Health Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Report TA 79-54, Rockland Leathers, Inc., Rockland Industrial Park, Rockland, Maine

摘要

On August 20, 1979, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) received a request for technical assistance from the management of Rockland Leathers, Rockland, Maine, to evaluate complaints of 'contact dermatitis' among workers employed in the tannery. Eleven (48%) of the 23 workers in the wet process who were interviewed gave a history of skin problems. Symptoms ranged from mild itching of hands and forearms to a severe erythematous eruption of the hands, face, forearms and abdomen. Chromic acid mist and organic solvent vapor concentrations were within permissible limits in all air samples taken. The bulk samples were found to contain varying amounts of trivalent chromium and other metals. Wet tanned sheepskins had the highest chromium concentrations (10,000 micrograms per gram, while recycled chromium solutions had only 4,300 micrograms/g of chromium. The tanning solution used at Rockland Leathers contained less chromium than that used in another tannery, where workers reportedly were not suffering skin problems.