Abstract
BACKGROUND
During an inspection by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of a small coal slag processing plant with 12 current workers, four cases of pneumoconiosis were identified among former workers.
METHODS
The OSHA investigation consisted of industrial hygiene sampling, a review of medical records, and case interviews.
RESULTS
Some personal sampling measurements exceeded the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for total dust exposures of 15 mg/m(3), and the measured respirable silica exposure of 0.043 mg/m(3), although below OSHA's current PEL for respirable dust containing silica, was above the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' Threshold Limit Value (TLV). Chest x-rays for all four workers identified small opacities consistent with pneumoconiosis.
CONCLUSION
This is the first known report of lung disease in workers processing coal slag and raises concerns for workers exposed to coal slag dust.
TY - JOUR
T1 - Case cluster of pneumoconiosis at a coal slag processing facility.
AU - Fagan,Kathleen M,
AU - Cropsey,Erin B,
AU - Armstrong,Jenna L,
PY - 2015/02/09/accepted
PY - 2015/4/9/entrez
PY - 2015/4/9/pubmed
PY - 2016/3/11/medline
KW - OSHA
KW - coal slag
KW - dust
KW - pneumoconiosis
KW - silica
SP - 568
EP - 76
JF - American journal of industrial medicine
JO - Am J Ind Med
VL - 58
IS - 5
N2 - BACKGROUND: During an inspection by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of a small coal slag processing plant with 12 current workers, four cases of pneumoconiosis were identified among former workers. METHODS: The OSHA investigation consisted of industrial hygiene sampling, a review of medical records, and case interviews. RESULTS: Some personal sampling measurements exceeded the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for total dust exposures of 15 mg/m(3), and the measured respirable silica exposure of 0.043 mg/m(3), although below OSHA's current PEL for respirable dust containing silica, was above the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' Threshold Limit Value (TLV). Chest x-rays for all four workers identified small opacities consistent with pneumoconiosis. CONCLUSION: This is the first known report of lung disease in workers processing coal slag and raises concerns for workers exposed to coal slag dust.
SN - 1097-0274
UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/25851166/Case_cluster_of_pneumoconiosis_at_a_coal_slag_processing_facility_
DB - PRIME
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
