HEALTH HAZARD EVALUATION DETERMINATION REPORT NUMBER 75-195-396, UNITED AIRLINES MAINTENANCE BASE, SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA

A Health Hazard Evaluation investigation was conducted by NIOSH at the working hangars of the United Airlines Maintenance Base, Burlingame, California, for worker exposure to substances used in the stripping, priming and painting of jet aircraft, and other solvents. Medical studies on a representative sample of workers and environmental measurements revealed that during paint stripping employees without respiratory protection are exposed to potentially toxic concentrations of methylene chloride, a fact also confirmed by the high rate of complaints of occasional eye and throat irritation, and head congestion when in close proximity to the paint stripping operation. Employees in contact with other solvents, including toluene, isopropyl alcohol, methyl ethyl ketone, n-butyl acetate, n-butyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, cyclohexanone, methyl isobutyl ketone, xylene, cellosolve acetate, and phenol, are not exposed to toxic levels of these agents. Employees who spray paint aircraft with paint containing hexamethylene diisocyanate may be exposed to potentially toxic levels of this agent, although this fact could not be conclusively established. Control measures are recommended.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

  Public Health Service
  Cincinnati, OH  United States  45202
• Authors:
  • Okawa, M T
  • Keith, W
• Publication Date: 1977-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 34 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acetates; Aircraft; Chemical compounds; Chemicals; Chlorine compounds; Concentration (Chemistry); Crash exposure; Environment; Hangars; Hazardous materials; Health; Medical examinations and tests; Medicine; Organic solvents; Paint; Paint removal; Painting; Personnel; Phenol; Recommendations; Standards; Surveys; Toluene; Toxicity; Toxicology; Vehicle maintenance
• Identifier Terms: San Francisco International Airport; United Airlines, Inc.
• Uncontrolled Terms: Aircraft maintenance; Criteria; Exposure; Xylene
• Old TRIS Terms: Chloromethanes; Environmental surveys; Industrial medicine; Paint removers
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Maintenance and Preservation; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00169673
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: NIOSH-TR-HHE-75-195-396
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 14 1978 12:00AM