2. Industrial Hygiene
Basic industrial hygiene principles are primarily
concerned with recognition, evaluation, and control
of chemical, biological, physical, and ergonomic
related hazards which may cause sickness or impair
workers health.
3. Past Health Hazards
• 400 BC Hippocrates describes lead
poisoning in mines
• 1473 Ellenbog – Mercury Poisoning
• 1700 Dr. Ramazzini published the first
edition of his most famous book, the
De Morbis Artificum Diatriba
(Diseases of Workers)
“I can hire one-half the
working class to kill the
other half.” Jay Gould
4. Alice Hamilton
• In 1908, Hamilton was appointed to the
newly formed Occupational Diseases
Commission of Illinois, the first such
investigative body in the United States
• Lead in dishes, added to gasoline and paints
• Silica in granite cutting,
• Benzene in solvents
• Carbon-monoxide gassing in the steel mills
• Pneumonia and rheumatism in the
stockyards
5. Phossy Jaw
• Alice Hamilton discovered
matchstick workers risked the
dreaded "phossy jaw, which
comes from breathing the
fumes of white or yellow
phosphorus
6. Mad as a Hatter
• Alice Hamilton found that
Mercury poisoning in the felt
hat industry caused
uncontrollable jerking of arms
and legs and mental illness
7. August 2013
• Franklin, NC
• One person has died and 16 others
were hospitalized from exposure to
high levels of carbon monoxide in a
packing facility
• "We monitored the (carbon
monoxide) levels once we got there,
and the highest reading we got was
1,000 parts per million."
8. Types of Health Hazards
• Chemical
• Physical
• Biological
• Ergonomic
9. Chemical Health Hazards
• The majority of health hazards
encountered in workplace are
chemical hazards.
10. Dust
• Dust are solid particles that are
formed by handling, crushing,
grinding, drilling, or blasting of
organic or inorganic materials.
11. Fumes
• Fumes consists of very small
fine solid particles in air that
form when solid particles are
heated to a high temperature,
evaporate to vapor, and become
solid again
12. Fibers
• Solid particles whose length is
several times greater than their
diameter. Asbestos is an
example.
13. Vapors
• The volatile form of substances
that are normally in a solid or
liquid state at room
temperature and pressure.
14. Gases
• Gases are formless fluids that
expand to occupy the space or
enclosure in which they are
confined.
15. Routes of Entry
• Inhalation – most
common
• Ingestion
• Skin Absorption
• Injection
16. Respiratory System
• The respiratory system is the
major route of exposure for
airborne chemicals and dusts.
17. Health Effects
• Local
• Systemic (inhaling solvent vapors which
can be absorbed through the lungs then
travel in the bloodstream and cause an effect
in your brain.)
18. Acute Exposure
• Acute exposures and acute effects generally involve short-term, high
concentrations, and immediate or prompt health effects (illness,
irritation, or death).
19. Chronic Exposure
• Chronic exposure refers to
exposure continued or repeated
for a prolonged period, usually
years. For example, asbestosis.
