title: Methylene chloride exposure in furniture-stripping shops: ventilation and respirator use practices.
abstract: Four cases of serious methylene chloride (dichloromethane) poisoning, including fatalities, in small-scale furniture-stripping shops were reported to the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center between 1984 and 1988. Adequate ventilation systems and use of recommended respirators may seem impractical or overly expensive to the operators of such shops. Twenty-one shops in the metropolitan Denver, Colorado area were surveyed. A half-facepiece respirator with organic vapor cartridges was worn at least part-time in 14 of 21 shops; none was worn in 7. In 10 of 21 shops, workers had experienced dizziness, headache, or nausea when stripping furniture. Current safety practices in small-scale furniture-stripping shops may be inadequate to keep methylene chloride exposure levels in compliance with latest recommendations, and serious or fatal overexposure can occur.
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver 60204.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Rumack
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000506:poisoning*; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings; D008297:Male; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000506:poisoning*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011482:Protective Devices; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical
chemical_list: D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D008752:Methylene Chloride