Diego Cardenas Mayra De Jesus-Rivas

Lynn Henderson Elizabeth Rains

Pratiksha Vaghela Mahamed Zogaj

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Lead as a Steel Improving Agent

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Naturally occurring element which cuts easily and is pliable. Used as a component of gasoline (banned), house paint (pre-1978), ceramics and crystal glass. Found in industrial practices: metalworking, soldering. Exposure can occur through inhalation and ingestion. If absorbed may attach to bone and calcified tissue, accumulate in

the gray matter of brain tissue.

Toxicity has been associated with reproductive effects, necrosis of brain tissue, OSHA (PEL) along with ACGIH (TLV) and NIOSH (REL) published occupational exposure limits to eliminate or reduce adverse health effects associated with lead exposure.

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Added as a steel improving agent. To improve machinability (ease of which a metal can be machined) Lends to the lubricant property of steel (which helps reduce wear and friction during processes increasing machine tool life)

Lead

Steel

Ease of Operations

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Ingot mold Poured Air-blast Gun

Lead Steel

Leaded Steel

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Exposure Limits

Health Effects
Action Level

Action Level (set at 30 g/m3) PEL (set at 50 g/m3)

No observable adverse health effects (precautionary) Gastrointestinal effects Acute encephalopathy (altered mental state) Reproductive Effects Anemia Peripheral, central, neuropathy PEL Severe lead colic (severe abdominal pain) Burtonian lines (blue lining of the gums)

PEL (Acute)

PEL (Chronic)

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Used as a steel improving agent. Occurs both naturally and from industrial practices such as copper mining. Added to steel to make it simpler to mill and machine. Exposure through the inhalation of fumes or dusts containing tellurium Linked to neurological disorders (affects nervous system), blood diseases (causes hemolysis), and respiratory problems (might cause exacerbation of pre-existing symptoms). Te (PEL)= 0.1 mg/m over an 8-hour work shift.
(OSHA)

Tellurium

* Exposure over limits promulgated by OSHA is very rare

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Occupational Exposure

Inhalation (most common rout) Skin contact

Eye contact Ingestion

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Possible air contaminants:

OSHA section 1926.55(a):

Exposure of the employee of inhalation, ingestion, skin absorption, or contact of any material or substance at a concentration above threshold level should be avoided.

Release of gases such as carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. Other toxic metals used: Lead, Tellurium, Nickel, and Cadmium.

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Per air sampling and biological blood analysis workers were found with lead levels exceeding PEL. Overhead crane operated by a worker w/o appropriate filter and respirator. The pouring crew in close proximity with lead. No barrier in between the workers. Workers not using respirators. A local exhaust ventilation is

being used.

Some of the fumes escaped ventilation capture.

The lateral local exhaust vent system was not flanged. Dust from metals shaken into bins. Lead debris should be wet-misted and placed into a sealed impermeable bag (OSHA, 1999).
Employer should provide the employee with appropriate respirator.

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Toxic dust has been blown and swept down.

Vacuuming is the most reliable method of cleaning dusty surfaces (OSHA, 1999).

Allowing workers to eat or smoke cigarettes while dealing with toxic dust material is a safety violation.
The worker will easily ingest lead by having contaminated hands. promote the vaporization of lead.

All workers involve in the collection of toxic dust should have respiratory protection and personal protective Burning of cigarettes clothing (OSHA, 1999).

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Workers were exposed to high levels of heat that can lead to heat stress during pouring operation.
Risk for workers to experience skin burns and risk of fire when shower of sparks was thrown up from the steel being poured hitting the ingot mold rim.

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Personnel Air Sample use small portable, battery operated pump.

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Calibration devices are now more portable. Bubble beret can also be used to calibrate the sampling pump flow rate, however this equipment is fragile and hard to use in the field.

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Three-stage
37-millimeter (mm), 0.8-micrometer (m) mixed cellulose ester filter (MCEF) cassette.

Flow rate 1-4 Liters Per Minute (LPM)

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Attach the sampling device in the employees breathing zone.

The sampling pump is attached to the employees waist to facilitate the sampling process.

