manufacture, processing and use of stainless steel - International ...

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Processing of stainless steel Processing of stainless steel includes activities such as welding, grinding, cutting, polishing and forming. Welding of stainless steel Welding fumes are complex mixtures of particles and gases, the composition and concentration of which vary according to several parameters including the welding method used and the consumable. The particulate fraction is mostly respirable and therefore welding operations present the potential for inhalation exposure in the occupational setting. Information concerning the acute toxicity of fume from the welding of stainless steel is available only from animal data. Inhalation of high concentrations of welding fume was associated with inflammatory changes in the lungs of rats, but a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) was not identified for this effect. The database concerning the effects of repeated exposure in animals is limited to a few studies. Pulmonary toxicity has been reported in rats in inhalation studies following exposure to high concentrations of MIG/SS or MMA/SS welding fume; again a NOAEL was not identified. Investigations of the effects of repeated exposure in humans have focused on renal toxicity and effects on respiratory health. Although investigations of renal toxicity are deficient in several respects, overall the results provide little evidence of an appreciable risk of renal disease at exposure levels likely to occur in modern industry. With regard to respiratory effects excluding cancer, although "welding fume" has been extensively studied, few data relate exclusively to stainless steel welders. Overall, the available data suggest that welding in general may be associated with an increased risk of reporting respiratory symptoms, but provide no convincing evidence of any increased risk of developing lung function abnormalities or of any specific association with stainless steel. The particulate fraction of MMA/SS fume, and to a lesser extent that of MIG/SS fume, has generated positive results in several in vitro genotoxicity assays. The results indicate that certain constituents of the particulate fraction of welding fume from stainless steel, probably water-soluble constituents, are mutagenic in vitro. Results from a single in vivo assay indicate that water-soluble components of MMA/SS fume particulate may be mutagenic to somatic cells in vivo. Investigations of genetic damage in lymphocytes from stainless steel welders have generated generally inconclusive results. Data from non-standard carcinogenicity bioassays provide no evidence for the carcinogenicity in animals of fume from stainless steel welding. A number of investigations into cancer risks in workers engaged in the welding of stainless steel have been performed. Whilst the lung cancer findings from these v
studies are often based on small numbers and interpretation is also hindered by the absence of reliable exposure histories, these studies provide no consistent pattern of excess lung cancer risk attributable to the welding of stainless steel. These findings are in agreement with the conclusion of a meta-analysis of lung cancer in welders, namely that the elevated lung cancer rates in welders “cannot be explained by hexavalent chromium and nickel exposures among stainless steel welders”. Several studies have investigated the effect of stainless steel welding in males on fertility and developmental toxicity, although variation in study design and deficiencies in methodology make summarising the information from these investigations difficult. Investigations of the effect on fertility provide equivocal evidence of an effect on semen quality, although there is no evidence to suggest any significant implications in terms of fertility. Investigations of developmental toxicity provide no evidence to suggest that welding of stainless steel as an occupation in males has an effect on developmental toxicity. When data concerning the hazards associated with fume from welding of stainless steel are evaluated against the current EU classification criteria, no stainless-steelspecific concern would appear to be raised in relation to any of the toxicological endpoints. Welding of any type of steel appears to be associated with a possible increase in the risk of lung cancer, but there is no further increased risk associated specifically with stainless steel welding. As some of the substances which occur in fume from welding are known to be carcinogenic, the potential for cancer is the most serious health concern. This and other potential health effects may be controlled by the use of occupational exposure limits for welding fume and for individual components of welding fume 2 . If exposure limits are maintained or, in the case of hexavalent chromium, reduced as far below the exposure limit as is reasonably practicable, then risks are considered to be negligible. Investigation of non-cancer respiratory health among welders of stainless steel is proposed as an area requiring further research. Such investigations should involve collection of exposure data and characterisation of welding fume for metal species present. With regard to the carcinogenicity of welding fume, it is suggested that the genotoxic activity of fume from stainless steel welding should be investigated in in vivo studies. 2 3 In the UK, the occupational exposure limit for welding fume as a total particulate mixture is 5 mg/m and for hexavalent chromium is 0.05 mg/m 3 . vi
Page 1 and 2: MANUFACTURE, PROCESSING AND USE OF
Page 3 and 4: 3.2 GRINDING OF STAINLESS STEEL ...
