Hazards from working with mercury in calibration laboratories.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Gallagher DH ; Mackison, Frank W. ; Sevin IF
• Description:
  The hazards of mercury (7439976) in calibration laboratories are reviewed. Mercury is a dense metal with low viscosity. It is a liquid at room temperature that can splash or spill when handled carelessly. The biologic effects of mercury are documented. Exposures occur from ingestion, skin absorption, or inhalation of vapors. Acute and chronic poisonings are discussed; classic symptoms include tremor, severe behavioral and personality changes, excitability, loss of memory, insomnia, and involvement of the oral cavity. Reproductive effects are cited, with a dose related adverse pathological effect on the developing fetus. Determination of mercury in urine and the correlation between exposure and urinary concentrations and neuropsychiatric symptoms are considered. Sources of exposure in calibration laboratories, from resistance standards, droplets of spilled mercury, amalgamation operations, and the discharge from vacuum pumps on manometers are discussed. Engineering controls and room design for control of mercury exposure are outlined. Work practices and personal hygiene are stressed. Recommendations are made for training programs, and air and biologic monitoring for mercury control. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Diagnosis Hazardous Substances Inhalation Exposure Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Poisoning Safety
• Keywords:
  Occupational-exposure; Inhalants; Physiological-response; Poisons; Clinical-symptoms; Toxic-effects; Exposure-levels; Clinical-diagnosis; Pathogenesis
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-26
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00136737
• Citation:
  Paper Presented at the 1980 National Bureau of Standards Workshop and Symposium, National Conference of Standards Laboratories, September 22-25, 1980, 1980 Sep; :1-26
• CAS Registry Number:
  Mercury (CAS RN 7439-97-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1980
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Paper Presented at the 1980 National Bureau of Standards Workshop and Symposium, National Conference of Standards Laboratories, September 22-25, 1980, 26 pages, 25 references
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7dc847c09aedf140bc731323e8446b4703641ae07d6ad9e7b7238120dab30b8f7dcaa9b938d34d035f87873a0fe7fec262d5d13dcaf290925445e82b6de3b57d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/245647/cdc_245647_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 168.02 KB ]