Document RjX91rDNKjVBGBdY2XDM5v7Ra

FILE NAME: Pennsylvania (PA) DATE: 1965 DOC#: PA028 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: PA Dept of Health Report - Dust hih- i 9o*7p Pennsylvania Department ol Division of Occupational He. P. 0. Box 9D Harrisburg, Pennsylvania CONTENTS Introduction........... ...................................................... 3 Hazards of D u s t ............................................................3 The Engineering Aspect of D u s t................... 4 Dust A naly sis...............................................................5 Threshold Limit V a lu e s ............................ 5 Control Measures ..........................................................6 The Medical Aspects of D u s t ................... s\. . . . 7 - 1- Doc. PHE 1 6 3 . 2 D9 7 4 Pe nnsyl vani a. Dept, o-f Health. D i v i s i o n o-f Dust Introduction w re n Dust is a very important regulating factor in the maintenance and preservation of life on earth. Without its presence as a nucleus trpon which filtering moisture condenses, the burning rays of the sun would soon reduce our most densely covered vegetation areas to deserts. It is the dust of plants or pollens which perpetuates the s p e c ie s , and a e s t h e t i cally, it is the complex mixture of dusts in the atmosphere which pro duces the brilliant colors of a sunrise or a s u n se t. On the other hand, there is a saturation point for everything, and excessive quantities of dust can produce r ea ctio n s in man from the mild est form of discomfort to the most severe form of disability. Hazards of Dust There are several factors which influence the degree of hazard from dusts. These include the composition of the dust, the particle siz e, the concentration, the length of exposure, and the susceptibility of the indi vidual to a parlicWaFiusf.""tfllie dust is soluble in body fluids, the r e s u lt of Exposure is an absorptive process which may or may not give rise to systemic poisoning. If the dust is relatively non-soluble, the reaction may be a mechanical plugging,of lung sp a c e s or it may give rise to replacement of lung substance by fibrous tissue. Retention of a given particle in the lung is a function of its s i z e and density. Studies of this characteristic have indicated that the lung does not r e a c t s all particles equally. Large particles are removed in the nasal p a s s a g e s and do not enter the alveoli or lung s a c s , the sm a lle st rec esse s of the lung where gaseous exchange takes place. Extremelv fine particles, on the other hand, are capable of entering the alveoli, but. because of their small siz e , are not able to remain there and are forced out with exhalation. P artic les of fevceeic s i z n i f i c 2r.ce are e. defined for silic a d u s t. and research is-iicaie# tae within the faagse of less thaa -r: ; r ? r rr : - - - ' * 11 inch = 25.40C ftLiw*r? r Vta e a e i ; - 4 : .^ eti'.r 9 iff - f Tart icles * l&r.te Jt* ' ssr.iTiiiflh* * '-r fesrcctaoce, probably the * * * - 1 : t. 1 : : - - :-r r-ataer than a physio-chemical The cf the dust in air and the length of exposure also d ete r-m e the degree of hazard. Interpretation of a dust s tr e s s upon exposed individuals follows the general rule of effect equals concentration times length of exposure" . It therefore follows that a response may arise from a short exposure time if the concentration of material is very great, or conversely, the response may ar^se from continued exposure to smaller quantities of dust. The individual is quite often the lirnitiug factor, however, because it has long been recognized that certain persons exhibit symptoms of exposure even after brief contact with a given substance. Those who demonstrate increased susceptibility should be thoroughly examined before subjecting them to further exposure. condition as they existed in the air without further shattering during deposition. Filtration consists of passing dust-laden air through a membrane capable of filtering very small particles. A membrane has been developed which is soluble in several organic solvents. Dust may be collected on the filter and counted directly or by standard methods after the filter has been dissolved. T h is method is a convenient one also for determining the size of the dust particles collected. Dust Analysis The E ngineering Aspect of Dust Control Air Sampling Analysis of the dust depends upon the composition of the dust. In the c a se of soluble