Mercury control technology assessment study, Wiring Devices of Puerto Rico, Ponce, Puerto Rico, in-depth survey report for the site visit of March 16-18, 1982.

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  An on site visit was made to the Wiring Devices of Puerto Rico Corporation, Ponce, Puerto Rico to evaluate control measures in force to reduce exposures during mercury (7439976) filling operations, as part of the production of mercury buttons. The mercury vapor concentration has been reduced significantly over the years through the application of almost every major method of mercury control. The mercury button filling operation was isolated to a separate room between 1977 and 1979 and a local exhaust ventilation system added to the manufacturing equipment. Work practices were established. Mercury vapor emissions were controlled so that the only area of the facility where there was any potential hazard was the mercury fill room. A description was given of the local exhaust ventilation, welding machine exhaust, conditioner enclosure, leak detection hood, mercury storage containers, mercury vacuum cleaner, floor coating, and general containment methods in operation. Personal protective equipment, work practices, and biological and air contaminant monitoring systems were discussed. Other items reviewed included the medical and training programs offered by the company. Exposures could be reduced further if workers adhered more strictly to work practices and changed their disposable clothes more often. The investigators conclude that this facility is a good example of where a problem of mercury exposure existed and was handled correctly.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Epidemiology Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Occupational Health Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Control-technology Field-Study Mercury-compounds Mercury-vapors NIOSH-Author NIOSH-Contract NIOSH-Survey Region-2 Ventilation-systems
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHECTB10931B
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Contract
• Genre:
  Field Studies ; Control Technology
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 3 ; Puerto Rico
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DPSE - Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-22
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00183003
• 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, ECTB 109-31b, 1982 Sep; :1-22
• CAS Registry Number:
  Mercury (CAS RN 7439-97-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1982
• NORA Priority Area:
  Control-technology
• Performing Organization:
  Enviro Control Division, Dynamac Corporation, Rockville, Maryland
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ce8cdc70cbf67ae990d11f60e23d1c80508f8290d3c199a441cb0ee86abd6978984955cde35848e7fdbcc923926d1201a3689ce42abb811e5be7737617353cd0
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/180108/cdc_180108_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 465.47 KB ]