Reduction of biomechanical and welding fume exposures in stud welding

Details

• Personal Author:
  Fethke NB ; Leonard, Stephanie ; Metwali M ; Mudunkotuwa IA ; Peters TM
• Description:
  The welding of shear stud connectors to structural steel in construction requires a prolonged stooped posture that exposes ironworkers to biomechanical and welding fume hazards. In this study, biomechanical and welding fume exposures during stud welding using conventional methods were compared to exposures associated with use of a prototype system that allowed participants to weld from an upright position. The effect of base material (i.e. bare structural beam versus galvanized decking) on welding fume concentration (particle number and mass), particle size distribution, and particle composition was also explored. Thirty participants completed a series of stud welding simulations in a local apprenticeship training facility. Use of the upright system was associated with substantial reductions in trunk inclination and the activity levels of several muscle groups. Inhalable mass concentrations of welding fume (averaged over approximately 18 min) when using conventional methods were high (18.2 mg m-3 for bare beam; 65.7 mg m-3 for through deck), with estimated mass concentrations of iron (7.8 mg m-3 for bare beam; 15.8 mg m-3 for through deck), zinc (0.2 mg m-3 for bare beam; 15.8 mg m-3 for through deck), and manganese (0.9 mg m-3 for bare beam; 1.5 mg m-3 for through deck) often exceeding the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists Threshold Limit Values (TLVs). Number and mass concentrations were substantially reduced when using the upright system, although the total inhalable mass concentration remained above the TLV when welding through decking. The average diameters of the welding fume particles for both bare beam (31 +/- 17 nm) through deck conditions (34 +/- 34 nm) and the chemical composition of the particles indicated the presence of metallic nanoparticles. Stud welding exposes ironworkers to potentially high levels of biomechanical loading (primarily to the low back) and welding fume. The upright system used in this study improved exposure levels during stud welding simulations, but further development is needed before field deployment is possible. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Biomechanical Phenomena Construction Industry Dust Environmental Exposure Environmental Monitoring Ergonomics Ferrous Compounds Inhalation Exposure Manganese Metals Metal Workers Musculoskeletal System Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety Welding Zinc Compounds

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Construction Biomechanics Body-regions Construction Construction-equipment Construction-industry Construction-workers Employee-exposure Exposure-assessment Exposure-levels Exposure-limits Fumes Human-factors-engineering Humans Industrial-exposures Inhalants Iron-compounds Iron-workers Manganese-compounds Metal-compounds Metal-fumes Metallic-dusts Metallic-fumes Musculoskeletal-system Overloading Particulates Physiological-response Posture Simulation-methods Steel-compounds Threshold-limit-values Welders Welding-equipment Zinc-compounds

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• ISSN:
  0003-4878
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Iowa ; Maryland ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  387-401
• Volume:
  60
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20047030
• Citation:
  Ann Occup Hyg 2016 Apr; 60(3):387-401
• Contact Point Address:
  Nathan B. Fethke, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
• Email:
  nathan-fethke@uiowa.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Iron (CAS RN 7439-89-6) ; Manganese (CAS RN 7439-96-5) ; Zinc (CAS RN 7440-66-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction
• Performing Organization:
  CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20090901
• Source Full Name:
  Annals of Occupational Hygiene
• End Date:
  20240831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e36793e943e59502112a067f1e8c8482f10973cbd20a21cfe83b2ec44fbc3f7a566247bd15d96c6e2ec266385b8ea4e1e4fe0e03c463f460a90ef46ea5fc4f28
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/202262/cdc_202262_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.33 MB ]