Occupational Health Guideline for Mineral Oil Mist

Occupational Health Guideline

for

Mineral Oil Mist

INTRODUCTION

This

guideline is intended as a

source

of

information

for

employees, employers, physicians, industrial hygienists,

and

other

occupational health professionals

who

may

have a need for

such

information.

It

does

not

a<tempt

to

present all data; rather,

it

presents pertinent information

and

data

in summary form.

SUBSTANCE IDENTIFICATION

• Formula:

C.H,.,

where

n =

16

and

up

• Synonyms:

The

mist

of

petroleum-based:

white

min-

eral oil;

cutting

oils; heat-treating oils; hydraulic oils;

cable oil; transformer oil; lubricating oils;

drawing

oils

•

Appearance

and

odor:

Mist

with

an

odor

like

burned

lube oil generated from petroleum-base

or

white

miner-

al petroleum oil.

PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT (PEL)

The

current

OSHA

standard for mineral oil mist is 5

milligrams

of

mineral oil mist

per

cubic

meter

of

air

(mglm')

averaged

over

an

eight-hour

work

shift.

HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION

• Routes

of

exposure

Mineral oil mist

can

affect

the

body

if

it

is inhaled.

• Effects

of

overe:I)IOSure

Inhalation

of

mineral oil mist

may

cause adverse respi-

ratory

effects.

• Reporting

signs and symptoms

A physician should

be

contacted

if

anyone develops

any

signs

or

symptoms

and

suspects

that

they

are

caused

by

exposure to mineral oil mist.

• Recommended medieal surveillance

The

following medical procedures should

be

made

available

to

each

employee

who

is exposed

to

mineral

oil mist

at

potentially hazardous levels:

1.

Initial Medical Screening: Employees should

be

screened for history

of

certain

medical conditions

(listed

below)

which

might

place

the

employee

a1

increased risk from mineral oil mist exposure.

-Chronic

respiratory disease:

In

persons

with

im-

paired pulmonary function, especially those

with

ob-

structive

airway

diseases,

the

breathing

of

mineral

oil

mist might cause exacerbation

of

symptoms

due

to

its

irritant properties.

-Skin

disease:

Prolonged

exposure

to

mineral oil

mist

may

cause a dermatitis. Persons

with

pre-existing

skin disorders

may

be

more

susceptible

to

the

effi'Ctl

of

this agent.

2.

Periodic Medical EZilminatilln:

Any

employee devel-

oping

the

above-listed conditions should

be

referred

f<K

further medical examination.

•

SII1IIJIUII"Y

of

tn:deology

Inhalation

of

mineral oil mist in

high

concentratio111

may

cause

pulmonary

effects,

although

this

has

rarely

been

reported. A single

case

of

lipoid pneumonitis

suspected

to

have

been

caused

by

exposure

to

very

high

concentrations

of

oil mist was

reported

in 1950; thia

occurred

in a

cash

register serviceman,

whose

heavy

exposure

occurred

over

17

years

of

employment;

no

other

cases

have

been

recorded. Experimental animal

exposure studies

to

white

mineral oil mist (Wltreated,

and

with

no

additions) for repeated daily IH!our expo-

sures for

1

year

at

5

mg!m•

were

entirely negative in all

criteria used for measuring response. A similsr

study

at

100

mg!m•

resulted in some slight changes in some

but

not

all species exposed;

no

histologic changes

of

signifi-

cance

were

noted.

Exposure

to

oil mist

did

not

appear

to

accelerate

the

production

of

lung

tumors

in a lung-

tumor-susceptible strain

of

mice. A second parallel

study

of

sulfurized, solvent-extracted

naphthenic-bue

oil

to

which

animals

were

exposed daily

at

50 mg!m.•

for

18

months

failed

to

reveal a single animal

with

aay

sort

of

injury

or

indisposition as a result

of

the

oil

mist

inhalation. A

review

of

exposures

to

mineral oil

mist

averaging

15

mglm

0

(but

often

higher)

in

several

industries disclosed a striking lack

of

reported

cases

of

illness related

to

these exposures. A

study

of

oil mist

These recommendations reflect

good

industrial hygiene and medical surveillance practices and their implementation will

assist in achieving an effective occupational health program. However,

they

may not be sufficient to achieve compliance

with all requirements

of

OSHA regulations.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health

Service Centers

lor

Disease

Control

National Institute

lor

Occupational Safety and Health

September

1871

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

1

exposures in machine shops,

at

mean concentrations

of

3.7

mglm

3

and

maximum

of

110

mglm

3

,

showed

no

increase in respiratory symptoms

or

decrement in

respi-

ratory

performance attributable

to

oil mist inhalation

among men employed for many years.

There

is

no

evidence

to

suggest

any

relation between in- halation

of

oil mist

and

lung cancer.

On

the

other

hand,

there

are

some reported cases

of

skin

cancer

from

contact

with

certain oils.

