In-Depth Survey Report: Assisting Furniture Strippers in Reducing the Risk from Methylene Chloride Stripping Formulations at Sunset Strip, Inc., Huntington Beach, California

摘要

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted research on ventilation controls for reducing furniture stripping methylene chloride exposures to the OSHA PEL of 25 ppm. Low cost ventilation systems were designed by NIOSH researchers along with Benny Bixenman of Benco Sales, Inc. (Cookville, Tennessee). The controls were constructed and installed by Benco Sales. The controls consisted of enclosing and attaching local exhaust systems to the stripping tank and the rinsing booth and adding an air shower at the stripping booth. This survey tested four control combinations using new ventilation, (1) worker A with an air shower, (2) worker A without an air shower, (3) worker B with an air shower, and (4) worker B without an air shower. During each test, sorbent tube sampling and real-time sampling were employed. Sorbent tube data collected in the worker's breathing zone exposure was found between workers (p=0.0001), with worker A having the lowest exposures.