dusts, the analysis depends on a straight weight In order to evaluate an employee's exposure to dust, air samples basis, or the dust may be dissolved in a suitable solvent, and analysed by must be collected for subsequent an a ly sis. T hese sam ples may be col chemical or electronic methods. P'hen the dust is regarded as non-soluble lected by several methods among which are impingement, electrostatic physiologically, it is generally analysed microscopically. precipitation, thermal precipitation, and filtration. In evaluating exposure to dusts which contain free s il ic a , the Impingement co n s is ts of accelerating the dust-laden aie through a degree of hazard depends on the percentage of free silic a present in the narrow orifice toward a collecting plate. As the air velocity increases dust. Silica content of se ttle d airborne dust i s determined by chemical, through the orifice, the particle s gather momentum which forces them to petrographic, or X-ray diffraction analysis. continue in a straight path toward the collecting plate. Upon reaching The present standard microscopic method for dust counting is by a the plate, the air is capable of changing its direction because of its light-field method. For liquid collected sam ples, the solution is diluted fluidity, but the particles, with their greater kinetic energy, re s is t the change of direction and are deposited on the plate. The efficiency of collection may be increased by coating the plate or by submerging the to any convenient volume; a portion is placed in a counting cell of one millimeter depth; and the number of particles are counted by means of an optical microscope with a calibrated eyepiece grid. The grid depicts a orifice and collecting plate under a suitable liquid. known area of the counting cell and, by mathematical computation, the E lectrostatic precipitation utilizes an ionizing field of a high electrical potential. As dust-laden air is drawn through this field, the particles are charged and are deposited on a plate. T h is method is of value when chemical methods or weight determinations are to be made on the dust, but is of questionable value for determining the dust concentra tion by subsequent microscopic evaluation. Thermal precipitation is similar to that of ele c tro s ta tic , but tne number of dust particles present per cubic foot of air is determined. ! the c a se of filtration methods, the membrane is placed directlv on a standard microscope slide and is counted using the calibrates disk Particle size is determined bv means of a ca librates *ve-pi*ee micrometer in cc>ojauction with a microscope, and t i e fa t e r * are re corded in groaptBe <?f as y sa tiable ie= sss. Is g e s e ra l, * -rs aagBificatioa is 3 e i so :Sr.M th e s i r e * e* * ** tx.f*asrr*# principle is somewhat different. It was observed that if a hoi wire were A tM crse-roienar '* y * ** * p.-*;ed in a dustv atmosphere, the area directlv sorre-undi-.E the *>jr* C it e r e is is f kids- : tceaewi--* * ;`- w e l d become dust free, fhis principle we* incorporated ia io a a aeparass* vr.ictx c o n s i s ts of a it ?? w ire a.; g la s s p is te s . As d s s t r ..* s* thr--ugh th e a t t x m ! ''*. t r e s i t tsertk .es- a re r O f!$ * 4 . 5>.te * tr r ,-sast- ~ - t i k i L > - * V : j m -fee.?st: f >e c o d p i . f k r t r a-tar a t *>;pfe V k x * arwiwfS . : sr;!sr-y;` r - r* rangw rt fey--*:t* the ra r tic le is t i e same As whs cited above, the pbvsio'ogicai resp o n se is the determining - 4- -- o criterion as to whether a d u s t is harmful or not. In order to establisl in order to prevent redispersal of dust from rafters and fixtures. levels of toxicity, the American Conference-of Governmental Industria A system of adequate control of dust reduces machinery wear and i ts H y g ien ists i s s u e s a lis t of threshold limit v alu es. T h e s e le v e ls may bi subsequent breakdown, ft also creates more pleasing surroundings for defined a s the maximum average atmospheric co ncentration of a contami employees, thus reducing labor turnover. Most important, it reduces the nant to which workers m aybe exposed for an eight-hour workday five day. likelihood of illness among employees, thereby increasing productive per week without impairment to health. T h ese v a lu e s are obtained froc capacities for themselves and their employer. epidemiological stu d ie s of persons exposed, from experimental studies o laboratory anim als, or from a combination of the two. The