Contact

with

liquid oils may cause

dermati-

tis.

CHEMICAL

AND

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

•

Physical

data

I.

Molecular weight:

Not

pertinent

2.

Boiling point

(760

mm

Hg):

360

C

(680

F)

3.

Specificgravity(water

=

1):0.8-

0.9

4.

Vapor

density (air

=

I

at

boiling point

of

mineral

oil mist):

Not

applicable

5.

Melting point:

Very

low

6.

Vapor

pressure

at

20

C (68

F):

Very

low

7.

Solubility in water,

g/100

g

water

at

20

C (68

F):

Insoluble

8.

Evaporation rate (butyl acetate

=

I):

Not

applica-

ble

• Reacti"rity

I.

Conditions contributing

to

instability:

None

2.

Incompatibilities:

None

3.

Hazardous decomposition products:

None

4. Special precautions:

None

•

Flammability

I.

Flash

point:

135

C (275

F)

(closed

cup)

2.

Autoignition temperature:

260-

371

C

(500-

700

F)

3.

Flammable limits in air,

%

by

volume:

Not

appli-

cable

4.

Extinguishant:

Dry

chemical, foam,

carbon

diox-

ide

•

Warnmg

properties

Mineral oil mist is

not

known

to

be

an

eye

irritant.

MONITORING

AND MEASUREMENT

PROCEDURES

• General

Measurements

to

determine employee exposure

are

best

taken

so

that

the

average

eight-hour exposure is

based

on

a single eight-hour sample

or

on

two

four-hour

samples. Several short-time interval samples

(up

to

30

minutes)

may

also

be

used

to

determine

the

average

exposure level.

Air

samples should

be

taken in

the

employee's breathing zone (air that

would

most nearly

represent that inhaled

by

the

employee).

•

Method

Sampling

and

analyses

may

be

performed

by

collection

of

mineral oil mist

on

a

ftlter,

followed

by

treatment

with

chloroform

and

analysis

by

fluorescence

spectro-

photometry.

An

analytical

method

for mineral oil mist

is

in

the

NIOSH

Manual

of

Allalytica/

Methods.

2nd

Ed

..

2

Mineral

011

Mist

Vol.

4,

1978,

available from

the

Government

Printing

Office, Washington,

D.C.

20402

(GPO

No.

017-033-

00317-3).

RESPIRATORS

•

Good

industrial hygiene practices recommend

that

engineering controls be

used

to

reduce

environmental

concentrations

to

the

permissible exposure level.

How-

ever,

there

are

some exceptions

where

respirators

may

be

used

to

control

exposure. Respirators

may

be

used

when

engineering

and

work

practice

controls

are

not

technically feasible,

when

such

controls

are

in

the

process

of

being installed,

or

when

they

fail

and

need

to

be

supplemented. Respirators

may

also

be

used

for

operations

which

require

entry

into

tanks

or

closed

vessels,

and

in

emergency

situations.

If

the

use

of

respirators is necessary,

the

only

respirators permitted

are

those

that

have

been

approved

by

the

Mine Safety

and

Health

Administration (formerly Mining

Enforce-

ment

and

Safety Administration)

or

by

the

National

Institute for Occupational Safety

and

Health.

•

In

addition

to

respirator selection, a

complete

respira-

tory

protection

program

should

be

instituted

which

includes

regular

training, maintenance, inspection,

cleaning,

and

evaluation.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

• Employees should

be

provided

with

and

required

to

use impervious clothing, gloves, face shields (eight-inch

minimum),

and

other

appropriate

protective

clothing

necessary

to

prevent

repeated

or

prolonged

skin

contact

with

liquid mineral oil.

• Non-impervious clothing

which

becomes

wet

with

liquid mineral oil should

be

removed

promptly

and

not

rewom

until

the

mineral oil mist is removed from

the

clothing.

SANITATION

•

Skin that becomes

wet

with

liquid mineral oil should

be

promptly

washed

or

showered

with

soap

or

mild

detergent

and

water

to

remove

any

mineral oil mist.

COMMON OPERATIONS

AND

CONTROLS

The

following list includes some

common

operations in

which

exposure

to

mineral oil mist

may

occur

and

control methods

which

may

be

effective in

each

case:

September

1178

Operation

Use as a coolant

or

quenching agent in

machine shop

operations and metal

fabrication; during

coating and cleaning in

foundry operations

Use in steel rolling

operations; use in

lubricating and cleaning

of

machinery

Use in pressroom

operations in printing

Use in mine

drilling

operations

Use as an insecticide

Controls

Process enclosure;

local exhaust

ventilation; general

mechanical ventilation

Procass enclosure;

local exhaust

ventilation; general

mechanical ventilation

Mist suppression; local

exhaust ventilation;

general mechanical

ventilation

Process enclosure;

local exhaust

ventilation; general

mechanical ventilation

General

dilution

ventilation

EMERGENCY

FIRST

AID

PROCEDURES

In the event

of

an emergency, institute

first

aid proce-

dures and send for

first

aid

or

medical assistance.

