US EPA

1391843 

Technical Report 

In-Depth Survey Report: Control Technology Assessment for the Welding Operations at Boilermaker's National Apprenticeship Training School, Kansas City, Kansas 

Wallace, ME; Fischbach, T; Kovein, RJ 

1997 

NTIS/02998960 

GRA and I 

GRA and I 

An in depth survey was conducted at the Boilermaker's National Apprenticeship School (SIC-8249), Kansas City, Kanses as part of a larger study to evaluate welding operations and the exposure of workers to welding fumes. Fume exposures were measured during stainless steel welding, using different rod types and rod diameters, and to evaluate the effect of two types of local exhaust ventilation during outdoor welding operations. Shielded metal arc welding techniques were evaluated, inside a building and in a semi enclosed tank located outside. Four types of stainless steel rods were evaluated. Even outside of this semi enclosed environment, the air current played a significant role in how much fume was carried to the breathing zone of the worker and exposures could be quite high. If the wind was directed towards the welder, the fume exposures increased. The use of local exhaust ventilation may not have a significant part in reducing exposure levels under these conditions. Welders were overexposed to stainless steel welding fume, hexavalent and total chromium (7440473), arsenic (7440382), iron (7439896), manganese (7439965), and nickel (7440020). 

Health surveys; *Occupational safety and health; *Welding; Metal fumes; Occupational exposure; Control technology; Metal dusts; Metalworking industry; Metal workers