Page 5 and 6: Within the review, each section is
Page 7: Results from a single intra-muscula
Page 11 and 12: The toxicological database for fume
Page 13 and 14: PEFR peak expiratory flow rate PSD
Page 15 and 16: Table 1.1 Identity of stainless ste
Page 17 and 18: There are several different systems
Page 19 and 20: method have been used in some of th
Page 21 and 22: grade was tested, an austenitic sta
Page 23 and 24: pick-up of nickel and chromium when
Page 25 and 26: Human data Patch-testing studies Se
Page 27 and 28: does not allow any conclusions to b
Page 29 and 30: Schriver et al. (1976) reported a c
Page 31 and 32: Other studies reviewed in this sect
Page 33 and 34: Human data on the effects of prolon
Page 35 and 36: Exposure to stainless steel powder
Page 37 and 38: Prolonged exposure Information on t
Page 39 and 40: In view of the chemical/physical pr
Page 41 and 42: Figure 2.1 Production of stainless
Page 43 and 44: Table 2.1 Manufacture of stainless
Page 45 and 46: 2.3 Toxicokinetics Toxicokinetics i
Page 47 and 48: survey, there was no evidence of an
Page 49 and 50: The "exposure" variable used by the
Page 51 and 52: Table 2.2 Epidemiological studies o
Page 53 and 54: Consideration against classificatio
Page 55 and 56: 3 STAINLESS STEEL PROCESSING This s
Page 57 and 58: Arc voltage or arc length Arc volta
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3.1.2 Information on exposure Weldi
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Reference Akesson & Skerfving (1985
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Table 3.2 Elemental composition of
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These levels decreased, although ch
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treatment group and no effects were
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esponses in terms of irritancy, fib
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MMA/SS) at approximately 400 mg/m 3
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Exposure measure 60 Welders a (n=52
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was relatively heterogeneous. No de
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used included respiratory symptoms,
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Keskinen et al. (1980) reported on
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Positive results were reported with
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Welding method Electrode Base metal
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A significant increase in chromatid
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treated with MIG/SS fume. One lung
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The mortality experiences of the tw
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Moulin et al. 1993b Mortality was s
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Moulin 1997 A meta-analysis involvi
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Table 3.3. Epidemiological studies
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“are known, and in this study too
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Bonde et al. (1990) investigated fe
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out stainless steel welding in the
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contact. The available human data p
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Effects on reproduction No studies
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Table 3.4 Grinding of stainless ste
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Reference Process Work piece materi
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No deaths occurred in any treatment
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Human data No studies are available
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mg of dust per animal. In another t
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(Observed 8, Expected 4.7, SMR 170,
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Table 3.5 Epidemiological studies o
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Carcinogenicity The carcinogenicity
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Toxicokinetics and toxicity Informa
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112 APPENDIX 1 22.7.94 Official Jou
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BBBBBBBBIIIIIIIIBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLIII
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Escales F, Galante J, Rostoker W. B
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IARC. Monographs on the evaluation
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Malmqvist KG, Johansson GI, Bohgard
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Simonato L, Fletcher AC, Andersen A
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Bondemark L, Kurol J, Wennberg A. O
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Furon D, Hilderbrand HF. Research i
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Hooftman RN, Arkesteyn CW, Roza P.
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Koshi K, Yagami T. Chromosomes of c
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Merritt K, Brown SA. Release of hex
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Pereira ML. Studies on the permeabi
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Stern RM . Detecting a possible inc
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Toyoshima M, Sato A, Taniguchi M, I
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