Transcript Hazards of Diesel Exhaust - East Metro Training Group

A Worker Right to Know Class
Kirkland Fire Department
November 2013
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May 2012: World Health Organization
determines “Diesel Exhaust” to be human
carcinogen.
June 2012: A complaint was filed with the KFD
Safety Committee regarding firefighters’
exposure to diesel exhaust carcinogenic
ingredients inside Kirkland Fire Stations.
January 9, 2013: Air measurements taken by
Washington State Department of Labor and
Industries (L&I) at Station 22
February 20, 2013: Supplemental testing
“The emission from diesel engines consist of a
complex mixture, including gaseous and
particulate fractions… The gaseous constituents
include carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide
(CO), [nitric oxide] NO, [nitrogen dioxide] NO2,
[sulfur dioxide] SO2, and VOCs (e.g., ethylene,
formaldehyde, methane, benzene, phenol,
acrolein, and polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons).”
“The particulate fraction (soot) is composed of
solid carbon cores, produced during the
combustion process, which tend to combine to
form chains of particulates or aggregates, the
largest of which are in the respirable range (more
than 95% are less than 1 micron in size).
Estimates indicate that as many as 18,000 different
substances resulting from the combustion process
may be adsorbed onto these particulates.”
“The adsorbed material contains 15-65%of the
total particulate mass and includes compounds
such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, a
number of which are known mutagens and
carcinogens”
Source: Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 99-0266-2850, Costa Mesa Fire
Department, Costa Mesa, California; Kevin C. Roegner, MPH, CIH, Hazard Evaluations
and Technical Assistance Branch of the National Institute for Occupational Health and
Safety (NIOSH); Introduction, Health Effects of Diesel Exhaust.
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Complaint requested
evaluation for:
 Acrolein
 Benzene*
 Carbon Dioxide
 Carbon Monoxide
 Formaldehyde*
 Nitrogen Dioxide
 Sulfur Dioxide
Diesel Particulate Matter
* Denotes Carcinogen
L&I evaluated for:
 Carbon Monoxide
 Formaldehyde*
 Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs)
 Total Particulates
 Ethyl Benzene
 Octane
 Pentane
 Toluene
 Petroleum Distillates
(Naptha)
January 9, 2013--Evaluation instruments were
placed in 4 locations of Station 22:
Apparatus bay, North
 Apparatus bay, South
 Living quarters (Lt’s room)
 Office area
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February 20, 2013—Color-metric tubes were used to
sample apparatus bay and living quarters for Ethyl
Benzene, Octane, Pentane, Toluene, & Petroleum
Distillates.
Station 22 was selected for testing due to its
relatively high call volume—1598 in 2012
according to the KFD Annual Report (4.4 calls per
day), and because it does not feature a drive
through apparatus bay.
On Wednesday, January 9, 2013, Station 22
answered only one call.
The L&I “Recommended Action”:
Train your workers with health hazards posed by
Diesel Exhaust. Educate all firefighters and
maintenance personnel on their role in preventing
diesel exhaust exposures i.e., following diesel
engine start-up procedures, conducting HVAC
and trucks scheduled preventive maintenance,
etc.
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Diesel exhaust is unpleasant to smell, but its
hazard seems to rest with a tiny portion of the
total product. That tiny portion consists of a
number of known and suspected carcinogens.
In this respect, those carcinogens should be
compared to radioactive exposure. That is,
exposure will likely effect each individual
differently. The level of exposure, duration of
exposure, and frequency of exposure will
combine to create “dose”.
Dose for each individual will be different. A
given dose will produce effect (symptoms and/or
disease) in some, but not in others.
Borrowing from the radiation similarity again, the
safe strategy for protecting workers exposed to
Diesel Exhaust is to seek exposure levels “as low
as reasonably achievable,” or ALARA.
With most hazardous materials, a Material Safety
Data Sheet (MSDS) can be referenced for scientific
clarity of when and where a threshold of hazard
exists, and should be located in your workplace
MSDS book (Worker Right-to-Know). No MSDS can
be found for Diesel Exhaust.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the
Occupational Safety & Health Administration
(OSHA), and the National Institute for Occupational
Safety & Health (NIOSH) have helpful information,
but no specific exposure levels currently exist.
The CDC, OSHA, and NIOSH information sheets
have been distributed to each Station Captain for
inclusion in your MSDS book. These documents
are enlightening but not definitive.
Also, MSDSs for Acrolein, Benzene, Carbon
Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, Diesel Fuel,
Ethylbenzene, Ethylene, Formaldehyde, Methane,
Naptha, Nitrogen Dioxide, Octane, Pentane,
Phenol, Sulphur Dioxide, and Toluene, have been
included for the MSDS book.
These MSDSs are for a large quantity of each
specific material, and may not be reflective of the
hazard of the minute quantities of each when
found in Diesel Exhaust.
ALARA Administrative Controls:
1.
2.
3.
Bay doors must be opened or opening before
diesel engines are started.
Apparatus should not be run more than 60
seconds inside the bay before pulling outside.
HVAC systems should be conformed so that
positive pressure exists in the living areas of
the stations.
ALARA Administrative Controls, cont.:
If reserve apparatus require additional time to
build up air brake pressure, an exhaust hose
will be connected to the apparatus and
discharged outside.
Reserve apparatus will be equipped with a
connector for supplying compressed air to the
brake system. Do not start the diesel engine until
the brake system has an indicated air pressure of
80 psi, then follow rule #2.
4.
Administrative Direction
The Kirkland Fire Department Safety Committee
has recommended to the Chief of the Department
that all KFD stations should be retro-fitted with
“point-of-discharge” diesel exhaust collection
systems to achieve ALARA.
If you have other suggestions, please submit them
to your Safety Committee representative.