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Technical Assistance Report TA 80-33, Omaha Waste Pretreatment Plant, Omaha, Nebraska.

PB81111148

Publication Date	1980
Personal Author	Hervin, R. L.
Page Count	11
Abstract	An environmental and medical survey was conducted on February 6 and April 3, 1980 at the Omaha Waste Pretreatment facility (SIC-9511) in Omaha, Nebraska. The management of the Public Works Department, City of Omaha, requested technical assistance from NIOSH to determine if any health hazards were present at the facility which employs 19 workers. Long term detector tubes were used for evaluation of personal and area exposure to hydrogen sulfide (7783064) (H2S). Personal and breathing zone samples were collected on charcoal tubes and analyzed by mass spectrometry to identify the presence of organic air contaminants. Short term detector tubes were used to detect other potential contaminants such as oxides of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide (7446095). Personal samples for H2S ranged from 0.5 to between 39.4 and 73.2 parts per million (ppm), with estimated 8 hour time weighted average (TWA) ranging from 4.2 to between 8.9 and 15.0 ppm. The current OSHA standard is 20 ppm for an 8 hour TWA with a 10 minute ceiling value of 50 ppm. Trace amounts of other contaminants were all less than 5 percent of the environmental criteria for these compounds. Interviewed employees reported past and current health problems such as irritations to the eyes and respiratory system. The authors conclude that a health hazard due to H2S existed at the pretreatment facility and probably existed as a prolonged intermittent exposure over the past several years. Recommendations are provided in ventilation, housekeeping, personal hygiene, and medical surveillance.
Keywords	Hazardous materials Industrial medicine Environmental surveys Technical assistance Exposure Toxicity Criteria Inspection Standards Recommendations Industrial hygiene Concentration(Composition) Thresholds(Physiology) Hydrogen sulfide Nitrogen oxides Sulfur dioxide Contaminants Medical examination Toxic substances Occupational safety and health Air sampling Maximum permissible exposures CAS 7783-06-04 CAS 7446-09-5
Source Agency	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NTIS Subject Category	57U - Public Health & Industrial Medicine 57Y - Toxicology 94D - Job Environment 68G - Environmental Health & Safety
Corporate Authors	National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. Health Hazard and Technical Assistance Branch.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	198103

Technical Assistance Report TA 80-33, Omaha Waste Pretreatment Plant, Omaha, Nebraska.

Technical Assistance Report TA 80-33, Omaha Waste Pretreatment Plant, Omaha, Nebraska.
PB81111148

Publication Date	1980
Personal Author	Hervin, R. L.
Page Count	11
Abstract	An environmental and medical survey was conducted on February 6 and April 3, 1980 at the Omaha Waste Pretreatment facility (SIC-9511) in Omaha, Nebraska. The management of the Public Works Department, City of Omaha, requested technical assistance from NIOSH to determine if any health hazards were present at the facility which employs 19 workers. Long term detector tubes were used for evaluation of personal and area exposure to hydrogen sulfide (7783064) (H2S). Personal and breathing zone samples were collected on charcoal tubes and analyzed by mass spectrometry to identify the presence of organic air contaminants. Short term detector tubes were used to detect other potential contaminants such as oxides of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide (7446095). Personal samples for H2S ranged from 0.5 to between 39.4 and 73.2 parts per million (ppm), with estimated 8 hour time weighted average (TWA) ranging from 4.2 to between 8.9 and 15.0 ppm. The current OSHA standard is 20 ppm for an 8 hour TWA with a 10 minute ceiling value of 50 ppm. Trace amounts of other contaminants were all less than 5 percent of the environmental criteria for these compounds. Interviewed employees reported past and current health problems such as irritations to the eyes and respiratory system. The authors conclude that a health hazard due to H2S existed at the pretreatment facility and probably existed as a prolonged intermittent exposure over the past several years. Recommendations are provided in ventilation, housekeeping, personal hygiene, and medical surveillance.
Keywords	Hazardous materials Industrial medicine Environmental surveys Technical assistance Exposure Toxicity Criteria Inspection Standards Recommendations Industrial hygiene Concentration(Composition) Thresholds(Physiology) Hydrogen sulfide Nitrogen oxides Sulfur dioxide Contaminants Medical examination Toxic substances Occupational safety and health Air sampling Maximum permissible exposures CAS 7783-06-04 CAS 7446-09-5
Source Agency	National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NTIS Subject Category	57U - Public Health & Industrial Medicine 57Y - Toxicology 94D - Job Environment 68G - Environmental Health & Safety
Corporate Authors	National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. Health Hazard and Technical Assistance Branch.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	198103