Evaluation of Exposure to Metals and Flame Retardants at an Electronics Recycling Company [HHE 2016-0257-3333]

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Report: Evaluation of Exposure to Metals and Flame Retardants at an Electronics Recycling Company: HHE 2016-0257-3333
• Personal Author:
  Beaucham, Catherine C. ; Grant, Michael P. ; Grimes, George R. ; Ramsey, Jessica G.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  The Health Hazard Evaluation Program received a request from an electronics recycling company. The managers were concerned about exposure to metals and flame retardants, as well as ergonomic stressors and hazardous levels of noise. We observed work operations, practices, and conditions
  
  collected air, surface wipe, hand wipe, blood, and urine samples for metals and flame retardants
  
  took sound level measurements
  
  and assessed possible ergonomic hazards. Employees at this electronics recycling company were exposed to metals including lead and cadmium
  
  however, no OELs were exceeded. Although blood and air sampling results indicated exposures were well controlled, our hand wipe sampling results showed a potential for take-home contamination of lead and other metals. Surface wipe, hand wipe, and air samples indicated that employees were exposed to flame retardants in the workplace. Biological samples showed that exposures had not led to a noticeable uptake over a shift. Sound level meter measurements showed peak impulsive sound levels exceeding 120 decibels, but below the OSHA PEL and NIOSH REL of 140 decibels. Additional findings included workstations set at fixed heights, anti-fatigue mats were available but not used by most employees, poor lighting at workstations, incorrect use of ear plugs and N95 respirators, and dry sweeping. We recommended the employer include all processing employees in a lead exposure prevention program, provide employees with a lead-removing product to wash their hands, re-train employees on the proper wear and use of respirators and ear plugs, replace worn out anti-fatigue mats, provide easily adjustable workstations, and prohibit dry sweeping to clean work areas.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Cadmium Ear Electrical Equipment And Supplies Ergonomics Indium Lead Metals Metals, Heavy Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Noise Occupational Health Recycling Safety Sense Organs

  More +
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers Cadmium Compounds E-scrap E-waste Electronic Components Electronic Devices Electronic Equipment Electronics Recycling Flame Retardants Heavy Metals Lead Compounds Lithium MSD Musculoskeletal System Disorders OSHA Region 5 Take-home Toxins

  More +
• Source:
  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 2016-0257-3333, 2019 Mar ; :1-73
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE201602573333
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Wisconsin ; OSHA Region 5
• 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:
  1-73 ; 80 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  La Guardia, Mark ; Watts, Shawna ; Booher, Donald ; Broadwater, Kendra R. ; Moore, Kevin ; Sammons, Deborah ; Mackenzie, Barbara ; Robertson, Shirley ; Gouda, Shilpa ; Page, Elena H. ; Calafat, Antonia ; Sjodin, Andreas ; Ospina, Maria ; Jayatilaka, Nayana ; Jones, Richard
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20055191
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2019-100536
• Citation:
  NIOSH [2019]. Evaluation of exposure to metals and flame retardants at an electronics recycling company. By Grimes GR, Beaucham CC, Grant MP, Ramsey JG. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2016-0257-3333. https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE201602573333
• CAS Registry Number:
  Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1) ; Lithium (CAS RN 7439-93-2) ; Cadmium (CAS RN 7440-43-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  423930 - Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers - (NAICS)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9345668c7c6c36f2c8496f5fa36eb654bcb8a0baceedb0cfbc4d47d8f2ca424ec8b8b2316f32cd7a8c7f9c5632638ee2acc9ec9e7997598eeab1f79847120300
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/78243/cdc_78243_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.38 MB ]