| Abstract |
Worker exposures to total and respirable dust, coal tar pitch volatiles, fluorides, carbon-monoxide (630080), and sulfur-dioxide (7446095) were surveyed on December 11, 1972, at Ormet Corporation Aluminum (SIC-3341) facilities in Hannibal, Ohio. The company employed about 1,800 blue and 325 white collar workers. A full time physician was maintained on site, and preemployment and voluntary periodic examinations were provided. All workers were required to wear safety glasses and shoes, and carbon workers also used respirators. Housekeeping in the carbon area was not satisfactory. Local exhaust ventilation was used in the potrooms and carbon area. Only one worker was exposed to dust concentrations in excess of the OSHA standard of 15 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/cu m). Analytic problems occurred during benzene soluble material sampling; however, concentrations in the carbon area probably exceeded the 0.2mg/cu m standard. All samples for fluorides, carbon-monoxide, and sulfur-dioxide were below respective OSHA standards of 2.5mg/cu m, 50 parts per million, and 5 (ppm). The author recommends improved engineering controls to reduce exposures to coal tar pitch volatiles in the carbon areas and dust in the potrooms. |
