Respirator Use and Its Impact on Particulate Matter Exposure in Aluminum Manufacturing Facilities

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cullen MR ; Eisen E ; Hammond K ; Liu S ; Noth E
• Description:
  Objectives: As part of a large epidemiologic study of particulate health effect, this study aimed to report respirator use among total particulate matter (TPM) samples collected in a major aluminum manufacturing company from 1966-2013 and evaluate the impact of respirator-use adjustment on exposure estimation. Methods: Descriptive analyses were performed to evaluate respirator use across facilities and by facility type and job. Protection factors were applied to TPM measurements for recorded respirator use. Estimated TPM exposure for each job - before and after respirator-use adjustment - were compared to assess the impact of adjustment on exposure estimation. Results: Respirator use was noted for 37% of 12 402 full-shift personal TPM samples. Measured TPM concentration ranged from less than detectable to 8220 mg/m3, with arithmetic mean, median and standard deviation being 10.6, 0.87 and 130 mg/m3, respectively. Respirators were used more often in smelting facilities (52% of TPM measurements) than in fabricating (17%) or refinery facilities (28%) (P<0.01). Sixty-two percent of jobs in smelting facilities were subject to respirator-use adjustment, whereas it was 20% and 70% in fabricating and refinery facilities, respectively. Applying protection factors to TPM measurements significantly reduced estimated job mean TPM exposures and changed exposure categories in these facilities, with larger impact in smelting than fabricating facilities. Conclusions: Respirator use varied by time, facility and job. Adjusting respirator use resulted in differential impact in smelting and fabricating facilities, which will need to be incorporated into ongoing epidemiologic studies accordingly. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aluminum Compounds Epidemiology Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Metals Metal Workers Occupational Health Particulate Matter Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Safety
• Keywords:
  Aluminum Industry Aluminum Manufacturing Facility Assigned Protection Factor Author Keywords: Aluminum Exposure Fabrication Health Effects Job Exposure Matrix Manufacturing Particulate Matter Particulate Matter Exposure Particulates Personal Protective Equipment PPE Refinery Respirators Respirator Use Smelter Smelting Workplace Protection Factor

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• ISSN:
  0355-3140
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  44
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054213
• Citation:
  Scand J Work Environ Health 2018 Sep; 44(5):547-554
• Contact Point Address:
  Dr. Sa Liu, Environmental Health Science, School of Public Health, University of California, 710 University Hall, Berkeley, CA 94703, USA
• Email:
  saliu@berkeley.edu]
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Performing Organization:
  Stanford University
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20110901
• Source Full Name:
  Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
• End Date:
  20200831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1c3627e30453ca9abb20b236e4f75ae652cfdaef5d06fde0f24d04a93e77ce8f97ff4a4b8d98496f717e10b8948b6aa9ec760b5f3c49d8a9c347b4078786cfc0
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/216824/cdc_216824_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 847.14 KB ]