Fume Metal Fever Sec.1

OVERVIEW
Metal Fume Fever is the name for an illness that is caused primarily by exposure to zinc oxide fume (ZnO) in the workplace. The main cause of this exposure is usually breathing the fumes from welding, cutting, or brazing on galvanized metal. Metal Fume Fever is an acute allergic condition experienced by many welders during their occupational lifetimes. Studies indicate that the most common cause of metal fume fever is overexposure to zinc fumes from welding,burning, or brazing galvanized steel. Since galvanized steel is more and more common in industry, the chances of welders having to work on it are occurring more frequently all the time. Other elements, such as copper and magnesium, may cause similar effects.

EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE
Zinc oxide fumes cause a flu–like illness called Metal Fume Fever. Symptoms of
Metal Fume Fever include headache, fever,chills, muscle aches, thirst, nausea, vomiting,chest soreness, fatigue, gastrointestinal pain, weakness, and tiredness. The symptoms usually start several hours after exposure; the attack may last 6 to 24 hours. Complete recovery generally occurs without intervention within 24 to 48 hours. MetalFume Fever is more likely to occur after a period away from the job (after weekends or vacations). High levels of exposure may cause a metallic or sweet taste in the mouth,dry and irritated throat, thirst, and coughing at the time of the exposure. Several hours after exposure, a low–grade fever (seldom higher than 102
F or 39
C). Then comes sweating and chills before temperature returns to normal in 1 to 4 hours. If you encounter these symptoms, contact a physician and have a medical examination /evaluation. There is no information in the literature regarding the effects of long–term exposure to zinc oxide fumes.

PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT (PEL)
The current OSHA standard for zinc oxide fume is 5 milligrams of zinc oxide fume per
cubic meter of air (mg/m3 ) averaged over an eight–hour work shift. NIOSH recommends
that the permissible exposure limit be changed to 5 mg/m3 averaged over a work
shift of up to 10 hours per day, 40 hours per week, with a Short–Term Exposure Limit
(STEL) of 10 mg/m3 averaged over a 15–minute period. Consult the NIOSH standard, Criteria Document for Zinc Oxide,listed in the Information Sources for more detailed information.