Health Hazard Evaluation Report Number HETA-82-063-1095, Hamilton County Health Department, Cincinnati, Ohio

摘要

On December 3, 1981, NIOSH was requested by the Hamilton County Health Commissioner to determine possible polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination at the Health Department subsequent to the burn-out of a fluorescent lamp ballast. NIOSH concluded that burn-out of the fluorescent lamp ballast did not present a health hazard to the persons working in this office. However, based upon the potential carcinogenic effects of PCBs and studies demonstrating that significant quantities of PCBs can be released during ballast burn-out, NIOSH recommends replacement of thermally unprotected ballasts with thermally protected units of Class P classification before burn-outs occur. The full report offers guidelines for identifying such unprotected ballasts.