Boating Industry Intelligence You Can Profit From
CHICAGO – The Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health is undertaking a large control technology assessment to determine the occupational exposures to styrene during the production of fiber reinforced plastic parts in boat manufacturing, the National Marine Manufacturers Association said in a release today.
The study will be performed in stages over the next two years and will include air monitoring for styrene as well as noise monitoring during phase one of the project. Phase two will focus on the project protocol and peer review, followed by two surveys of the closed molding process. Results from these two phases will be reviewed to determine if additional research is needed.
“NMMA’s reluctant support of this project is based on a NIOSH commitment to include a ventilation study as part of this project,” said NMMA Director of Environmental Health and Safety Compliance John McKnight. “NIOSH is recognized as the expert in ventilation engineering and the boat building industry could greatly benefit from such a study.”
McKnight said that the NMMA Environmental Committee will participate in the development of this project and peer review of any published documents.