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Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Report No. TA-77-39, Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment Plant, Metropolitan Sewer District, Louisville, Kentucky.

PB82178088

Publication Date	1978
Personal Author	Kominsky, J. R.; Wisseman, C. L.
Page Count	81
Abstract	On March 29, 1977 the Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment Plant in Louisville, Kentucky was evacuated and closed after it was discovered that wastewater entering the plant was contaminated with hexachlorocyclopentadiene and octachlorocyclopentene. Treatment plant workers reported acute symptoms including headache; irritation of eyes, nose, throat, and skin; cough; chest discomfort; and shortness of breath. On April 2, the Mayor of the City of Louisville requested the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to assist the Metropolitan Sewer District in ensuring that safe and healthful working conditions existed for the workers involved in decontamination of the treatment plant and its contributory sewers. NIOSH provided continuous environmental and medical surveillance throughout the decontamination efforts. The treatment plant resumed near-normal operations in June 1977. This report represents the findings of this NIOSH technical assistance effort. NIOSH found that workers acutely exposed to HCCPD (hexachlorocyclopentadiene) complained of such symptoms as headache, eye irritation, sore throat, cough, chest discomfort, skin irritation, nausea, and fatigue. These symptoms persisted at least 6 weeks in 15-46% of the cases. On serial testing, 19% of a crew of exposed workers wearing protective gear had at least one abnormal liver function test at some time during the surveillance period; the HCCPD levels to which they were exposed are uncertain. There is no data to indicate whether irreversible biologic effects occurred as a result of these exposures.
Keywords	Environmental surveys Industrial medicine Sewage treatment Exposure Toxicity Inspection Hazardous materials Chlorine organic compounds Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment Plant Toxic substances Occupational safety and health Cyclopentadiene/hexachloro Cyclopentene/octachloro Louisville(Kentucky)
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 68D - Water Pollution & Control
Corporate Authors	National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. Hazard Evaluations and Technical Assistance Branch.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	198213

Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Report No. TA-77-39, Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment Plant, Metropolitan Sewer District, Louisville, Kentucky.

Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Report No. TA-77-39, Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment Plant, Metropolitan Sewer District, Louisville, Kentucky.
PB82178088

Publication Date	1978
Personal Author	Kominsky, J. R.; Wisseman, C. L.
Page Count	81
Abstract	On March 29, 1977 the Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment Plant in Louisville, Kentucky was evacuated and closed after it was discovered that wastewater entering the plant was contaminated with hexachlorocyclopentadiene and octachlorocyclopentene. Treatment plant workers reported acute symptoms including headache; irritation of eyes, nose, throat, and skin; cough; chest discomfort; and shortness of breath. On April 2, the Mayor of the City of Louisville requested the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to assist the Metropolitan Sewer District in ensuring that safe and healthful working conditions existed for the workers involved in decontamination of the treatment plant and its contributory sewers. NIOSH provided continuous environmental and medical surveillance throughout the decontamination efforts. The treatment plant resumed near-normal operations in June 1977. This report represents the findings of this NIOSH technical assistance effort. NIOSH found that workers acutely exposed to HCCPD (hexachlorocyclopentadiene) complained of such symptoms as headache, eye irritation, sore throat, cough, chest discomfort, skin irritation, nausea, and fatigue. These symptoms persisted at least 6 weeks in 15-46% of the cases. On serial testing, 19% of a crew of exposed workers wearing protective gear had at least one abnormal liver function test at some time during the surveillance period; the HCCPD levels to which they were exposed are uncertain. There is no data to indicate whether irreversible biologic effects occurred as a result of these exposures.
Keywords	Environmental surveys Industrial medicine Sewage treatment Exposure Toxicity Inspection Hazardous materials Chlorine organic compounds Morris Forman Wastewater Treatment Plant Toxic substances Occupational safety and health Cyclopentadiene/hexachloro Cyclopentene/octachloro Louisville(Kentucky)
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 68D - Water Pollution & Control
Corporate Authors	National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. Hazard Evaluations and Technical Assistance Branch.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	198213