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Dust entry

Rubber-manufacturing dust

Dust generated during rubber manufacturing and processing operations.

Airborne form

dust

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

chronic respiratory symptomsacute reduction in ventilatory capacityreduced lung functionoccupational respiratory disease concern

Evidence

A NIOSH-indexed study of 409 rubber workers reported mean total dust of 33.1 mg/m3 and respirable dust of 4.29 mg/m3, with chronic respiratory symptoms and acute reductions in ventilation capacity.

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Abstract · 1
The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms in the 409 workers was significantly higher for all syndromes except for occupational asthma ... Acute reductions in ventilation capacity were noted in rubber workers over the work shift. ... The mean total dust concentration was very high at 33.1mg/m3 and the mean respirable fraction was 4.29mg/m3.

A NIOSH health-hazard evaluation of a leather-goods manufacturing facility included synthetic-rubber dust among the evaluated exposures and reported that measured exposure did not appear to pose a health hazard under the observed conditions.

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page 1 · Health Hazard Evaluation Determination · 7
Exposures of employees to leather, wood, and synthetic rubber dust ... are not believed to pose a health hazard under the conditions observed by the NIOSH industrial hygienist during the visit of November 4 and 5, 1976.

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