Health Hazard Evaluation Determination Report No. HE 79-31-699: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Mauna Loa Observatory; Hilo, Hawaii 96720

Details

• Personal Author:
  Belanger, Pierre L.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  An environmental survey was conducted from September 24 to 26, 1979 at the Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii (SIC-8922). An authorized employer representative requested the evaluation to determine whether solar observers and engineers working at the observatory were exposed to toxic chemicals emanating from the Mauna Loa volcano five miles away. Personal breathing zone and area air samples were collected to measure concentrations of methyl-chloride (74873), methyl-iodide (74884), inorganic-mercury (7439976), sulfur-dioxide (7446095), sulfuric-acid (7664939), hydrogen-sulfide (7783064), and selenium (7782492) and other metals in the telescope control room and telescope room. Airborne concentrations of methyl-iodide, mercury, sulfuric-acid, trace metals and hydrogen-sulfide were below the limits of detection. Airborne concentrations of methyl-chloride ranged from 0.02 to 0.08 parts per million (ppm) and were well below the OSHA standard of 100ppm as an 8 hour time weighted average (TWA). Sulfur-dioxide concentrations ranging from 0.30 to 0.50ppm were all below or equal to NIOSH recommended criterion of 0.50ppm. The authors conclude that no hazard existed from exposure to any of the compounds. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Hazardous Substances Inhalation Exposure Inorganic Chemicals Occupational Health Safety Sulfur Dioxide
• Keywords:
  Air-contaminants Fumes Hazardous-chemicals Hazards-Unconfirmed Igneous-extrusion Inhalants Inorganic-chemicals Irritant-gas Methylene Chloride OSHA Region 9 Sulfur Dioxide Volcano

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• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• Subseries:
  Health Evaluation and Technical Assistance (HETA)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE7931699
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Name as Subject:
  University Corporation for Atmospheric Research ; Mauna Loa Observatory ; University Corporation for Atmospheric Research ; Mauna Loa Observatory
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Hawaii ; Hilo (HI) ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  10 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Ryan, Noel
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00098076
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB81-111247
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HHE 79-31-699, 1980 Jun ; :1-10
• CAS Registry Number:
  Methyl chloride (CAS RN 74-87-3) ; Methyl iodide (CAS RN 74-88-4) ; Mercury (CAS RN 7439-97-6) ; Sulphur dioxide (CAS RN 7446-09-5) ; Sulfuric acid (CAS RN 7664-93-9) ; Hydrogen sulfide (CAS RN 7783-06-4) ; Selenium (CAS RN 7782-49-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1980
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  8922 - Noncommercial Research Organizations - (SIC)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2cae51cbddfc0375d0bb0025fbab142ce6dd20744b1dab02bd8ba30b3b376d22e21f769fc09d176b04e91d53ee8a011db9d15d8821b8c4ff01bab4b0891dc69b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/56244/cdc_56244_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.62 MB ]