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Air Samples
Exposure at or above PEL 14,000 g/m3 (Pitman-topping man)

Workplace Hygiene
Lack of shower facilities Candy bar wrappers & cigarettes butts

Ventilation System
Inadequate inspection and cleaning
Off center placement of hoods

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

BLL and Hematology

7 BLL > 30 g/dL 5 BLL > 50g/dL

FEP
10 > the normal value Highest 358 g/dL (gun operator)

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Apparent overexposed Non-compliance

Workplace hygiene practices

Respiratory protection
Medical surveillance Exposure monitoring Written compliance program Workers training and education

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Short-term
Removal of worker Mean BLL at or > 50 g/dL or single BLL > 60 g/dL BLL at or > 30 g/dL if wish to bear children Medical evaluation Complete lab panel Chelation Strongly considered if BLLs between 80 and 99g/dL Possibly considered if BLLs between 50 and 79 g/dL in symptomatic workers

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Long-term
Employee Education Medical surveillance program

Biological monitoring Every 6 months if the last BLL was < 40 g/dL Every 2 months if the last BLL was between 40 g/dL and the levels requiring medical removal Every 1 month if the worker is medically removed

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Occupational Health Nursing

Educate and train employees on: Purpose and significance of the health monitoring program and Hazards of Lead results Written Safe Work Procedures Purpose and benefits of work Policy. scheduling and job Proper use, maintenance, and reassignment or rotation limitations of PPE.

Importance of safe hygiene and decontamination procedures. Purpose and significance of workplace lead dust monitoring and results (exposure data)

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Employees cannot be allowed to enter lunchroom facilities with protective work clothing or equipment

No Food in Work Areas

Employees must wash their hands and face prior to eating, drinking, smoking or applying cosmetics. No Smoking in Work Areas

Respirators protect the user in two basic ways. The first is by the removal of contaminants from the air. Respirators of this type include particulate respirators, which filter out airborne particles, and air-purifying respirators with cartridges/canisters which filter out chemicals and gases. Other respirators protect by supplying clean respirable air from another source. Respirators that fall into this category include airline respirators, which use compressed air from a remote source, and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), which include their own air supply.

Regulated areas must be demarcated to show the necessary PPE required.

Eye protection

Aluminized Garments protect against heat

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Reduce take home exposures: Change out of work clothes and shoes, wash skin and hair by showering Take home exposures seen through ingestion of lead dust remaining on clothing or food brought home by exposed worker who did not practice safe hygiene practices before leaving work

MANUFACTURE OF LEADED STEEL

Workers treated for illnesses covered by workers compensation

1. 2012. Steel. [Photograph] http://www.romania-insider.com

2. 2012. Lead. [Photograph] http://images-ofelements.com/lead.php

3. 2013. Hazard Sign. [Photograph] http://work4youlaw.com

4. Robson, Greg. 2012. [Photograph] http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Electron_shell_di agrams
[Background]

Indoor air quality in commercial and institutional building (OSHA, 2011). www.osha.gov/publication/3430indoor-air-quality.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (1999). Occupational safety and health standards. www.OSHA.gov

Plog, B.A. & Quilan, P.J. (2012). Fundamental of industry hygiene (6th ed.) . National Safety Council: United States of America.

Kosnett MJ. Lead. In: Poisoning and Drug Overdose (Olson KR, ed.). New York: Lange Medical Publishing/McGraw Hill. 2004, 238-242.
Medical Guidelines for the Lead-Exposed Worker. California Department of Public Health Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. Retrieved on 11/27/2013 from http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/olppp/Documents/medgdln.pdf Occupational Safety and Health Standards. Subpart Z: Medical surveillance guidelines. Retrieved on 11/27/2013 from https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=10033&p_table=STANDARD S Occupational Safety and Health Standards. Subpart Z: Toxic and Hazardous Substances-Lead. Retrieved on 11/24/2013 from https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=1003 0 Rosenstock, L and Cullen MR. Textbook of Clinical Occupational and Environmental Medicine. W.B. Saunders Company; Philadelphia, PA, 1994. Standard Interpretations. Standard Number: 1926.62; 1910.1025. Retrieved on 11/27/2013 from https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_i d=22100