Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. HETA 80-010-1199, Cities Service Company, Butyl Rubber Plant, Lake Charles, Louisiana

摘要

In October 1979, NIOSH received a request to evaluate the exposures of approximately 100 butyl rubber plant production employees to various chemicals/contaminants in the copolymerization/dryer areas and the finishing building. From November 13-19, 1980, an environmental evaluation was conducted at the plant. Results of 41 personal breathing-zone air samples for methyl chloride, nuisance particulate, zinc sterarate, aluminum chloride, and hydrogen chloride were, with the exception of one methyl chloride 'ceiling' sample, below OSHA's 'permissible exposure limits.' A medical questionnaire survey was conducted among operating unit, pool, maintenance, and packaging unit personnel, the latter group presumably not exposed to methyl chloride. The exposed workers did not differ significantly from the unexposed workers with respect to a variety past and present medical conditions, mood state scores on a psychological questionnaire, or 24 neurological symptoms, with one exception: 9 of 27 exposed workers reported trouble sleeping, compared to none of 13 unexposed (p = 0.05, Fisher's exact test 1-tailed). There was no substantial environmental evidence of a health hazard due to exposure to methyl chloride, nuisance dust, zinc stearate, aluminum chloride, or hydrogen chloride, and the medical survey revealed no health effects attributable to methyl chloride.