20. Clean Air Paradox
• Quality of Air
• 78.1% Nitrogen
• 20.9% Oxygen
• 0.9% Argon
• 0.03% Carbon Dioxide
21. Units Seem Small
1 % = 10,000 ppm
PEL = Permissible Exposure Limits
(OSHA)
5 Mg/M3 is very small
2 f/cc = 2,000,000f/M3
22. Health Effects
• Irritation
• Asphyxiation
• Organ Specific Effects
• Mutagen
• Teratogen
• Acute/Chronic
• Reversible vs. Nonreversible
24. Exposure Limits • Animal Studies
• Epidemiological studies
• Industrial Experience
• STEL – 15 minutes
• Ceiling – never exceeded
• Threshold Limit Value
• Skin - A skin notation found in Table Z-1
in the air contaminants standard
indicates that skin contact with a
chemical should be avoided because the
chemical can be absorbed through the
skin and substantially add to total dose
25. Control of Health Hazards
• Hierarchy of
Controls
• Engineering
• Work practices
• Administrative
• Personal
protective
equipment
26. Engineering Controls
• Engineering controls include:
• Substitution with less harmful
material
• Enclosure of operator
• Isolation
• Ventilation - Local
• NOT job rotation
28. Work Practice Controls
• Work practice controls include:
• Hygiene practices
• Housekeeping and maintenance
• Procedures and process changes
29. Administrative Controls
• Administrative controls include:
• Controlling employees' exposure
by scheduling production and
workers' tasks
• Or both, in ways that minimize
exposure levels
31. Recognition of Health Hazards
• Clues that may indicate
exposure to chemical hazards:
• Odor
• Taste
• Particles in respiratory system
• Acute symptoms
• Visible material in air
• Settled dust
32. Evaluation of Health Hazards
• Screening equipment
• Sound level meters
• Detector tubes and pumps
• Radiation survey meters
34. Past Health Hazards
• 400 BC Hippocrates describes lead
poisoning in mines
• 1473 Ellenbog – Mercury Poisoning
• 1700 Dr. Ramazzini published the first
edition of his most famous book, the
De Morbis Artificum Diatriba
(Diseases of Workers)
“I can hire one-half the
working class to kill the
other half.” Jay Gould
35. Problem #1
Noise
• The number of US adults aged 20
years or older with hearing loss
(pure tone average >25 decibels) is
projected to increase from 44.11
million in 2020 to 73.50 million in
2060, with a rise in prevalence
from 15% to 22.6%.
• OSHA requires employers
administer an effective hearing
conservation program whenever
employee noise exposures equal
or exceed an 8-hour time-
weighted average of 85 decibels
36. •Regulations in the United States
OSHA
29 CFR 1910.95
Industry
OSHA
29 CFR 1926.52
Construction
MSHA
30 CFR Part 62
Mining
FRA
49 CFR 227/229
Railroads
Permissible
Exposure Limits
90 dB 90 dB 90 dB 90 dB
Action Level 85 dB 85 dB 80 dB 85 dB
Noise Monitoring Required Not Required Required Required
Audiometric Testing Annual Not Required Annual Every 3 Years
Training
Required
New Hires/Annual
Not Required
Required
New Hires/Annual
Required
New Hires/Annual
Hearing Protectors Required @ PEL Required @ PEL
Required @ PEL
Dual Protection @ 105
dB TWA
Required @ PEL
Recordkeeping
Required
OSHA 300 Log
Not Required Required
Required
OSHA 300 Log
37. How We Hear
•The Auditory System
Acoustical
Mechanical
Hydraulic
Chem/Elec
38. How We Hear
• Nerve cells in the cochlea
are tuned to specific
frequencies
• Base of the cochlea is
sensitive to high frequency
sounds (red dots)
• Tip of the cochlea is
sensitive to low frequency
sounds (green dots)
Hearing + Frequencies
39. How We Hear
17-year old girl
• Low noise exposure
• Normal cochlea
• Receptors intact
76-year old man
• Low noise exposure
• Fewer receptors but still
intact
59-year old man
• High noise exposure
• Damaged cochlea
• Receptors destroyed
•The Human Cochlea
40. “Effective hearing conservation program?”
Monitoring
Engineering, work practice, and
administrative controls
Hearing protectors with an
adequate noise reduction rating
Employee training and education
in hazards and protection
measures
Baselines and annual audiometry
41. Audiograms
• Conduct a baseline analysis on all equipment
(New too!)
• Employees can request personal noise
monitoring at any time at VPP sites
• 60 employees were tested in IL.
• It cost $29.00 per person plus some labor cost
(VPP)
• Insurance carrier will charge $35.00 per
person. (VPP site)
42. Ear protection
Re-usable ear plugs:
• regular and careful washing
• fitted by a trained person
• must be good fit
• dust may irritate
• Ear defenders:
• well designed
• well made
• must be good fit
43. Hearing
Protection
• Ear plugs
• Ear muffs
• Audiometric testing
• More information provided in
training on hearing
conservation
44. #2 Lead
• Requires compliance with 1910.1025
• Overexposure can occur in less than 5 minutes
when torch cutting or painting
45. Lead effects
• Chronic overexposure - severe
damage to the blood-forming,
nervous, urinary, and
reproductive systems
• High levels will require medical
removal
• Bridge Painting/Removal
continues to be ones of the
consistent lead issues in
construction
46. #3 Silica
• Cutting, hammering, drilling,
blasting can create high silica
levels
• Use wet methods and wear
respirators
• One of the oldest occupational
diseases
47. Silica
• 150-200 deaths a year
(2009)
• 1150-1200 deaths a
year (1968)
• Yet….one company had
3 silicosis and 10x+
severe respiratory
diseases
Gauley Bridge in 1920’s had
workers die in months.
