Industrywide Studies Report: A Walkthrough Survey of Baxter-Travenol, Mt. Home, Arkansas

摘要

A walk through survey was made at the Baxter Travenol facility (SIC-3841) located in Mt. Home, Arkansas for the purpose of evaluating the industrial hygiene records, production processes, and personnel records to determine the suitability of including this facility inthe NIOSH industrywide studies branch mortality/industrial hygiene study of ethylene-oxide (75218) (EtO). The facility has used EtO from 1964 to the present time to sterilize blood collection kits, intravenous sets, and artificial kidney kits. There were about 1300 females and about 550 males employed at the facility. Medical, industrial hygiene and safety programs at the facility were evaluated. The authors conclude that personnel records were not adequate to construct work histories for workers; in some cases it was not possible to tell if a worker was exposed. The facility did fulfill the requirement for a minimum number of person years of exposure and there was enough data to characterize exposure. It was decided to exclude this facility from the cohort mortality study due to the limitations of the personnel records.