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Chemical Sampling Information |
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| Cellulose (Total Dust) |
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General Description
Synonyms: Paper Fiber; Hydroxycellulose; Pyrocellulose
OSHA IMIS Code Number: 0575
Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number: 9004-34-6
NIOSH, Registry of Toxic Effects (RTECS) Identification Number: FJ5691460
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, Cellulose: chemical description, physical properties, potentially hazardous incompatibilities, and more
Exposure Limits
OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for General Industry: 29 CFR 1910.1000 Z-1 Table -- 15 mg/m3 TWA
OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Maritime: 29 CFR 1915.1000 Table Z-Shipyards -- 15 mg/m3 TWA
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): 10 mg/m3 TWA
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL): 10 mg/m3 TWA
Health Factors
Potential symptoms: Irritation of eyes, skin, mucous membranes; blocked nose, dry nose, sneezing; hoarseness, cough and phlegm; exercise-induced dyspnea.
Health Effects: Nuisance particulate (HE19)
Affected organs: Eyes, skin, respiratory system
Notes: 1) Cellulose dust is combustible, and under certain circumstances may represent an explosion hazard (see OSHA, 2005). 2) Exposure of insulation installers to both cellulose dust and cellulose fibers has been studied, and the exposure risk was found to be high for loose-fill materials. 3) Exposure of workers in soft tissue paper manufacturing in Germany to inhalable dust was considered high (means, 10.3 and 12.4 mg/m3), whereas exposure to respirable dust was much lower (means, 0.22 and 0.28 mg/m3). Thus, most significant symptoms involved the upper respiratory tract, although pulmonary function parameters (FVC and FEV1) also decreased with increasing exposure. 4) Workers involved in the manufacturing of cellulose from raw materials, such as reeds or cotton [see Cotton Dust (Raw)], may also experience respiratory symptoms related to exposure to irritating dust.
Date Last Revised: 09/23/2005
Literature Basis:
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: Cellulose.
- OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB 07-31-2005): Combustible Dust in Industry: Preventing and Mitigating the Effects of Fire and Explosions.
- Breum, N.O., Schneider, T., Jorgensen, O., Valdbjorn-Rasmussen, T. and Skibstrup-Eriksen, S.: Cellulosic building insulation versus mineral wool, fiberglass or perlite: installer's exposure by inhalation of fibers, dust, endotoxin and fire-retardant additives. Ann. Occup. Hyg. 47(8): 653-669, 2003.
- Çöplü, L., et al.: Lung health in workers exposed to reed dust. Respir. Med. 99(4): 421-428, 2005.
- Kraus, T., Pfahlberg, A., Gefeller, O. and Raithel, H.J.: Respiratory symptoms and diseases among workers in the soft tissue producing industry. Occup. Environ. Med. 59(12): 830-835, 2002.
- Kraus, T., Pfahlberg, A., Zöbelein, P., Gefeller, O. and Raithel, H.J.: Lung function among workers in the soft tissue paper-producing industry. Chest 125(2): 731-736, 2004.
Monitoring Methods used by OSHA
Laboratory Sampling/Analytical Method:
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sampling media: tared 37-mm diameter low-ash polyvinyl chloride filter
maximum volume: 960 Liters maximum flow rate: 2.0 L/min
current analytical method: Gravimetric
method reference: OSHA Analytical Method (OSHA PV2121)
method classification: Partially Validated
note: OSHA personnel can obtain tared sampling media from SLTC.
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Page last updated: 04/06/2006
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