• Skin

Exposure

If

skin becomes

wet

with mineral oil mist, wash the

contaminated skin using soap

or

mild detergent and

water.

If

mineral oil mist penetrates through the

cloth-

ing, remove the clothing and wash the

skin

using soap

or

mild detergent and water.

•

Breathin11

If

a person breathes in large amounts

of

mineral oil mist,

move the exposed person

to

fresh

air

at once.

SPILL,

LEAK, AND DISPOSAL

PROCEDURES

• Persons not wearing protective equipment and

cloth-

ing should

be

restricted from areas

of

spills

or

releases

until cleanup

has

been completed.

•

If

mineral oil mist is released in hazardous

concentra-

tions, ventilate area

of

release to disperse the mist.

•

If

mineral oil mist is spilled

or

leaked, the following

steps should

be

taken:

I.

Ventilate area

of

spill orleak.

2.

For

small quantities, absorb on paper towels.

Evapo-

rate in a safe place (such as a fume hood). Allow

sufficient time for evaporating vapors

to

completely

September

1871

clear the hood ductwork.

Bum

the paper

in

a suitable

location away from combustible materials. Large

quan-

tities can be collected and atomized

in

a suitable

com-

bustion chamber.

•

Waste disposal methods:

Mineral oil mist may

be

disposed of:

I.

By absorbing it in vermiculite,

dry

sand,

earth

or

a

similar material and disposing in a secured sanitary

landfill.

2.

By atomizing in a suitable combustion chamber.

REFERENCES

•

American Conference

of

Governmental Industrial

Hygienists:

"Oil

Mist (Mineral),"

Documentation

of

the

Threshold

Limit

Values

for

Substances in

Workroom

Air

(3rd ed., 2nd printing), Cincinnati,

1974.

•

Deichmann, W. B., and Gerarde, H. W.:

Toxicology

of

Drugs

and

Chemicals,

Academic Press,

New

York,

1969.

• Ely,

T.

S.,

et

al.:

"A

Study

of

Mortality, Symptoms,

and Respiratory Function in Humans Occupationally

Exposed to Oil

Mist,"

Journal

of

Occupational Medicine,

12:253-261,

1970.

•

Goldstein,

D.

H.,

et

al.:

"An

Epidemiologic

Study

of

an Oil Mist Exposure,"

Archives

of

Environmental

Health.

21:600-603,

1970.

•

Grant, W. M.:

Toxicology

of

the Eye

(2nd ed.),

C. C.

Thomas,

Springfield,

Illinois,

1974.

•

Hendricks, N.

V

.,

et

al.:

"A

Review

of

Exposures to

Oil

Mist,"

Archives

of

Environmental Health.

4:139-145,

1962.

• Lippmann, M., and Goldstein,

D.

H.:

"Oil-Mist Stud-

ies, Environmental Evaluation and Control,"

Archives

of

Environmental Health.

21:591-599,

1970.

• Proudfit,

J.

P.,

et

al.:

"Chronic

Lipid Pneumonia

Following Occupational Exposure,"

A.M.A.

Archives

of

Industrial Hygiene

and

Occupational Medicine, I:

105-

111,1950.

•

Stauden, A. (exec. ed.):

Kirk-Othmer

Encyclopedia

of

Chemical Technology

(2nd ed.), lnterscience,

New

York,

1972.

Mineral

on

Mist

3

RESPIRATORY

PROTECTION

FOR

MINERAL OIL MIST

Condition

Particulate Concentration

25

mg/m•

or less

50

mg/m•

or less

250

mg/m•

or less

2,500

mg/m•

or less

Greater than 2,500

mg/111"

or

entry and escape from

unknown concentrations

Fire Fighting

Minimum

Respiratory Protection•

Required Above 5

mg/111"

Any mist respirator, except single-use.

Any mist respirator, except single-use or quarter-mask respirator.

Any fume respirator or high efficiency particulate filter respirator.

Any supplied-air respirator.

Any self-contained breathing apparatus.

A high efficiency particulate filter respirator with a full facepiece.

Any supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece, helmet,

or

hood.

Any self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece.

A Type C supplied-air respirator operated in pressure-demand

or

other positive

pressure or continuous-flow mode.

A powered air-purifying respirator with a high efficiency particulate filter.

A Type C supplied-air respirator operated in pressure-demand or other positive

pressure or continuous-flow mode.

Self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in pressure-

demand

or

other positive pressure mode.

A combination respirator which includes a Type C supplied-air respirator with a

full facepiece operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure

or

continu-

ous-flow mode and an auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus operated

in

pressure-demand

or

other positive pressure mode.

Self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece operated in pressure-

demand or other positive pressure mode.

*Only NIOSH-approved or MSHA-approved equipment should be used.

4