Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 94-0191-2670, Bureau of Engraving,211 Incorporated, Minneapolis, Minnesota

摘要

On March 11, 1994, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health211u001e(NIOSH) received a request for technical assistance from the Minnesota Department 211u001eof Labor and Industry, Occupational Safety and Health Division (Minnesota OSHA), 211u001ein evaluating potential health hazards at the Bureau of Engraving, Incorporated, 211u001e(BOE) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A second request for a health hazard evaluation 211u001e(HHE) at BOE was received by NIOSH on March 28, 1994, from the Graphic 211u001eCommunications International Union (GCIU) Local 1B. Both request concerned 211u001eemployee exposure to chemicals used in the clean room, including solvents and 211u001eglycol ethers used with the Ciba Geigy (trademark) coating process. Symptoms 211u001ereported among clean room employees included difficulty breathing, headaches, 211u001eskin and eye irritation, and dizziness. Site visits were conducted in May 1994 211u001eand April 1995. Personal breathing zone (PBZ), area, and process air samples were 211u001ecollected for hexane and other hydrocarbons, alcohols, and glycol ethers. 211u001eAnalysis of full-shift PBZ air samples revealed detectable levels of hexane 1,1,1-211u001etrichloroethane, and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA), but all 211u001econcentrations were well below the corresponding occupational exposure criteria. 211u001ePropylene glycol monomethyl either (PGME) and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether 211u001e(EGBE) were not detected.