Mercury control technology assessment study, Micro Switch, A Honeywell Division, Freeport, Illinois, preliminary survey report for the site visit of May 5, 1981.

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  A visit was made to the Micro Switch Division of Honeywell, Freeport, Illinois to investigate the effectiveness of control methods for mercury (7439976). There were 150 workers employed in the mercury switch department. Of the eight rooms involved in this department, the press seal room, the fill room, and the room where adjusting and leading were accomplished were the areas where mercury exposure was most likely. Engineering controls in the mercury fill room included the placement of an air supply and air exhaust system. Personal protective equipment in use at the site included disposable Tyvek smocks which were changed weekly, latex disposable gloves which were changed daily, disposable respirators and shoes used exclusively for work. Work practices were designed to avoid mercury contact. Preemployment and routine ongoing urinalyses were conducted; when mercury levels in the urine exceeded 0.05 milligrams/liter, the worker was taken out of the mercury exposure areas. Mercury was detected in all air samples taken with the highest sample concentration being 0.052mg/m3. The facility is recommended for an in depth survey when a new air supply system is installed and operating. It is recommended that mercury scrap drums be filled only to a point where a 5 or 6 inch level of water can be maintained above the scrap and that the sides of the flat circular hoods be enclosed by plastic curtains.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Animals Carcinogens Insecticides Liver Occupational Health Safety Toxicology
• Keywords:
  Electrical-equipment Field-Study Heavy-metals Mercury-vapors NIOSH-Contract NIOSH-Survey Region-5 Ventilation-systems
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHECTB10915a
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Contract
• Genre:
  Field Studies ; Control Technology ; Field Studies ; Control Technology
• Place as Subject:
  Illinois ; Maryland ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DPSE - Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering ; DPSE - Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-22
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00183560
• 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 109-15a, 1981 Dec; :1-22
• CAS Registry Number:
  Mercury (CAS RN 7439-97-6) ; Mercury (CAS RN 7439-97-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1982
• 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:bc6b24ec5107be8ab862abf56da77254b2240d49a24afd00a5125dd7e52ce8e12657f6030b7c7fb23eff5c2416dafd2cd9a63aedb566997ab239dca7a3b2b333
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/180138/cdc_180138_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 5.92 MB ]