Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Report No. TA 77-79, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC

摘要

Worker exposures to carbon-monoxide (630080) (CO) were surveyed at the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) parking garage (SIC-7525) on October 25 to 27, 1977. The evaluation was requested by HUD on behalf of 3 parking attendants and about 1,000 carpool members. CO concentrations ranged from 20 to 56 parts per million (ppm). The recommended OSHA limit is 50ppm. Attendants were exposed to sufficient CO to produce carboxyhemoglobin concentrations as high as 7.3 percent as compared with NIOSH recommended criteria of 5 percent. The author concludes that a hazard exists due to CO on 1 day of exposure. He recommends an evaluation of the ventilzation system, staggered departure times, increased capacity for the ventilation system, avoidance of needless idling of engines during periods of traffic congestion, employment of a traffic patrolman to direct traffic out of the garage, and the continued operation of the ventilation system until the garage is closed in the evening.