Cost-effective radiator repair ventilation control

Details

• Personal Author:
  Daniels, William J. ; Goldfield J ; Gunter, Bobby J. ; Sheehy, John W.
• Description:
  A cost effective ventilated enclosure for controlling lead (7439921) exposures during radiator repair work was described. The enclosure was designed in response to a health hazard evaluation at three radiator repair shops in the Denver, Colorado area that found breathing zone lead concentrations as high as 290 micrograms/cubic meter (microg/m3) and blood lead concentrations above 40 microgram/deciliter in three of ten mechanics. The OSHA standard for lead is 50microg/m3. The ventilated enclosure consisted of a 1.5 millimeter thick curtain of silicone coated fiber glass cloth that was suspended from the ceiling to form a tent like structure over the water bath that was used to test radiators for leaks. A 100 centimeter (cm) wide by 90cm high opening in the front of the enclosure permitted the mechanic to repair the radiator inside the enclosure. A propeller fan having an exhaust rate of 3400 cubic meters/hour was mounted in the rear (outside) wall of the enclosure. This produced an air flow of 1 meter/second through the enclosure that was directed to the shop exhaust. The cost of the enclosure excluding the fan was 600 dollars. The ability of the enclosure to control lead exposures was evaluated by collecting breathing zone samples during radiator repair operations in one of the shops. Breathing zone samples were also analyzed at a workstation in the same shop that did not have the enclosure. Time weighted average lead exposures were reduced from 453 to 9.9microg/m3 by the enclosure. The authors conclude that the ventilated enclosure provides very good control of lead exposures generated during radiator repairs. Because it is not expensive it can be used by most small and medium size shops. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Automobiles Metals Metals, Heavy Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety Ventilation
• Keywords:
  Automobile-repair-shops Equipment-design Equipment-reliability Heavy-metals Industrial-hygiene Metal-fumes NIOSH-Author Occupational-exposure Ventilation-systems
• ISSN:
  1047-322X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  6
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00203322
• Citation:
  Appl Occup Environ Hyg 1991 Nov; 6(11):959-965
• CAS Registry Number:
  Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1992
• 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-512:48be0a401fe7275d690590ce333056b3c5df2cf3d29d7c7bce10dca8a29522d336bce278f71d84c49e8cc4d89d0a8501043c48baef238acf44ffffd017720600
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/204415/cdc_204415_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 893.43 KB ]