Use of Local Exhaust Ventilation to Control Aerosol Exposures Resulting from the Use of a Reciprocating Saw During Autopsy

Details

• Personal Author:
  Martinez, Kenneth F. ; Ow P ; Tubbs, Randy L.
• Description:
  The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) received a request to conduct a health hazard evaluation (HHE) from a coroner's office. Specifically, the request was for NIOSH assistance in evaluating a pneumatic reciprocating saw, equipped with local exhaust ventilation (LEV), used for cranial openings during forensic autopsies and examinations. The pneumatic saw was being evaluated by the coroner's office as an alternative to the electrically driven reciprocating saw. The objective of the NIOSH evaluation was to determine if the reciprocating saw 1) generated less tissue and bone fragment aerosol that could potentially challenge the breathing zone of the operating forensic technician, and 2) reduced the noise exposure to the technician and surrounding personnel. The NIOSH investigation included real-time area and personal measurement of airborne particulates, and real-time spectral measurement of noise during the conduct of six autopsies (four autopsies for the noise evaluation). The investigation was conducted in cooperation with the County Health Department, who simultaneously collected particulate air samples for microscopic analysis of bone and tissue fragments. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Air Pollutants, Occupational Autopsy Environmental Monitoring Microbiology Noise Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety Ventilation

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• Keywords:
  Aerosol-particles Air-samples Air-sampling Airborne-particles Autopsies Breathing-atmospheres Breathing-zone Exhaust-systems Microscopic-analysis Noise-exposure Occupational-exposure Particulates Ventilation-systems

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• ISSN:
  1047-322X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; 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
• Volume:
  16
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20021806
• Citation:
  Appl Occup Environ Hyg 2001 Jul; 16(7):709-717
• Editor(s):
  Tharr D
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2001
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f394842a7b9dabcde02d0bd8c91271b43b3b7f80e9d98b1806e402383149e40cff3ca6efcb3107b691d7d39d439dcb90fb4522e09361f9e7bdc2e5cf05b03ea5
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/198911/cdc_198911_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 423.85 KB ]