valu es are re The Medical Aspects of Dust Control viewed annually and are altered as additional data become available. Control Measures Control of dust exposure includes industrial hygiene engineeritt Definition Dust may be defined as solid particles ranging in size from l e s s than one micron to more than 150 microns. In industry, dusts are produced p rin cip les and good h o usekeeping. The most fundamental approach to tb by reducing solid materials to small s iz e s by such operations as crush problem is su b stitu tio n . T h is p ro ce ss c o n s is ts of rep la cin g a materia ing, grinding, drilling, and b l a s t i n g . When r e d u c t i o n takes place with one which is l e s s hazardous. An example is the use of s t e e l shot | several differences between the appearance of the parent material end rep la ce s i l i c a sand d u rin g a b ra s iv e blasting. Another b a s ic control media the dust take place. Most important is that the surface area is increased is confining the d u s t at the point of generation. T h is may be accomplishe and, on the basis of reducing a one centimeter cube to particles ar.e by enclosure and se p aratio n from the main shop. Dust formation can a!s< micron in size, the surface area will be increased 10,000 times. In addi be reduced by wetting the m aterial. In the case of falling m a s s e s of dusf tion, , as the smaller dust particles approach molecular size, thev tend such a s hopper lo ad ers, care can he exercised in the d es ig n of the coa to act more as a gas, expanding in volume several times greater than veyor so that the height of drop is minimized. A fallin g m a s s entrain: the volume occupied by the original mass. This gas-like behavior thus air, and when it co m p resses a g a in , this air is d is p e lle d carrying with i increases the material's rate of solubility,evaporation,oxidation, absorp large quantities of dust. tion, and electrical activity. Air movement is the major factor of the dust problem. Particles o hygienic importance move in s p a c e only by the movement of air. One mus Classification produce an air-harrier to prevent the airborne d u st from reaching tb In general, dusts may be classified as animal, vegetable, or mineral. worker. T h is may be acco m p lish ed by local e x h a u st ven tilatio n at thi Animal dusts include feathers, hair, leather, and bone. Vegetable dusts source and by an adeq u ate co llec to r to reduce the likelihood of an ai are pollens, grain, straw, flour, hemp, paper, wood, tobacco, etc., or pollution problem in the surrounding community. other organic dusts such as dyestuffs and intermediates. Mineral or It should be pointed out that there are many dust producing opera inorganic dusts may he metals such as lead or zinc, or non-metallic dusts tions which do not lend th e m se lv es well to en gineering control in tha such as asbestos, coal, gypsum, quartz, and carborundum. the expense of in s t a lla tio n and m aintenance is e x c e s s i v e . T h e s e opera In the field of industrial hygiene, however, these broad classifica u o n s generally are automatic and iso lated . T here are tim es, however tions are not practical and, since the scope of this discipline lies in the h en a worker must enter th e s e a r e a s . Since his exposure time is brief field of public health, it is better to c la ssify dusts according to the should be su pplied with a resp irato r approved by the If. S. Bureau o physiological response they create in man. Under this concept, dust may for the tvpe of d u s t to which he is exposed. A resp ira to r, therefore cause an allergic reaction, such as exposure to pollens or most organic- v. p la ce so the control of d ust exposure, but it should never be type dusts; skin reactions, such as contact of lime or chromates with the s-rpsiitate for a d e q u ate ventilation or design control, in addition, a sys- skin; systemic poisoning, such as brought about by breathing lead or ' i H o asek i : ine ss^u'-i be 'n s tita te d and p erio d ically maintainor manganese dusts; or respiratory difficulty either by a simple overloading - 6- of the lung with non-reactive dusts which reduces the exchange of gas rates, or by a proliferative reaction with the iung itself, such as silicosis. Types of Dust Disease It has long been recognized that dust inhalation is capable of pro ducing pneumoconiosis, a lung disease. Pneumoconiosis is defined as lung containing dust. Conditions brought about by excessive