Lead, chromium, and cadmium exposure during abrasive blasting

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cali S ; Conroy LM ; Forst L ; Menezes-Lindsay RM ; Sullivan PM
• Description:
  A study was conducted examining levels of exposure to lead (7439921), cadmium (7440439), and chromium (7440473) within a containment area constructed for abrasive blasting of a steel bridge during paint removal activities. Lead levels were monitored by personal and area sampling and area sampling was performed for chromium during the first of two 8 month construction seasons and for cadmium during the second season. In addition, exposure levels were assessed by analysis of blood lead levels. Lead levels in personal air samples collected inside supplied air helmets ranged from 14 to 4,401 micrograms/cubic meter. Levels exceeding those currently allowed by OSHA were measured in 106 of 125 samples. Average blood levels in excess of 25 micrograms/deciliter were measured in 18 of 22 tested workers; five of these had levels high enough to necessitate medical removal had current OSHA standards been in force at the time. Foremen had the highest medial blood lead levels for groups of workers over three seasons. Median area concentrations of lead, chromium, and cadmium were 10,970, 23.5, and 15.7 micrograms/cubic meter, respectively, for the bridge and 3,277, 369, and 1.31 micrograms/cubic meter, respectively, for the viaduct. The authors recommend that studies examining additional engineering controls and alternative methods of paint removal as well as evaluations of exposure to lead and other hazardous materials during projects involving abrasive blasting be conducted. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cadmium Chromium Construction Industry Lead Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Safety Staff Development
• Keywords:
  Abrasive-blasting Cadmium-compounds Chromium-compounds Construction-workers Exposure-levels Lead-compounds NIOSH-Grant NIOSH-Publication Occupational-exposure Training
• ISSN:
  0003-9896
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Illinois ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  95-99
• Volume:
  51
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00230789
• Citation:
  Arch Environ Health 1996 Mar; 51(2):95-99
• Contact Point Address:
  Occupational and Environ Med University of Illinois 2035 W Taylor Street Chicago, Ill 60612
• CAS Registry Number:
  Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9) ; Chromium (CAS RN 7440-47-3) ; Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1996
• Performing Organization:
  University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19770930
• Source Full Name:
  Archives of Environmental Health
• End Date:
  19960630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:4d665eead70f3eaf071d73708d8e0399ee8f769ddd1d09c9847d9479c6ec3f60796a96888ae5e38fa618c6841fd178a38b6a42bd101054b0f022393164d1719f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/205016/cdc_205016_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 513.47 KB ]