Industrial Hygiene Study of Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation Manufacturing at Rapco Foam, Inc.

摘要

This industrial hygiene study is part of an industrywide industrial hygiene characterization of thermal insulation manufacturing and application activities. Personal sampling was conducted to determine work shift time-weighted average exposures and short-term high-level exposures to formaldehyde. Work shift TWA concentrations were: Cook (0.27 and 0.36 ppm); Cook's Assistant (0.47 and 0.78 ppm); Drum Washer (0.52 and 0.30 ppm); and Foaming Agent Blender (0.24 and 0.18 ppm). The highest exposures occurred during resin drum-filling operations: 1.8-5.4 ppm for four determinations (one each for 25 and 62 minutes and two for 30 minutes); and 5-10 ppm (as measured with detector tubes). The concentration of 1.8 ppm was measured during a 62 minute sampling period which included about 8 minutes of time during which drums were not being filled. No other personal samples for formaldehyde exceeded 1 ppm.