Hazard Controls – Control of Spotting Chemical Hazards in Commercial Drycleaning

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  The control of hazards associated with spotting chemicals used in commercial dry cleaning was reviewed. Workers in dry cleaning shops were exposed to hazardous stain removing chemicals through skin absorption, eye contact, or vapor inhalation. Dermatitis often resulted from the chronic or acute exposure to hazardous dry cleaning chemicals. Exposure to hydrofluoric-acid (7664393) caused severe chemical burns with deep tissue destruction. Methods of controlling the hazards associated with spotting chemicals included isolation, ventilation, modified work practices, and personal protective equipment (PPE) usage. Isolating the spotting process from other workers was an effective means of exposure control, especially when used in combination with adequate ventilation. Exposures to solvents during the spotting process were reduced through local exhaust ventilation. To prevent vapors from reaching the worker's breathing zone, exhaust hoods were placed near the source of the spotting chemicals. Protective exhaust systems included a slot hood at table level or a down draft table exhausting to the outside. General ventilation consisted of both make up air supply and the exhaust system. By training spotters to properly use spotting chemicals and to recognize which stains require pretreatment, personal exposures to spotting chemicals were reduced. Such PPE as solvent resistant gloves and chemical splash goggles was required for safe chemical spotting. Chemical resistant glove materials included Viton fluoroelastomer, polyvinyl-alcohol, and unsupported nitrile. An easily accessible eye wash station was also an important safety feature in any chemical spotting area. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Acids Dermatitis Eye Eye Foreign Bodies Hazardous Substances Irritants Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Sense Organs Sense Organs / Injuries Skin Skin Diseases Solvents Ventilation

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• Keywords:
  Acid-mists Control-methods Dermatosis Dry-cleaning-industry Dry-cleaning-solvents Exhaust-ventilation Eye-injuries Eye-irritants Health-hazards Industrial-hazards Occupational-exposure Organic-solvents Personal-protective-equipment Pulmonary-system-disorders Respiratory-irritants Respiratory-system-disorders Skin-exposure Skin-irritants Skin-lesions Solvent-vapors Ventilation-systems Work-practices

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• Series:
  NIOSH Numbered Publications
• Subseries:
  Hazard Control
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB97158
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• 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 ; EID - Education and Information Division ; DPSE - Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00240717
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-158, (HC 20), 1997 Oct; :1-3
• CAS Registry Number:
  Hydrofluoric acid (CAS RN 7664-39-3)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1998
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f760e0a84a31400b4ad236f0012b725057f529e50777ac9878ae906c0dba1e93f5894a440f8e253fbae729b43f7be8f2b8d12c1c208c1c583c8fba44806cc237
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/209728/cdc_209728_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 66.83 KB ]