Source and Hazard Identification and Characterization

Purpose/Goals Collect and organize available information on: –workplace/community –workforce/community members –agents –controls –historical data

Steps Define scope Workplace/community characterization Workforce/community member characterization Characterization of agents Characterization of existing controls Past assessments/results Historical exposure data Environmental emission data Past biological monitoring data

Define Scope How narrow or broad is the scope of your investigation?

Are you investigating the risk to one worker? Are you investigating one incident involving one or more workers?

Are you investigating the risk to the workforce from one agent or part of the facility?

Are you investigating the risk to the workforce at one facility?

Are you investigating the risk to the community from one facility?

Are you investigating the risk to the community from all facilities in that community?

Workplace/Community Characterization What is the process? Activities? Raw materials? Products? By-products? Waste products? Processing aids?

Process Description Sources of Information –International Labor Organization: Encyclopedaedia of Occupational Health and Safety, 3rd Edition, Geneva: ILO, –Burgess, WA: Recognition of Health Hazards in Industry, New York: John Wiley & Sons, –Kirk-Othmer: Concise Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, New York: John Wiley Sons, 1985.

Process Description Dry Cleaning –washing and degreasing by non-aqueous solvents of natural and synthetic fibers, furs, leather goods, etc. –dirt is removed in washing machines by means of a solvent which is thereafter extracted from the fabrics by centrifuging followed by drying in tumbling machines

Process Description Dry Cleaning (continued) –finished by steam pressing –stains may be “hand spotted” –solvents are recovered for further use by means of filtration, adsorption, and distillation –solvent vapor may enter the workroom (and atmosphere), especially where there is manual handling of goods

Raw Materials Dry Cleaning –perchloroethylene –petroleum solvents –dirty clothes

Products/By-Products Dry Cleaning –clean clothes –recovered solvent

Waste Products Dry Cleaning –grease, dirt, etc. with some waste solvent –air emissions –ground emissions –water emissions

Processing Aids Dry Cleaning –machinery used to wash, centrifuge, and dry clothing –in some cases, these machines are all separate –newer machines perform all tasks (reducing solvent release)

Hazard Identification Dry Cleaning –perchloroethylene –“hand spotting” agents (benzene, chloroform,etc) –heat, humidity –machine hazards (acute trauma) –material handling (acute and cumulative trauma) –noise –steam presses (burns)

Workforce/Community Characterization job title / job description task analysis exposure duration –shift length; continuous number of workers / community members other considerations –children

Characterization of Agents Form of agent –chemical –physical –biological Health effects –toxicology –epidemiology Exposure Limits –occupational –environmental

Characterization of Agent Form of Agent –chemical –physical –biological

Characterization of Agent Chemical –solid –liquid –gases –vapors –aerosols dusts, mists, fumes, soot

Characterization of Agents Physical –temperature extremes (heat, cold) –noise and vibration –ionizing radiation –non-ionizing radiation (uv, visible, ir, microwave/radiowave, power transmission) –trauma (acute, cumulative)

Characterization of Agents Biological –bacteria –viruses –allergens –genetically modified organisms

Characterization of Agents Health Effects –Sources of Information Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Toxicology Literature Epidemiology Literature Internet

Characterization of Agents Exposure Limits –Regulatory Occupational Safety and Health Administration Environmental Protection Agency Nuclear Regulatory Commission State and Local Health Departments –Non-regulatory

Other Information Characterization of existing controls –permits, walkthrough Past assessments/results –literature, company records Historical exposure data –past permits, regulatory agency data, company data Environmental emission data –regulatory agency data, permits, company data, literature Past biological monitoring data –company data, health department data

Outcome Complete summary of available essential information on workers, community members, tasks, agents, potential exposures, and potential health effects

Assignment For Monday’s class: –Find some information that would be useful in characterizing the sources/hazards associated with chromium electroplating –The information could be a process description, hazard list, fact sheet, or msds, etc.

Bibliography

Material Safety Data Sheet