Reconstruction of thirty years of free silica dust exposure in the taconite industry.

Details

• Personal Author:
  McJilton CE ; Sheehy JW
• Description:
  Longterm data on exposure levels to free silica (7631869) containing dust in the taconite (12249262) mining industry were examined. Quantitative exposure levels were determined for four taconite mines in Minnesota by analyzing respirable mass sampling data collected for the last 15 years and impinger sample results collected from 1957 to 1975. The establishment of current and past exposures consisted of two major tasks: compilation and summary statistics for a large amount of environmental sampling data by facility, job classification, and time period; and development of a model for converting the historical environmental measurement data into a form consistent with the current respirable mass sampling method. A matrix of respirable silica dust sample results was prepared. Descriptive statistics consisted of the number of samples, geometric mean, log of the geometric standard error, and minimum and maximum concentration. Sample data revealed the potential for high crystalline (71636) silica exposure. Average quartz (14808607) levels were 18 to 34% in the mine, 28 to 37% in the crushers, 14 to 37% in the concentrators, and 5% or less in the pellet facility. Mean exposure levels did not take into account changes in exposures, such as those due to improved control technology over time.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Bibliography Database Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Air Sampling Analytical Methods Dust Exposure Exposure Levels Mining Industry NIOSH Author Occupational Exposure Respirable Dust Silica Dusts Statistical Analysis
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Conference/Symposia Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Minnesota ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1001-1006
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00198873
• Citation:
  Proceedings of the VIIth International Pneumoconioses Conference, August 23-26, 1988, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 90-108, 1990 Nov; (Pt II):1001-1106
• CAS Registry Number:
  Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9) ; Taconite (CAS RN 12249-26-2) ; Digitoxin (CAS RN 71-63-6) ; Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1991
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Part Number:
  II
• Source Full Name:
  Proceedings of the VIIth International Pneumoconioses Conference, August 23-26, 1988, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c94d42bb1b63fb9f5de8fdb410218bde429a571c86df6abee138e01b3d383c26b23d8319aae580a40e26ab729ba2e5d94de47a8c915410703dbf5711b84447a7
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/180704/cdc_180704_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 192.41 KB ]