Yesterday we began our stroll through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) new database for engineering controls. We looked at search results for aerosols, asphalt fumes and ethylene oxide. Today we will report the search results for hydrogen sulfide, noise, and organic solvents.
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The NIOSH Engineering Controls database (ECD) is a central repository of current NIOSH information on engineering control technology. The content of the database is summarized from previously published NIOSH research findings. This research was originally published in a variety of formats—Engineering and Physical Hazard Reports, Workplace Solutions, and trade and journal articles. If the data was summarized from an Engineering and Physical Hazard Report, there will be a report number noted in the summary.
To take a stab at judging its effectiveness, we chose, at random, six examples of hazards where NIOSH claims engineering controls are effective and plugged them into the database. We chose aerosols, asphalt fumes, ethylene oxide, hydrogen sulfide, noise, and organic solvents. Here’s what we came up with. How helpful is the database? You be the judge!
Hydrogen Sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas known for its pungent “rotten egg” odor at low concentrations. According to OSHA, it is extremely flammable and highly toxic. It is used or produced in a number of industries, including oil and gas refining, mining, tanning, and pulp and paper processing. However, hydrogen sulfide also occurs naturally in sewers, manure pits, well water, oil and gas wells, and volcanoes. Because it is heavier than air, hydrogen sulfide can collect in low-lying and enclosed spaces, such as manholes, sewers, and underground telephone vaults. Its presence makes work in confined spaces potentially very dangerous.
When we searched the ECD for hydrogen sulfide, no results came up.
Noise
According to OSHA, every year, approximately 30 million people in the United States are occupationally exposed to hazardous noise. Noise-related hearing loss has been listed as one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns in the United States for more than 25 years. Since 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has reported that nearly 125,000 workers have suffered significant, permanent hearing loss. In 2009 alone, the BLS reported more than 21,000 hearing loss cases.
Our search of the ECD for noise studies brought up 21 results. They ran the gamut from firing ranges to jar filling machines to transformers. We decided to take a look at the study about control of hazardous materials and noise at electronics recycling operations.
According to the ECD summary, workers in the study were exposed to risks of hearing loss from sustained noise levels over exposure limits. Measurement of noise levels at the facility examined in the report indicated several measurements exceeding allowable noise doses requiring that employees be placed in a hearing conservation program. However, engineering controls were not implemented in this case of this hazard, although NIOSH said that operators need to be made aware of potential risks.
Organic Solvents
Solvents are substances that are capable of dissolving or dispersing one or more other substances. Organic solvents are carbon-based solvents (i.e., they contain carbon in their molecular structure). According to NIOSH, millions of U.S. workers are exposed to organic solvents that are used in such products as paints, varnishes, lacquers, adhesives, glues, and degreasing/cleaning agents, and in the production of dyes, polymers, plastics, textiles, printing inks, agricultural products, and pharmaceuticals.
Exposures to solvents are addressed in specific OSHA standards for general industry, shipyard employment, and the construction industry.
When we searched the ECD for organic solvents, we got one result concerning painting in autobody repair shops. The summary provided links to nine Engineering and Physical Hazards Reports. The study compared the use of downdraft booths to crossdraft and semidraft booths for ventilation. It also looked at the use of high pressure, low volume (HPLV) spray-painting guns. Although NIOSH concluded that properly used and maintained, HVLP spray painting guns and downdraft booths greatly reduce paint overspray concentrations, they will not completely eliminate overspray from the air workers breathe. Therefore, in addition to these engineering controls, personal respiratory protective equipment should also be used.
You Be the Judge
If you are looking for engineering controls for specific processes at your facility, would you use NIOSH’s new ECD? Let us know if it will find a place in your safety toolbox.
How do worker protections rate at your facility? Take a stroll through Safety.BLR.com® for all the safety compliance and training tools you will need to bulk up your safety program.