Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (SENSOR): Recommendations for control of silica exposure at Woodbridge Sanitary Pottery Corporation, Woodbridge, New Jersey

An in-depth survey of exposure to silica dust at the Woodbridge Sanitary Pottery Corporation, Woodbridge, New Jersey was conducted as a part of the Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (SENSOR) cooperative effort. The facility manufactured vitreous china products, including toilet bowls and lavatories. Personal and area atmospheric sampling showed that personal exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust ranged from 0.12 to 0.18 mg/m{sup 3} with at least half the samples exceeding the NIOSH recommended exposure limit of 0.05 mg/m{sup 3} for crystalline silica. The workers in the Slip House suffered the highest exposures, where area concentrations averaged 0.38 mg/m{sup 3}. Of the other three areas, casting, glaze spraying, and glaze preparation, the highest personal exposures were in the glaze-spraying areas where 67% of the personal samples exceeded the OSHA permissible exposure limits for respirable dust. Ergonomic evaluations were conducted to determine lifting hazards at several workstations. The authors conclude that there were excessive exposures to respirable silica dust and respirable dust. There was also a high risk of lost time in injuries from manual handling of heavy loads. Improvements should be made in the design and maintenance of ventilation control systems, work stations, and work practices.