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Warning:
This site is being maintained for historical purposes, but has had no new entries since October 1998. To find more recent articles, please visit the following:
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NIOSH Alert: Request for Assistance in Preventing Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome
MMWR 43(26);486
Publication date: 07/08/1994
Table of Contents
POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS DOCUMENT:
Article
CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) periodically issues alerts on workplace hazards that have caused death, serious injury, or illness to workers. One such alert, Request for Assistance in Preventing Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome (1), was recently published and is available to the public. *This alert warns agricultural workers who inhale contaminated organic dust that they can develop serious respiratory illness. One of the most common illnesses is organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS), a respiratory and systemic illness that can follow exposures to heavy concentrations of organic dusts contaminated with microorganisms. An estimated 30%-40% of workers exposed to such organic dusts will develop ODTS. The alert describes four incidents in which 29 agricultural workers developed ODTS. Also described are the various medical conditions that ODTS includes and the health effects associated with the syndrome. The alert provides recommendations for minimizing the risk for exposure to organic dusts and for the use of respirators.
References
Reference1. NIOSH. Request for assistance in preventing organic dust toxic syndrome. Cincinnati: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, CDC, 1994; DHHS publication no. (NIOSH)94-102.
* Single copies of this document are available without charge from the Publications Office, Division of Standards Development and Technology Transfer, NIOSH, CDC, Mailstop C-13, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998; telephone (800) 356-4674 ({513} 533-8328 for persons outside the United States); fax (513) 533-8573.
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For single issue purchase 800-843-6356
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH State/Fed Gov: For free copies
write to: CDC, MMWR MS(C-08)
Atlanta, GA 30333
