Ventilation
• Keywords:
  Breathing-zone Control-technology Engineering-controls Environmental-control-equipment Equipment-design Exhaust-systems Exposure-limits Furniture-industry Furniture-workers OSHA Region 9 Paint-removers Sampling Sampling-equipment Small-businesses Solvent-vapors Work-practices

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• Series:
  Engineering and Physical Hazards Survey Reports
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHEPHB17022a
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Name as Subject:
  Strip Joint, Inc. ; Strip Joint, Inc.
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology ; EPHB - Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-16
• Contributor:
  Yoon, Young Hee ; Estill, Cheryl Fairfield
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20022449
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2003-100578
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, EPHB 170-22a, 2002 May ; :1-16
• CAS Registry Number:
  Dichloromethane (CAS RN 75-09-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2002
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  7641 - Reupholstery and furniture repair - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bee21426d4480d21deb7268be38dd32fe65e071079ef6c3aa5dc5344479731f6c7c715222c55ebdc7d60aa39ff75f6445cecd71a9c14067f816863db9cbb4d82
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/174828/cdc_174828_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 468.97 KB ]