49. #4 Copper Fumes - Welding
• Copper is inhalation
hazard affecting
respiratory system
• Mild steel (red iron)
and carbon steel
contain manganese
• Manganese may
cause Parkinson's
disease
What do you see?
50. #5 Total Dust
• All the things not
regulated.
• Good, bad, or
indifferent?
• Air blowing!
51. #6 Iron Oxide -Welding
• Metal fume fever
• Direct Draw or forced
ventilation should be used
• Personal Protective Equipment
should be used
• Bystanders should be protected
as well
52. #7 Carbon Monoxide
• Generators are most
common problem of
CO
• Heaters out of tune are
another cause
• CO TWA is 50 ppm
• Others set levels 25
ppm
54. #8 Hex Chrome
• Stainless steel contains
nickel and chromium
• Plating, grinding,
welding are problems
• Some cements
55. # 9 Cadmium
• Overexposure to cutting
cadmium bolts, coated poles
• Torch cutting should never be
used
• Use hydraulic bolt cutters
• Comply with 1926.1127
Cadmium bolts are often
found in sprinkler pipe use.
60. Asbestos
• 3000 die in the US
• Some are spouses or kids of
asbestos workers
• Stephanie Harper of the North
Texas city of Bonham
Action Item #2 – CDC must continue to
track asbestos deaths.
61. Jan 2016
Action Item #3 EPA should put clearance sample in 10,000 f/m3
EPA-recommended clearance criteria for reoccupancy into work area following asbestos
abatement, often cited as 0.01 f/cc.
62. Asbestos
• Common Fireproofing material
used pre- 1980s
• Found in pipe insulation, ceiling
tiles, and floor tiles
• Must comply with 1926.1101 or
1910.1001
63. 2013
• Franklin “Al” Bieri, 54, of Lebanon, Ill., was
sentenced in federal court to five months in
prison, followed by three months of home
confinement.
• Disposed in dumpster with no bagged or
labels
Failed to notify
Environmental Protection
Agency at least 10 working
days prior to beginning the
asbestos work an offense
punishable under the Clean
Air Act.
64. 2015
• $1.8 million dollar fine to IL Roofer
for OSHA violations for asbestos.
• “This case stands out because of
the outrageous behavior of Joseph
Kehrer,” said Assistant Secretary of
Labor for Occupational Safety and
Health David Michaels.
• Workers were threatened with
firing if they spoke to investigators,
Michaels said.
65. Case Study #1
• Aurora
• White Powder from pipe
Insulation
• Hires 3 Homeless people
for $60 each to remove it
• Asbestos over the surfaces
• Cited 2 Willful
Old Pipe insulation can
contain asbestos
66. Case Study #2
• Church notices tile in basement
area peeling.
• One of the members offers to
remove it.
• Mastic used to set it was source
of an OSHA asbestos complaint.
• What should have been done?
Example of tile type used.
67. Case Study #3
• Middle School
• Employees on renovation job
concerned about possible asbestos
in dumper
• Hi-flow pumps used
• Asbestos abatement hired to clean
it after notified
High Flow Pump
Asbestos on mastic,
floor tile, and ceiling
tiles.
69. May 2016• Pillsbury Mills plant in Springfield
IL
• Joseph Chernis IV, a federal
indictment for improper asbestos
removal and for making false
statements
• The penalty on each count is up to
five years in prison followed by
three years of supervised release
and a fine of up to $250,000.
• Chernis, of Sherman, is accused of
hiring an untrained individual to
illegally remove more than 1,000
feet of asbestos pipe insulation
from four buildings between
October 2014 and August 2015.
• "The asbestos debris was stuffed
into approximately 300 garbage
bags and at least two open-topped
cardboard boxes, and left inside
vacant buildings at the facility,"
according to the indictment
announcement.
