Eye and Respiratory Symptoms in Poultry Processing Workers Exposed to Chlorine By-Products

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dollberg, Donald D. ; Gomez KE ; King, Bradley S. ; Mueller, Charles A. ; Page, Elena H. ; Warren AM ; Dollberg, Donald D. ; Gomez KE ; King, Bradley S. ; Mueller, Charles A. ; Page, Elena H. ; Warren AM
• Description:
  CDC/NIOSH responded to a request to investigate complaints of eye and respiratory irritation among workers in a poultry processing facility's evisceration department. Investigators administered symptom questionnaires and sampled for chlorine and chloramines. Spirometry was performed on workers before and after their work shift. Symptoms were significantly more prevalent in evisceration workers than in dark meat workers (a control group). Air concentrations of chloramine compounds (i.e., trichloramine and 'soluble chlorine') were significantly higher in the evisceration area than the dark meat area. Exposure levels were significantly higher for employees reporting various symptoms compared to employees not reporting those symptoms. Mean trichloramine exposure concentrations were significantly higher in workers with significant cross-shift declines in lung function; air concentrations of 'soluble chlorine' were higher as well, however, not significantly so. Results of this evaluation suggest a health hazard may exist from exposure to chloramines. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Chlorine Compounds Eye Foreign Bodies Food Industry Irritants Lung Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Particulate Matter Respiratory Function Tests Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety

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• Keywords:
  Airborne-particles Chlorine-compounds Exposure-levels Eye-irritants Lung-function Occupational-exposure Poultry Poultry-industry Poultry-workers Pulmonary-system-disorders Respiratory-irritants Respiratory-system-disorders Spirometry Workers

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• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article ; Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies ; DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Pages in Document:
  119-126
• Volume:
  49
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20029575
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 2006 Feb; 49(2):119-126
• Contact Point Address:
  Bradley S. King, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS), 4676 Columbia Parkway, Mailstop R-11, Cincinnati, OH 45226
• Email:
  bking1@cdc.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Chlorine (CAS RN 7782-50-5) ; Chlorine (CAS RN 7782-50-5)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2006
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bc0514a2402426e6aee13448a5492af588bf501d594c20b79dfa0a67c52d6fa7118d0a488fd2e2fce102b6cb76e93e2933e289b9dd141b814ff8c753a09cc7be
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/190525/cdc_190525_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 112.55 KB ]