An assessment of lead controls for torch cutting and rivet removal on steel structures

Details

• Personal Author:
  Clark NL ; Doucette JT ; Goldberg M ; Levin SM ; Zuckerman N
• Description:
  The use of engineering and work practice controls to protect workers from lead-containing dusts and fumes generated during rehabilitation of steel structures is mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Lead in Construction Standard (1993). Because the implementation and assessment of controls can be problematic in the rugged and dynamic construction environment, industrial hygienists should understand the effectiveness and limitations of controls adopted. The present investigation assesses the efficacy of two controls to reduce lead exposure: paint removal prior to oxy-acetylene torch cutting of steel, and encapsulation of rivets prior to their removal. A task-based exposure assessment approach was used to evaluate these tasks at three sites. Exposures at one site without controls were compared to exposures at sites with controls. Comparison of the results via an analysis of variance (0.05 significance level) indicates that, for torch cutting, exposures at the control site were not significantly different from those at an uncontrolled site (p= 0.14). The results for rivet busting show no significant differences in exposures at the control site compared to the uncontrolled site (p = 0.08). Results are also presented from two control sites where work was done in enclosed spaces. Two main difficulties in applying the controls are explored: technical and managerial. Technical problems during torch cutting included the penetration of paint into the steel profile and the configuration of the structures. For rivet busting, working within an enclosure was an important factor. Management problems arose both from a lack of coordination among different contractors, and from a failure to provide day-to-day guidance and assessment of the control. Important components of a program to implement controls are preplanning and coordination of control implementation, frequent testing of control efficacy, and a method for timely intervention to correct deficiencies. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Construction Industry Dust Engineering Environmental Monitoring Lead Lead Poisoning Metal Workers Occupational Health Paint Personal Protective Equipment Safety Welding

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Lead Exposure Bridge Rehabilitation Construction Construction-equipment Construction-industry Construction-workers Control-methods Control-systems Cutting-tools Dust-control Dusts Engineering-controls Engineering Controls Exposure-assessment Fumes Lead-absorption Lead-compounds Lead-dust Lead-fumes Lead-poisoning Paint-removers Paints Personal-protection Personal-protective-equipment Regulations Standards Steelworkers Task-Based Exposure Assessment Welders Work-practices Work Practice Controls

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• ISSN:
  1047-322X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; New York ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  445-452
• Volume:
  15
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20041044
• Citation:
  Appl Occup Environ Hyg 2000 May; 15(5):445-452
• Contact Point Address:
  Mark Goldberg, Hunter College School of Health Sciences, Program in Urban Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, City University of New York, New York, NY
• CAS Registry Number:
  Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2000
• Performing Organization:
  Center to Protect Workers' Rights, Washington, DC
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19900928
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• End Date:
  19961231
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:85661dc98d3035de9af138366b1a167c63307aba6ef67d05486377b10904a9ecde8c00e84db217c1f99d3942093d9895717d64003cb9fa38c91fa19cf1342004
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/193707/cdc_193707_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 178.90 KB ]