HEALTH HAZARD EVALUATION DETERMINATION REPORT NO. HE 79-154-735, SUPERMARKETS GENERAL, INC., WOODBRIDGE, NEW JERSEY

Environmental and medical surveys were conducted on September 28, 1979, and April 17, 1980, to investigate a case of irritation and disorientation associated with use of a company automobile owned by Supermarkets General, Incorporated (SIC-5411) in Woodbridge, New Jersey. The investigation was requested by the affected employee. The employee complained of headache, nausea, disorientation, and difficult breathing which began upon entering the automobile, even before the ignition had been started. The employee had no history of allergies and did not exhibit similar symptoms in other automobiles. The symptoms were relieved after leaving the automobile. All the compounds detected were found in amounts less than those that would produce such severe symptoms. The author suggests that the employee's symptoms were due to chemicals which out gassed from the plastics in the passenger compartment. The vehicle should be parked in a shady cool place, windows should be left open when parking in direct sunlight, the passenger compartment should be ventilated before driving, and adequate ventilation should be used when driving on hot days.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Institute for Occupational Safety and

  Health Hazard and Technical Assistance Branch
  Cincinnati, OH  United States 
• Authors:
  • Fannick, N
• Publication Date: 1980-8

Media Info

• Pagination: 8 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Chemicals; Concentration (Chemistry); Crash exposure; Crash investigation; Environment; Hazardous materials; Health; Industrial hygiene; Inspection; Medicine; Motor vehicles; Plastics; Polymers; Psychological aspects; Recommendations; Standards; Studies; Sunlight; Surveys; Toxicity; Ventilation systems
• Uncontrolled Terms: Criteria; Exposure
• Old TRIS Terms: Environmental surveys; Industrial medicine
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00337718
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: NIOSH-HE-79-154-735
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 15 1981 12:00AM