Health Hazard Evaluation Determination Report No. 79-103-640, St. Charles Furniture Corporation, Wright City, Missouri

摘要

Sixty of the two hundred workers at the St. Charles Furniture Co., Wright City, MO. developed one or more of a variety of symptoms including headache, tremor, nervousness, dizziness, confusion, chest tightness, and rash. The evaluation methodology consisted of medical interviews with 12 employees, environmental sampling of known air contaminants, laboratory analysis of samples, literature review of chemicals known to be present in the work place with concentration on their physiological effects, inspection of the work place and personal observations, review of medical records from local physicians, and review of company absentee data and illness reports. The onset of the illness occurred on May 2-3, 1979, during operation consisting of dipping wooden dowels in a stain solution containing mostly toluene. The incident heightened the awareness of employees and induced stress in some. It was felt that there was no one agent to account for the physical illness in the weeks following, but a multiple and/or factors.