Airborne emissions from carbon dioxide laser cutting operations

Details

• Personal Author:
  Fleeger, Alan K. ; Moss, C. Eugene ; Seitz, Teresa A.
• Description:
  The results of two NIOSH evaluations of airborne emissions generated by carbon-dioxide laser cutting operations were discussed. Area and personal air samples collected during carbon-dioxide laser cutting of fused quartz glassware, plastic, and metals at a scientific glassware manufacturing facility were analyzed for fused silica (7631869), trace metals, and organic vapors. Time weighted average (TWA) area and personal air fused silica concentrations were 0.5 and standard of 0.1mg/m3. Small quantities of chromium (7440473), copper (7440508), iron (7439896), nickel (7440020), or zinc (7440666) at concentrations just barely above the detection limit were measured. Ethyl-acrylate (140885) concentrations up to 149 parts per million (ppm) were detected when plexiglass, acrylic, and lucite were cut. The OSHA short term exposure limit for ethyl- acrylate is 25ppm. Two 2 hour area air samples contained 0.4 to 1.0ppm ethyl-acrylate. Ethyl-acrylate concentrations were high enough to cause nausea and irritative symptoms. A health hazard existed due to exposures from fused silica and ethyl-acrylate. The second study documented breathing zone exposures when cutting Kevlar, a lightweight organic composite material, with a carbon- dioxide laser. The laser technicians who performed the cutting operations complained of eye and skin irritation. Carbon-monoxide (630080) concentrations ranged up to 35ppm. TWA nitrogen oxides concentrations of around 5ppm were measured. Short term hydrogen- cyanide (74908) concentrations of 0.03 to 0.08mg/m3 were generated in the laser cutting area. This resulted in a TWA exposure of of 0.05mg/m3. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Acrylates Eye Foreign Bodies Glass Nitrogen Oxides Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Plastics Radiation Safety Skin
• Keywords:
  Cutting-tools Eye-irritants Glass-manufacturing-industry Laser-radiation NIOSH-Author Nitrogen-oxides Occupational-exposure Plastics-industry Skin-irritants
• 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:
  6
• Issue:
  8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00201361
• Citation:
  Appl Occup Environ Hyg 1991 Aug; 6(8):652,654
• Contact Point Address:
  C. Eugene Moss, NIOSH, Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch. 4676 Columbia Parkway, K11, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226
• CAS Registry Number:
  Carbon monoxide (CAS RN 630-08-0) ; Chromium (CAS RN 7440-47-3) ; Copper (CAS RN 7440-50-8) ; Ethyl acrylate (CAS RN 140-88-5) ; Hydrogen cyanide (CAS RN 74-90-8) ; Iron (CAS RN 7439-89-6) ; Nickel (CAS RN 7440-02-0) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9) ; Zinc (CAS RN 7440-66-6)
• Editor(s):
  Tharr D
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1991
• 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-512:27504aba7a2ec637f3a5102f15f357acf3980aa0ff92b7a68212cff0dd02c0c892f3b8a2fb798de34ad5241c6d6e9c0902501b45d17172e64c9f523c4a93c058
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/204100/cdc_204100_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 869.66 KB ]