Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 88-346-2030, Graphic Creations, Inc.,Warren, Rhode Island

摘要

In response to a request from the management of Graphic Creations, Inc. (SIC-2752), Warren, Rhode Island, an evaluation was made of employee exposures to hydroquinone (123319) and printing press cleaning solvents which contained benzene (71432). The printing process involves photographic art work producing a negative, making a plate, exposing the plate in an exposure frame, and installing the plate on the press. The only ventilation was an air conditioning unit installed in 1972. The evaluation results indicated exposures to isopropyl-alcohol (67630) concentrations ranging from nondetectable to 31.4mg/m3, naphtha (8030306) from 81.74 to 914.8mg/m3, and 2-butoxyethanol (111762) from nondetectable to 2.56mg/m3. Personal breathing zone exposures to benzene were observed to range from 0.98 to 1.0 parts per million. Hydroquinone was not detected. The author concludes that a health hazard did exist for employees exposed to naphta, benzene and 2-butoxyethanol. The author recommends measures to minimize these exposures.