Worker exposure to perchloroethylene (127184) (PCE) were surveyed in May 18, 1979, at Janet Davis Cleaners (SIC-7216) in Detroit, Michigan. The company employed 17 workers. Time weighted average (TWA) personal PCE exposures ranged from 2.8 to 20 parts per million (ppm), and 5 minute peak exposures ranged from 42 to 117ppm. One 15 minute PCE concentration was 37ppm. All exposures were below OSHA TWA, 5 minute and 15 minute exposure standards of 100, 300 and 200ppm respectively. The author recommends that PCE exposures be kept as low as possible since the carcinogenicity of the compound has not been established. Workers should be provided with preplacement physical examinations, respirators and protective clothing, improved ventilation should be installed around dry cleaning machines and recovery units, and workers should be informed about PCE hazards. Other recommendations include periodic inspection of equipment and PCE storage containers, direct piping of recovered PCE solvent to the base tank of the dry cleaning machine, and proper disposal of PCE solvent residues.
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