Diesels in the Occupational Environment: An Environmental Perspective.
Piacitelli-GM; Jones-WG; Timko-JF
NIOSH 1985 May:18 pages
Following a brief review of the history and applications of diesel power, some aspects of diesel power in the workplace were investigated. The diesel engine has become a highly developed, heavy duty power unit which is a predominant source of industrial power throughout the world, primarily since it can burn a low grade fuel more efficiently and therefore cheaper than other internal combustion or stem power engines. Levels of carbon-dioxide (124389), carbon-monoxide (630080), and nitrogen-dioxide (10102440) (NO2) in environments using diesel engines were compared. Studies of the operation of such equipment had been conducted in underground coal mines, metal and mineral ore mines, heavy equipment operations, engine repair shops for both transit buses and for railroad locomotives, ammunition warehouses using diesel forklifts, and submarines using auxiliary diesel engines. Results of an analysis of these studies indicated that the impact of diesel exhaust on air quality depends on the operations being performed, the emission controls applied and the amount of dilution provided by ventilation. NO2 and diesel particulates were considered to be the critical pollutants. Various methods of reducing the emission levels were discussed.
Equipment-operators; Construction-industry; Mining-industry; Diesel-engines; Diesel-exhausts; Airborne-particles; Mining-equipment; Transportation-industry; Underground-mining;
124-38-9; 630-08-0; 10102-44-0;
NTIS Accession No.
Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, NIOSH, Morgantown, West Virginia, 18 pages, 35 references