Evaluation of the NIOSH MWF Total Particulate Matter: Thoracic Particulate Matter Conversion Factor in a Machining Environment

Details

• Personal Author:
  Harney, Joshua M. ; McCleery, Robert E. ; Mueller, Charles A. ; Reh, Beth D.
• Description:
  Worker exposures to metalworking fluids were characterized at a plant that produced air compressors. Full-shift, side-by-side air samples (n = 147) were collected and analyzed for total particulate matter, extractable total particulate matter, thoracic particulate matter, and extractable thoracic particulate matter. The thoracic particulate matter geometric mean of 0.32 m/m(3) was below the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure limit (REL) of 0.4 mg/m(3). The total particulate matter geometric mean of 0.52 mg/m(3), however, was above 0.5 mg/m(3), the total particulate matter concentration offered as a surrogate REL in the NIOSH Criteria for a Recommended Standard for Occupational Exposure to Metalworking Fluids.[1] Of the 83 total particulate matter results that were at or above smash 0.5 mg/m(3), only 50 (60%) of the corresponding thoracic particulate matter results were at or above 0.4 mg/m(3). These data indicated a conversion factor of 1.65 between thoracic particulate matter and total particulate matter concentrations and 1.40 between thoracic extractable particulate matter and total extractable concentrations. These factors were significantly different from the 1.25 used to compare total particulate matter with thoracic particulate matter concentrations in the NIOSH Criteria Document[1] (p < 0.01) and call into question the validity of a universal conversion factor. The authors conclude that thoracic particulate matter exposure assessment should be done directly. In terms of protecting the worker, however, the 1.25 conversion factor appeared to be conservative since each time a total particulate matter result was below 0.5 mg/m(3), its paired thoracic particulate matter measurement was below 0.4 mg/m(3). [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Monitoring Metals Metal Workers Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety
• Keywords:
  Air-samples Author Keywords: SIC 3563 Air And Gas Compressors Coolants Exposure-assessment Exposure-limits Extractable MWF Machining Metalworking Metalworking-fluids Metalworking-industry Metalworking Fluids MWFs Occupational-exposure Particulate-sampling-methods Particulates Thoracic Particulate Matter Total Particulate Matter Workers

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• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 5
• 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:
  239-243
• Volume:
  2
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20026847
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2005 Apr; 2(4):239-243
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2005
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  3563 - Air and gas compressors - (SIC)
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:fdf63436317763430f48245060ffaa598c1b9697797310498f47d0381bb4b57751a91427426969b67ac5b051c38761a74278751fc2b1f0477b87661ec9c0ee5b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/197395/cdc_197395_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 253.89 KB ]