exposure t( dusts, which do not in themselves cause systemic poisoning, are class under the genera! title "pneumoconioses**, a broad term which include most pulmonary manifestations giving rise to illness. Silicosis and as b esto s !s are pneumoconioses which cause perma nent, irreversible damage and are defined as: S ilico sis - a disease resulting from breathing excessive quantitie of dust containing free silic a , S1O2* ft is characterized by generalize! fihrotic changes and nodulation in both lungs. As be sta sis - a disease caused by excessive exposure to quantitie| of as b e sto s dust and resulting in permanent damage to the lungs m[;1^ ^inalterable tissue changes. ' 'M jjm k- Other dusts give rise to lung conditions which may or may no cause disability, In general, these are classified as pneumoconioses pJjpLv but each is usually specifically titled by the name of the offendiii substance* There are probably as many of these conditions as there an substances* and only a partial list follows: A nthracosis - a condition caused by inhalation of coal dust characterized by a deposit of this dust throughout the lungs. r A lum uiosis - a dust condition resulting from breathing aluminum dusts. I B eryllo sis - a condition resulting from inhalation of beryllium, n rare metal. B yssin o sis - a respiratory d i s e a s e resulting from inhalation oi cotton dust. Sid eras is - a condition resu ltin g from the deposition of iron a: iron oxide dusts in the lime. T o i co s i s - a dust c o n d itio n re s u ltin g from b re a th in g ia rc e iu s r 1 ta lc . r.- . : . >. ; . * v . /'' ': : r<aia;>t t-Rv.'rvM W a r ' '* / V. ,. ^ a p . -V*. A' . . ... U<\'!.'.-aSVi' v'-'v : - > - . / -v:r;v..>: vV -SV'C;.!! ' I' / V - ; **& V' f V y > ' ^ O C C U P A TIO N A L HEALTH 1 EXHIBIT 1 P-7 * ihip.b'f News & Views D ivision of Occupational Health I V/inter 1963-64_________________ Thanks - Pennsylvania Department of Health ' Vol. 2, No. 1 We appreciate the kind words and the many requests to be retained on the mailing l i s t which were received a fte r publication of the f ir s t issue c f News & Views. We w i l l try hard to continue our new sletter in a manlier which w ill merit your approval. Please remember th at we are anxious to receive .contributions from readers. Medical Note - __ A plumber developed an indolent ulcer and regional lymphadenitis o f an upper extrem ity. A dermatologist fin a ll; - made a diagnosis of sporotrichosis and treatment with XI resulted in cure. I t was speculated that he must have scratched him self in handling shrubbery while putting in a sewerage system. Within a week another case was reported in a S tate employee in the Department of Forests & Waters. Studies are under way to determine i f the moss which i s imported from another state^and used in the packing of seedling tre e s may harbor the in fectiou s agent. A concise description _of the disease can be found on pages 172-173 of the 9th edition (i960) of "Control of ^nmunicable Diseases in Man" published by the American Public Health A ssociation. Hair Sprays - . . The possib le respiratory and lung hazard to persons engaged in applying, hair sprays has prompted the D ivision to in it ia t e a study of the e ffe c ts of such sprays on professional beauticians as revealed by 14 x 17 inch chest X-rays. The f i r s t step in th is study was a two-day chest X-ray survey of beauticians and cosme t o lo g is ts In the greater Harrisburg area conducted on November k and 11. A t o t a l o f 128 persons participated in th is study and further work along th is lin e i s an tic ip a te d , The X-rays are being interpreted by a rad iologist of the U niversity of Pennsylvania. Findings w ill be reported in a la te r issu e of News & Views. Publication Available - A new publication, "Occupational Health Services for Employees", has ju st been released by the D ivision of Occupational Health of the U. S. Public Health . Service. The need to conserve health and promote e ffic ie n c y has increased the in te r e s t of both s ta te and lo c a l government o f f ic ia ls in good safety and health programs. This publication has been prepared to answer requests from government o f f i c ia l s on program content, to inform them o f what other agencies are doing in the f ie ld , and to stim ulate greater in te r e st in the health needs of workers. I t w i l l, however, be u sefu l to anyone who i s in terested in occupational health servic s for an employee