Health-hazard evaluation report HETA 87-092-1967, Iowa Industrial Hydraulics, Pocahontas, Iowa

A study was made of possible hazardous working conditions at Iowa Industrial Hydraulics, Pocahontas, Iowa. About 140 production workers were employed in manufacturing hydraulic pumps. The major exposures investigated were to nine different types of cutting fluids with their biocides, the solvent-based floor cleaner Marvella, mineral spirits, two hand cleaners, oils used for the lubrication of machines, and metal chippings. Most machines were supplied with coolant from a central system. There was no mechanism in place to clean the coolant and no regular monitoring was conducted for coolant concentration, pH, or bacterial or fungal counts. Workers had experienced an outbreak of dermatitis in September 1986 at which time the coolant in most machines had become dense, brown, and had a foul odor. Sampling revealed the coolant to be ten times more concentrated than it should have been and contaminated with lubricating oils. Medical histories, patch tests, and questionnaires were used to obtain data from the workers. The report concludes that workers exposed to Lubrisyn-plus with its biocide Ducide-20, or Trim-sol, or to Marvella had a significantly higher risk of developing dermatitis. Specific measures for fluid maintenance, employee education, hazard communication, and personal protection are recommended.