Airborne droplets and mist generated from neat oils or water-based metalworking fluids during machining, shaping, or component washing.
Evidence
A NIOSH evaluation at an aluminum rolling facility found that workers were exposed to metalworking coolant mist/aerosol and identified work-related acute respiratory effects in participants, along with frequent eye and skin irritation; the report describes the coolant as a soluble-oil, water-based fluid.
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page 4 · Summary · 4The workers throughout the Hot Line Department are exposed to the mist/aerosol of the metalworking coolant solution.
The UK HSE states that exposure to metalworking fluids can cause occupational asthma, occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis, bronchitis, upper-respiratory irritation, breathing difficulties, and dermatitis, and that workers can inhale mist generated during machining and shaping.
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The main health risks from working with metalworking fluids; How harm is caused · 1Exposure to metalworking fluids can cause: irritation of the skin or dermatitis; lung diseases, such as occupational asthma, occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis, bronchitis, irritation of the upper respiratory tract and other breathing difficulties ... if you inhale the mist generated during machining/shaping operations.
NIOSH states that metalworking-fluid exposures can occur through inhaling aerosols and reports cough, asthma, other breathing problems, occupational asthma, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis among findings from its health-hazard evaluations.
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Summary; What are metalworking fluids? · 2Exposures to MWFs can occur through inhaling aerosols ... respiratory symptoms (cough, asthma, or other breathing problems). ... findings consistent with occupational asthma in 3, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis in 3.
NIOSH defines metalworking-fluid aerosol as the mist and contaminants generated during grinding and machining, and reports associations with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, chronic bronchitis, impaired lung function, asthma, and some cancers.
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Metalworking Fluids · 2NIOSH defines MWF aerosol as the mist and all contaminants in the mist generated during grinding and machining operations ... Respiratory conditions include hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), chronic bronchitis, impaired lung function, and asthma. In addition, substantial evidence shows that past exposures to some metalworking fluids were associated with increased risk of some types of cancer.
HSE reports that compressed-air cleaning of machined components can generate inhalable metalworking-fluid mist, with potential risks including severe asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
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RR1171 summary · 1The use of compressed airguns by machinists to clean machined components can generate MWF mist composed of droplets small enough to be inhaled ... Potential risks include inhalation of small MWF droplets and mist causing lung diseases such as severe asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
HSE identifies hexavalent chromium compounds and nickel sulphate in electroplating as respiratory sensitisers in mist form; after sensitization, even low subsequent exposure can trigger an asthma attack and symptoms can include severe shortness of breath.
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Occupational asthma · 1–3In electroplating and similar processes these can include hexavalent chromium compounds and nickel sulphate. These substances are called 'respiratory sensitisers' or asthmagens ... once the lungs become hypersensitive, further exposure ... even at quite low levels, may trigger an attack. Symptoms include severe shortness of breath.
HSE's local-exhaust-ventilation guide distinguishes airborne dust, fume, mist, and fibres by how they arise: dust is solid particulate, fume is condensed vaporized solid, mist is liquid particulate, and fibres are elongated solid particles.
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page 12 · Chapter 3 — Properties of airborne contaminants · 34‘Particles’ include dusts, fumes, mists and fibres. Dust: Solid particles ... Fume: Vaporised solid that has condensed ... Mist: Liquid particles ... Fibres: Solid particles — the length is several times the diameter.