Multiple And Combined Chemical Exposure In Industry

Vihma, TE; Rantanen, SI; Nurminen, MM

HERO ID

2800910

Reference Type

Technical Report

Year

1984

HERO ID 2800910
Year 1984
Title Multiple And Combined Chemical Exposure In Industry
Authors Vihma, TE; Rantanen, SI; Nurminen, MM
Volume Proceedings of the Fourth Finnish
Page Numbers 71-79
Abstract The occurrence of multiple and combined exposures to hazardous chemicals was determined from survey data. Information from the US National Occupational Hazard Survey conducted between 1972 and 1974 was used to derive indices relating to the prevalence of multiple and combined exposures. Data from a Finnish survey of small industry conducted in 1976 was treated in a similar fashion. According to the US data the average number of potentially hazardous chemical exposures per worker was 13.7. Exclusion of non toxic substances and dusts such as silica (7631869) and asbestos (1332214) reduced this number to 7.6. On the same basis, the average number of solvent exposures was 3.4 per worker. The most common individual solvents were alcohols, trichloroethylene (79016), toluene (108883), xylene (1330207), butanone-2 (78933), glycol ethers, and aliphatic hydrocarbons. The Finnish survey showed that multiple and combined exposures were common in small industry. Overall, 14 percent of the workers were exposed to at least three chemicals. Multiple and combined exposures were most common in industries such as the manufacture of plastics and other chemical products. The authors conclude that multiple and combined exposures to chemical agents are very common in industry and that the effects of combined exposure are largely unknown.
Report Number NIOSH/00156865
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Comments Journal: Combined Effects of Occupational Exposures ISSN:
Is Public Yes