Fatal Exposure to Methylene Chloride Among Bathtub Refinishers – United States, 2000–2011

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Personal Author:
  Castillo, Dawn N. ; Chester, Debra A. ; Fagan, Kathleen M. ; Grimes, George R. ; Rosenman, Kenneth D.
• Description:
  In 2010, the Michigan Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program conducted an investigation into the death of a bathtub refinisher who used a methylene chloride-based paint stripping product marketed for use in aircraft maintenance. The program identified two earlier, similar deaths in Michigan. Program staff members notified CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which in turn notified the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In addition to the three deaths, OSHA identified 10 other bathtub refinisher fatalities associated with methylene chloride stripping agents that had been investigated in nine states during 2000-2011. Each death occurred in a residential bathroom with inadequate ventilation. Protective equipment, including a respirator, either was not used or was inadequate to protect against methylene chloride vapor, which has been recognized as potentially fatal to furniture strippers and factory workers, but has not been reported previously as a cause of death among bathtub refinishers. Worker safety agencies, public health agencies, methylene chloride-based stripper manufacturers, and trade organizations should communicate the extreme hazards of using methylene chloride-based stripping products in bathtub refinishing to employers, workers, and consumers. Employers should strongly consider alternative methods of bathtub stripping and always ensure worker safety protections that reduce the risk for health hazards to acceptable levels. Employers choosing to use methylene chloride-based stripping products must comply with OSHA's standard to limit methylene chloride exposures to safe levels. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Hazardous Substances Interior Design And Furnishings Mortality Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Paint Safety Safety Management Solvents Ventilation Volatilization

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• Keywords:
  Chemical-cleaning Employee-exposure Furniture-repair Furniture-workers Hazardous-materials Health-hazards Methyl-compounds Mortality-data Mortality-rates Paint-removers Safety-education Safety-measures Surveillance Toxic-dose Toxic-vapors Vapor-volume Vapors

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• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• ISSN:
  0149-2195 (print) ; 1545-861X (digital)
• Publisher:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (U.S.)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSR - Division of Safety Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  4 pdf pages
• Volume:
  61
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20040367
• Citation:
  MMWR 2012 Feb; 61(7):119-122
• Email:
  rosenman@msu.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Dichloromethane (CAS RN 75-09-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• Performing Organization:
  Michigan State University
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c7a5420f850e0e02fdcfc21355cd879614ac765c1b86253bfa7b81743cb322fa7c3c27d3101d7bd720642c395fe18db5dc38efe0bf99f7c897599f805370bea3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/183094/cdc_183094_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 234.36 KB ]