Occupational Hygiene Characterization of a Highway Construction Project: A Pilot Study

Greenspan, Cathy A.; Moure‐Eraso, Rafael; Wegman, David H.; Oliver, L. Christine

doi:10.1080/1047322x.1995.10387611

Cited by 33 publications

(28 citation statements)

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“…In the few studies published to date on task-based exposure assessment, the term ''task'' is defined implicitly, by example, rather than explicitly [Hansen and Whitehead, 1988;Burkhart et al, 1993;Nicas and Spear, 1993;Susi and Schneider, 1993;Greenspan et al, 1995;Susi and Schneider, 1995]. The OSHA standard also does not define task, although it provides more than 30 examples of tasks.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Conditions also vary over time at the same project, sometimes over very short periods of time. A worker can start the day working in an open space and end the day in an enclosed room.A newly developed ''task-based'' approach to exposure assessment appears to hold promise as a method that can take into account the variability in exposure that exists in the construction industry [Susi and Schneider, 1993;Greenspan et al, 1995;Susi and Schneider, 1995]. The starting point of this approach is the recognition that only through a more sophisticated and comprehensive understanding of taskstheir nature and the conditions causing and exacerbating exposures-can controls be realistically designed to reduce exposure.…”

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confidence: 99%

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A task-based approach to assessing lead exposure among iron workers engaged in bridge rehabilitation

et al. 1997

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The assessment of worker exposures to airborne contaminants in the dynamic environment present at most construction sites poses considerable challenges to the industrial hygienist. In this study, we applied a task‐based approach to the assessment of lead exposure among structural steel iron workers engaged in a large, complex bridge rehabilitation project. We evaluated the usefulness of task‐based exposure data for the development of worker protection programs. Task‐specific and multitask samples were collected, and operation‐specific and 8‐hr time‐weighted averages were calculated. The task‐specific data showed significant differences in exposure levels among different tasks. Arithmetic mean exposures varied from 1,357 μg/m3 lead for torch cutting and 989 μg/m3 for scaling to 31 μg/m3 for reaming and 4 μg/m3 for drilling. Our task‐specific data were compared with the task‐based exposure levels presented by OSHA in its Lead Exposure in Construction‐Interim Final Rule (29 CFR 1926). There was good general agreement between our results and OSHA's reported data. Task‐based data were very useful in exposure assessment and much more precise than full‐shift and operation‐based measurements in guiding strategies for worker protection. These findings suggest that task‐based data should routinely be collected in evaluating exposure to lead and perhaps other toxic substances in construction work. Am. J. Ind. Med. 31:310–318, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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confidence: 99%

A task-based approach to assessing lead exposure among iron workers engaged in bridge rehabilitation

et al. 1997

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“…It is apparent from the literature that bitumen constituents are divided in unequal proportions into particulate (fume) and gaseous (vapors) phases of bituminous emissions (Kitto et al 1997;Leinster and Evans 1986;Ekstrom 1991;Lesage et al 1987;Greenspan et al 1995). Melting point appears to determine whether a substance appears in the vapor or particulate phase of asphalt emissions at a given temperature (Lesage et al 1987).…”

Section: Exposure Types and Levels In Road Construction Industrymentioning

confidence: 98%

Recent trends of the emission characteristics from the road construction industry

Chauhan

Sharma

Shukla

et al. 2010

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Bitumen is a black, thermoplastic, hydrocarbon material derived from the processing of crude oil. At ambient temperature, bitumen is solid and does not present any health/environmental risks. This is one of the main reasons that bitumen is widely used for road construction all over the world. But during manufacturing/modification according to its application, storage, transportation, and use of bitumen is heated giving off various hydrocarbons emissions. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in investigating the potential of bitumen emissions to cause health effects. This is mainly because of the reason that bitumen has small amount of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons, along with some other volatiles like benzene, toluene, etc., which are known to be carcinogenic in nature. Thus, assessment of the emission characteristics and health hazards of bitumen fumes may have far reaching industrial economic and public health implications. In this review, we will discuss about the emission characteristics from bitumen, asphalts, or road construction, which is mainly contributed by bitumen fumes. Sampling strategies and analytical methods employed are also described briefly.

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“…9 there are studies which measured the levels of these chemicals like silica, organic compounds and noise at these road construction sites. 10 It was noticed that the workers were not adequately protected with required equipment. In our conversations with them, it was clear that they were neither asking for such protective equipment, nor proactively given them by the supervisors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A study on the respiratory effects in road construction workers in Mysore, India

Majgi

Dinesh

Mukherjee

2017

Int J Community Med Public Health

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Background: The process of road formation involves lot of chemicals which harm the respiratory tract. This leads to many health problems faced by road construction workers due to occupation. This study was done to find out the respiratory problems in road construction workers in Mysore.Methods: 128 workers were asked questions about their respiratory symptoms and knowledge of protection from occupational hazards, and their peak expiratory flow rate and oxygen saturation were measured.Results: Only 31.25% workers had appropriate PEFR. The oxygen saturation was more than 95% for all the workers studied. 30% of the workers suffered from cough and 30% from breathlessness. There was poor knowledge and practice of using protective clothing, especially masks (46% and 5%).Conclusions: Policy changes in preventive precautions for occupational hazards need to be brought in.

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Occupational Hygiene Characterization of a Highway Construction Project: A Pilot Study

Cited by 33 publications

References 1 publication

A task-based approach to assessing lead exposure among iron workers engaged in bridge rehabilitation

A task-based approach to assessing lead exposure among iron workers engaged in bridge rehabilitation

Recent trends of the emission characteristics from the road construction industry

A study on the respiratory effects in road construction workers in Mysore, India

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