Assessing Occupational Erionite and Respirable Crystalline Silica Exposure Among Outdoor Workers in Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana

Details

• Personal Author:
  Beaucham, Catherine C. ; Dozier, Alan K. ; Feldmann K ; Harper M ; King, Bradley S.
• Description:
  Erionite is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral found in many parts of the world, including the western United States. Inhalational exposure to erionite fibers in some localities is associated with health effects similar to those caused by asbestos exposure, including malignant mesothelioma. Therefore, there is concern regarding occupational exposures in the western United States. Currently there are no standard sampling and analytical methods for airborne erionite fibers, as well as no established occupational exposure limits. Due to the potential adverse health effects, characterizing and minimizing exposures is prudent. Crystalline silica also occurs naturally in areas where erionite is found, principally as the mineral quartz. Work activities involving rocks containing quartz and soils derived from those rocks can lead to exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS). The typically dry and dusty environment of the western United States can increase the likelihood of exposures to aerosolized rocks and soils, but inhalation exposure is also possible in more humid conditions. In this case study, we describe several outdoor occupational environments with potential exposures to erionite and RCS. We describe our method for evaluating those exposures and demonstrate: (1) the occurrence of occupational exposures to airborne erionite and RCS, (2) that the chemical make-up of the erionite mineral can be determined, and (3) that effective dust control practices are needed to reduce employee exposures to these minerals. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Air Pollutants, Occupational Asbestos Dust Environmental Exposure Inorganic Chemicals Lung Diseases Minerals Neoplasms Occupational Health Particulate Matter Quartz Respiratory Tract Diseases Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Silicon Dioxide Zeolites

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• Keywords:
  Aerosol Particles Airborne Fibers Author Keywords: Erionite Crystalline Silica Exposure Levels Exposure Limits Fibers Health Effects HETA-2012-0141-3220 HHE-2013-0061-3244 Mesothelioma Mineral Fiber Pulmonary System Disorders Respirable Dust Respiratory System Disorders Risk Factors Sampling

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• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Florida ; Montana ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 8 ; South Dakota ; Wyoming
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies ; WSD - Western States Division ; DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  455-465
• Volume:
  15
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20051220
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2018 Jun; 15(6):455-465
• Contact Point Address:
  Catherine Beaucham, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH 45226
• Email:
  cbeaucham@cdc.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Asbestos (CAS RN 1332-21-4) ; Erionite ((K0-1Na0-1Ca0-0.5)10(Al10Si26O72).30H2O) (CAS RN 12510-42-8) ; Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing ; Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:576b99d5ec6c0be52cd8b01f68e62e7984e0352827495f1ae52d72b109d6a022bc3b022396f09cf85843da8f295a7bcaf21ecd874e5e9a1da31393030095ec49
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/211298/cdc_211298_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1010.87 KB ]