Dr. David Weissman, Director of the Respiratory Disease Studies Division for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Max Kiefer, Director of the NIOSH Western States Office, have recommended protection for workers who may be exposed to erionite, a naturally occurring mineral found in volcanic ash altered by weathering and ground water.

In its fibrous form, erionite can be problematic when it is disturbed and becomes airborne. Erionite fibers pose an inhalation hazard, which research has shown to be 100 to 800 times more lethal than asbestos.

Residents of Cappadocian villages in Turkey use erionite-containing rock to construct homes. The inhabitants have been found to have a very high risk of developing malignant mesothelioma. Erionite is also quite prevalent in the sedimentary rocks of the Western United States.

Until recently, erionite was not considered a hazard in North America, because little risk for exposure was foreseen; however, evidence linking exposure to erionite with serious adverse health effects suggests that some workers have a greater potential for exposure than previously recognized.

The first North American case of erionite-related lung disease was observed in 1981. The victim was a Utah construction worker who lived in an area rich in zeolite deposits. He had extensive parenchymal and pleural fibrosis, and a lung biopsy revealed the presence of fibrous and nonfibrous particles that had compositions consistent with erionite.

Erionite-related disease has most often been reported in road construction and maintenance workers who have occupational exposures to erionite-containing gravel used in road surfacing.

Erionite has been designated a known human carcinogen and the US Geological Survey found that erionite fibers from Turkey, North Dakota, and Oregon were chemically and morphologically similar.

Precautions to protect workers by limiting the generation and inhalation of erionite-contaminated dust should be in place, yet there are neither regulatory or consensus standards, nor occupational exposure limits for airborne erionite fibers. The 14 steps recommended by NIOSH below are nonobligatory, but represent a sensible preliminary step in addressing the hazards of erionite exposure.

A good approach to protecting workers would be to utilize the precautions described in OSHA's guidance for working with asbestos (29 CFR 1910.1001). Weissman and Kiefer have also made the following risk-reduction recommendations in an attempt to limit exposure to gravel or soil that may contain erionite:

1. Train workers about the hazards of erionite and control methods for reducing exposure.
2. Know where erionite containing material may be encountered prior to beginning work.
3. Avoid the use of erionite containing aggregate whenever possible.
4. Use wet methods to reduce dust generation for road and other work where erionite is present; use machinery with dust collection systems.
5. Limit the number of workers who will be engaged in work with erionite.
6. Establish decontamination protocols including changes of clothing, showering before leaving the worksite, and appropriate cleaning and disposal of personal protective equipment.
7. Ensure that work clothing is not washed at home to prevent erionite fibers from being brought home on clothes and footwear.
8. Prohibit dry sweeping, the use of leaf blowers or compressed air for cleaning.
9. Protect employees with personal protective equipment, including respiratory protection.
10. Prohibit eating, drinking, or smoking in dusty work areas where erionite fibers may be airborne. Workers should move away from the work area for breaks and wash their hands and face before eating, drinking, or smoking.
11. Establish protocols for vehicle use on erionite-containing roads (drive slowly, vents closed, windows up).
12. Wet-wash equipment and vehicle exteriors, and wet-clean using High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter vacuuming of vehicle interiors.
13. Follow the EPA procedures for proper disposal of waste and debris containing erionite.
14. Prevent visitors and workers from standing in work areas where erionite fibers may become airborne.

This past Tuesday, a dust storm unlike any other hit the Phoenix area, obscuring the sun and pretty much everything else. In its wake it left downed trees, power outages, and a thick layer of dust over everything. 

Dust storms are not uncommon in our area during the monsoon season (roughly June through September), but this one left even life-long residents in awe.

Deemed a haboob (which in Arabic means “strong wind”), this dust storm was estimated to be around 5,000 feet high and up to 100 miles wide, reaching speeds of 50 miles-per-hour.

This storm also traveled an unusually long distance, around 150 miles from where it originated near Tucson. 

Phoenix residents had plenty of warning that the storm was on its way, but it never hurts to remember that we need to be prepared – for another haboob, a major thunderstorm, or whatever other disaster, natural or not, may strike.

The importance of being prepared in an emergency applies to businesses as well as individuals. 

For example, Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix had to shut-down for approximately 45 minutes during the haboob.  That meant delaying flight take-offs and re-routing flights scheduled to land in Phoenix.  They also had to deal with the unexpected occurrence of having the smoke alarms go off in the baggage claim area due to the dust blowing in through the doors.

Any business, regardless of what line of work it is in, should have an emergency preparedness plan.  This is extra important for businesses that are tasked with the protection of public health and safety. 

This issue has come up most recently in this blog by way of nuclear facility safety – during earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding and wildfires. 

Our business helps organizations stay aware of, and therefore be prepared for, changes in regulations that are put into place to help them remain safe. 

The haboob was a great big dusty reminder of why it is important to always have your eyes open to safety and to know what to do when something unexpected happens.