group, since the general ob jectives of a l l occupational !1th programs are the same. Material was secured from p u b lications, and through correspondence and personal interview s. I t i s lim ited to data on health services available to em- fSKSi - j l ib r a r y - 2- ployees at th eir work place, or nearby, in health units staffed by physicians and nurses. Suggestions in program planning are also included. A number of programs now being operated by state and local government are described in d e ta il. "Occupational Health Services for Employees" may be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U. 3. Government Printing O ffice, Washington, D. C. (20402), at 3 5$ per copy. Single copies are available from the Division of Occu pational Health, Public Health Service., Advisory Committee meets - The f ir s t meeting of the Advisory Committee to Establish Short-Term Lim i t s of Exposure to irborne Contaminants was held in Harrisburg on November 1. The Committee was formed to set standards of permissible concentrations of contaminants in the industrial atmosphere for short periods of time (le s s than 30 minutes). Twenty-five substances are currently under study. The Committee members are: Prof. TheodoreF. Hatch, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh; Mr. Newton E. Whitman, Bethlehem S teel Companj-, Bethlehem; Dr. Henry F. Smyth, J r ., Mellon In stitu te , Pittsburgh; Mr. William M. P a llie s, E lectric Storage Battery Company, Philadelphia; Dr. Edward V. Henson, The Beryllium Corporation, Reading; and Dr. Heinrich Brieger, Division of Industrial Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. Technical Notes - An intensive study was made recently to reduce employees' exposure to solvent vapors while spraying large a th le tic mats. Vinyl p la stic mats are made by joining small sections with a suitable solvent. The mat i s then sprayed with a pigment using a mixture of to lu o l and methyl isobutyl ketone. Exposure lev e ls were in excess of 2000 parts of vapor per m illion parts of a ir , and two employees were overcome by the vapors. V entilation rates were inadequate to control the vapor concentrations, and additional ven tilation was impractical.because of the size of the mats (up to 45 feet in diameter) and the problems associated with heating the make-up air supply. The situation w ill be corrected through the use of supplied air respirators with compressed air coming through plumbing which i s equipped with suitable tap-in joints to permit m obility of the workmen. Industrial hygienists of the Pennsylvania Department of Health recently participated in an investigation of a reported "radium robbery". Radium capsules, containing.a to ta l of 110 milligrams of radium, were i n it i a ll y reported as stolen from a hospital. Further investigation revealed that the capsules were unknowing ly and accidently dropped from a carrier while enroute to storage, and that a hos p ita l employee took them home believing they would be suitable for fishing sinkers. All capsules and radium were eventually recovered and returned to the hospital. During a discussion of grain-fumigation techniques, a flour mill owner related that his method of grain aeration greatly reduces the need for fumigation and, thus, the public consumption of residual p esticid es (and pests) i s reduced. He stated that, since in sects, bacteria, fungi, e t c ., reproduce and are more active in the spontaneously generated heat and humidity of long-standing grain, continu a lly moving the grain with a bucket conveyor through air currents provided by a mechanical fan keeps pests at a minimum. Fumigants are never applied directly to the grain, as i s done at most establishments, but are applied only to empty bins. An extensive survey was begun at a Pennsylvania plant which manufactures asbestos products. Samples were taken with midget impingers (using 95^ ethyl - 3- alcohol) and membrane f il t e r s . These were counted by phase and lig h t-fie ld tech niques in order to compare sampling methods. The data obtained w ill be used by ne Fublic Health Service as a part of th eir comprehensive study of the asbestos | industry. i * ' Three industrial hygienists of the Pennsylvania Department of Health L entered graduate schools of public health th is year. Ronald Richards i s attend- ] ing the University of Pittsburgh, Pantelis Rentos the University of Michigan, and' Edw rd Ebersole the University of North Carolina. Microwaves - We include as a supplement to this issue of News & Views a copy of our recently prepared Hygienic Information Guide on the subject of Microwaves. This is a tim ely topic for industrial hygienists and other occupational health personnel. Personnel Notes - Robert Diakun, an industrial hygienist with the Department of Health since 1956, has resigned to accept a sim ilar position with Humble Oil and Refining Company, Bayonne, New Jersey. Bob has a Master of Science degree from the Uni versity of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. Paul Gronka has been appointed to the position of regional industrial hygienist at the Department1s Region II o ffic e in Williamsport. Paul has been an industrial hygienist in the Wilkes-Barre o ffice since i 960. 'cupational Health Nursing - f;f. .Club of The Delaware Valley Association of Industrial Delaware County met together on December 16 for Nurses and the Engineers a Christmas party at the >| Towne House in Media. The next meeting of the Association w ill be on January 20. It w ill be a dinner meeting at the Rose Tree Inn in Media which is scheduled for i six -th ir ty . Any of you who would like to attend th is meeting or become members I of the Association are asked to contact Mis3 Edna Butterworth, R.N., Scott Paper Company, Chester. The telephone number i s Fremont 4-4331, Extension 256. The Mason--Dixon Association of Industrial Nurses were guests of the Pennsylvania Sand & Gravel Company, Hancock, West Virginia, on November 23 for a tour of the plant. Mrs. Betty Bealman, R.N., served as h ostess. The group had | luncheon at the Park View Inn in Berkeley Sp .ngs, "West Virginia. The March % meeting of the Association i3 to be held in Harrisburg at the Nationwide Inn on 4 March 21. This w ill be a luncheon meeting and an interestin g program on Narcotics f has been planned. I f you would lik e to attend th is meeting or join the Associa| tio n , please get in touch with Miss Marilyn Ahem, R.N., Marathon, In c., Chambers- | burg. At the recent convention of the Pennsylvania Nurses Association, Mrs.' | Kathryn H. A lles, R.N., Selas Corporation of America, Dresher, was elected chair- man of the Occupational Health Section. j | The Milco Undergarment Company in Bloomsburg is now providing an occu lt national health nursing service for i t s employees. V/e welcome Mrs. Rita Seybert, and congratulate Milco! I i of the If . ilSSE*TM Did you Journal of read the a r tic le on mononeuropathies in Occupational Medicine or "The Treatment the November 1963 of Burns with Ice issue Water, - 4- Phisohex and Partial Hypothermia" in Industrial Medicine and Surgery for September 1963? Mies Mary G. Deegan, R.N,, of th is Division, is s t i l l convalescing from orthopedic surgery. Our best wishes and prayers for a f u ll recovery go to Mary, The Berks County Associption of Industrial Nurses held th eir annual Christmas dinner party on December 13 at Nick's Riveredge Inn. I f any of you would lik e to join the Association, please contact Mrs. Anne Gehrke, R.N.-, Birdsboro Corporation, Birdsboro. Membership is not limited to those working in Berks County. The annual educational conference of the Philadelphia Association of Industrial Nurses w ill be held on Saturday, April 4, 1964, at the Bellevue Strat ford' Hotel. The topic for the conference i s "P.A.I.N. Presents 'Pain* ". The business and educational conference of.the Pennsylvania Association of Industrial Nurses i s scheduled for May 9, 1964 at the Berkshire Hotel, Reading. A business meeting including election of officers w ill be held at the morning session. The afternoon w ill be a program meeting with workmen's compensation as the subject. Further information may be obtained by writing to Mrs, Betty Weagley, R.N., Letterkenny Ordnance Depot, Chambersburg. An effort was made to contact one person in key areas to serve as re porter for that particular area. However, we want every one of you to fe e l free to contribute to Occupational Health Nursing's Section in News & Views. So, please send us personal items, news about a pertinent book or a r tic le , scheduled meetings - not only those of industrial nursing groups, but of related organi zations and any other information or news you fe e l -rould be of in terest. The coupon below is repeated for your convenience. I f you have al ready requested that your name be placed on our mailing l i s t - please disregard. 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