Sensitization of Laundry-Products Workers to Proteolytic Bacterial Enzymes – New Jersey

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Personal Author:
  Bernstein, I. L. ; Brooks, Stuart M. ; Gallagher, J. S. ; Liss, Gary M.
• Description:
  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found in a recent investigation at a laundry-products manufacturing company in New Jersey that some workers exposed to the proteolytic bacterial enzyme Esperase in the manufacture of an enzyme bleach had become immunologically sensitized to the enzyme. The environmental and medical evaluation, which was conducted in April and May 1980, was requested by the local union at the plant after skin rashes, conjunctivitis, and acute shortness of breath were noted in workers who entered the work area containing enzyme dust. In that work area Esperase has been added to the dry bleach formulation since August 1978. Industrial hygiene monitoring indicated that air concentrations of enzyme dust ranged from 0.002 to 1.57/microg/M3; all of these levels were below the current occupational criterion of 3.9 microg/M3. Measurement of aerodynamic particle-size distributions indicated that approximately one-half of the total airborne dust was of respirable size (mass median diameter 4.4 micro/M). [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Bacteria Chemistry Dust Environmental Exposure Enzymes Eye Hypersensitivity Immune System Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Sense Organs Sense Organs / Injuries Skin Skin Diseases

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• Keywords:
  Airborne Dusts Bacterial Dusts Breathing Chemical Composition Chemical Manufacturing Industry Cleaning Compounds Dust Exposure Exposure Assessment Exposure Levels Eye Disorders Eye Irritants Household Bleach Immune Reaction Laundering Manufacturing Particle Size Analysis Respirable Dust Respiratory System Disorders Sensitization Skin Disorders Skin Irritants

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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
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New Jersey ; OSHA Region 2
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  3 pdf pages
• Volume:
  30
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054819
• Citation:
  MMWR 1981 Mar; 30(11):127-128
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1981
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d4a6758d43b66bbee85f8987c4cb0b29d0cfcceb2b4f7248c2c65614418dc7cd1ca4c87054e4de58b4c77a120fed1181bafb1917a7a464d0fdde8b2152192f14
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/183286/cdc_183286_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 391.70 KB ]