Abstract |
A Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance survey was conducted by NIOSH on April 21 and 26, 1977, at the cytology, hormone, and histology laboratories of the St. Luke Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri. The survey was prompted by a request from the management regarding the exposure of the approximately 20 'affected' employees to xylene, diethyl ether, and other vapors. Environmental sampling, employee interviews, and available toxicity information revealed that employee exposure to benzene, ethyl alcohol, isopropanol, xylene, diethyl ether, and acetone did not pose a health hazard, while exposure to chloroform in the hormone laboratory, and formaldehyde in the histology laboratory did pose a health hazard at the time of the survey. Recommendations are made to reduce employee exposure to minimum. |