To evaluate a potential health hazard to baggage handlers, including one employee who developed chest pains when there was heavy traffic from the gasoline powered tractors delivering baggage, hourly and 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) air samples were taken for carbon monoxide (CO) at the Frontier Airlines work station at the Denver Bag Transfer Point and approximately 50 yards from this station. Average background levels of CO were 10 ppm. When the gasoline powered tractors arrived with baggage, levels went up to as high as 100 ppm, but again returned to 15-20 ppm within 15 seconds. Workers in the baggage area were exposed to CO levels above background but not high enough to cause problems in otherwise healthy individuals. Exposures in the Denver Bag area are somewhat higher than in the Bag Room giving a maximum COHb level of 3.8%. The recommended limit is 5% COHb for non-smokers. By history, exposures in this area did cause problems in at least one individual, although he probably had a somewhat compromised heart which contributed to the problem. Shutting of the engine while unloading the baggage has significantly reduced the CO exposure in the area.
Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. HETA 83-145-1330, Frontier Airlines, Denver, Colorado
1983
13 pages
Report
No indication
English
Public Health & Industrial Medicine , Toxicology , Environmental Health & Safety , Air Pollution & Control , Environmental surveys , Industrial medicine , Commercial aircraft , Exhaust emissions , Exposure , Toxicity , Inspection , Hazardous materials , Carbon monoxide , Air pollution , Toxic substances , Occupational safety and health , SIC 4511 , Baggage handlers