Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2016-0196-3392: Evaluation of Chemical and Noise Exposures in an Artificial Casing Manufacturing Facility

Details

• Personal Author:
  Ramsey, Jessica G. ; Elliott, Michael
• Description:
  The Health Hazard Evaluation Program received a request from the union at an artificial casing manufacturing facility. Employees were concerned about the health effects from exposures in the viscose process, including carbon disulfide (CS2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and noise in the workplace. Our evaluation included (1) a workplace walkthrough and a record review of company policies and procedures, (2) confidential medical interviews, (3) air sampling for CS2 and sulfuric acid mist, (4) real-time air monitoring for H2S and ammonia, (5) personal noise monitoring, and (6) a health survey with associated urine testing to assess for CS2 exposure and associated same day, acute, and chronic health symptoms. Employees in the chemical and production group had air exposures to CS2 at or above the ACGIH® threshold limit value (TLV®) as well as elevated body burdens of 2-thiothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA), a CS2 metabolite measured in urine. Air CS2 levels for extrusion area workers correlated closely with TTCA body burdens, indicating that inhalational exposures were resulting in high body burdens. Employees routinely assigned to extrusion areas were more likely to report skin irritation, skin burns, and mood swings and personality changes than employees assigned to other production areas. Some employees had instantaneous readings of H2S that were at the NIOSH immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) level of 100 ppm. Employees were exposed to hazardous levels of noise in the production and nonproduction areas of the facility, including in locations where exposure to CS2, an ototoxicant, were ongoing. We made various recommendations including improving ventilation, implementing worker rotation for employees, updating the respiratory protection and hearing conservation programs, retraining employees on hearing protection use, and ensuring employees coming in contact with viscose, CS2, or other skin irritants cover their skin with a nonpermeable covering.
• Subjects:
  Ammonia Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Hydrogen Sulfide Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Safety Sulfuric Acids
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Unlaminated Plastics Profile Shape Manufacturing; Carbon Disulfide; Hydrogen Sulfide; Sulfuric Acid Mist; Ammonia; Sulfuric Acid; Noise; Hearing Loss; TTCA; 2-thiothazolidine-4-carboxylic Acid Region 5; Manufacturing; Food Processing Workers; Noise Exposure; Chemicals; Chemical Safety; Personal Protective Equipment; PPE; Ventilation; Engineering Controls; Work Practices; Respiratory Protection; Administrative Controls;
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study ; Report
• Place as Subject:
  Illinois ; Ohio ; Chicago Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DFSE - Division of Field Studies and Engineering ; HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  52 pdf pages
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071003
• 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, HHE 2016-0196-3392, 2024 Dec; :1-52
• CAS Registry Number:
  Carbon disulfide (CAS RN 75-15-0) ; Hydrogen sulfide (CAS RN 7783-06-4) ; Sulfuric acid (CAS RN 7664-93-9) ; Ammonia (CAS RN 7664-41-7) ; Thiazolidine-2-thione-4-carboxylic acid (CAS RN 20933-67-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  326121 - Unsupported Plastics Profile Shapes Manufacturing - (NAICS)
• 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:e11537a96e54b992a96e4d060351d76a5f4364388c065b8ce7a9de345b131eaa28452cd73ad7f8bea1fc6a835eeb7a80f0ed5ef4ff48de5528ae5d09cbd1ad09
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/257782/cdc_257782_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 972.03 KB ]