70. Paint Solvents
• Ventilation is required or
overexposure can result
• Fire Hazard
• Electrical must be Class I if
within 20 feet during open
spraying with flammable paints
Tank painting. What could go
wrong?
71. Diesel Fuel Exhaust
• blue smoke (mainly oil and
unburnt fuel)
• black smoke (soot, oil and
unburnt fuel);
• white smoke (water droplets
and unburnt fuel)
• Diesel Fuel Exhaust is
reasonably anticipated to be
a human carcinogen per
IARC
What else is toxic
in this ????
73. First Aid
First aid training
Good Samaritan Collateral duty* Designated responder
Not covered by
BBP Standard
BBP standard applies
* if First-Aid response is
an expected part of the
job
BBP standard
applies
The Bloodborne Pathogens standard, 1910.1030, applies to all
occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious
materials
74. Universal Precautions
Treat as if known to be infectious
All human
blood
Certain human
body fluids
All human body fluids if they can’t be distinguished
75. Regulated Waste Handling
• When moving containers:
» Close immediately
» If leaking, place in
secondary container
» If reusable, clean in a
manner that will not
expose employees.
78. Post Exposure Evaluation
• Provide medical evaluation ASAP
• Testing for HBV, HCV, HIV
• HIV/HBV PEP when indicated
• Identify source individual, if possible
• Obtain consent for blood test
• Provide information to healthcare provider
• Routes of entry
• Employee’s job duties
• Copy of the regulation
Employer Responsibility:
79. Medical Evaluation and Follow-up
• Provide in writing to employer:
• Employee has been informed of
the results.
• Employee has been informed of
any medical conditions resulting
from exposure.
• All specific findings or diagnoses
are confidential to employee.
Healthcare Provider’s Responsibility:
80. Love Canal - 1978
• 20,000 tons of 240 different chemicals
stored at the dump in NY
• Birth defects, miscarriages, and cancer
were reported
• 900 families relocated
81. Times Beach 1982
• Road was sprayed with waste oil
for dust control from 1972-
1976.
• Oil was found later to contain
very high dioxin levels in 1982.
• All 2000 residents relocated by
1985
83. Radium Dial 1920s
• Up to 1000 young women were hired to paint
glow-in-the-dark watch dials at the Radium Dial
Co. in Ottawa IL
• Women were encouraged to make a fine point
on their brushes by rolling the tips on their
tongues before dipping them in the radium-
laced paint
Argonne found radium in
exhumed bodies 1000 times
the safe level.
84. Radiation Safety
Definitions:
• Ionizing Radiation – Electromagnetic radiation and/or electrically charged
or neutral particles which will interact with gases, liquids, or solids to
produce ions
• Non-ionizing Radiation- Electromagnetic radiation with insufficient energy
to produce ions from the interaction with liquids, gases or solids.
85. Radiation
• When a person is exposed to radiation,
energy is deposited in the tissues of the
body.
• The amount of energy deposited per unit of
weight of human tissue is called the
absorbed dose.
• Absorbed dose is measured using the
conventional rad or the SI Gy.
86. Radiation
• Radiation sources are found in a
wide range of occupational
settings. If radiation is not
properly controlled, it can be
potentially hazardous to the
health of workers.
87. Radiation
1910.97(a)(2)(i)
For normal environmental conditions and
for incident electromagnetic energy of
frequencies from 10 MHz to 100 GHz, the
radiation protection guide is 10 mW/cm.
(milliwatt per square centimeter) as
averaged over any possible 0.1-hour
period.
This means the following:
Power density: 10 mW./cm.2 for periods
of 0.1-hour or more.
Energy density: 1 mW.-hr./cm.2 (milliwatt
hour per square centimeter) during any
0.1-hour period.
89. Radioactive Sand
• 22 W. Hubbard St. Chicago and several sites near
the Chicago River
• Welsbach gas mantles, were made of gauze
soaked in a radioactive element called thorium
• Inhaling thorium-contaminated dust increases
the risk of developing lung and pancreatic cancer
90. 1985
• West Chicago
• Thorium at Rare Earths Facility 1930s-1973.
• Kerr McGee bought plant in 1967
• Thorium used in lighting mantles and atomic
bombs
• $1.2 billion to clean up
• Thorium was identified in Kress Creek and the
West Branch of the DuPage River
