Talc dust

Talc is considered a nuisance dust and subject to regulation in the workplace by both the Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Eight-hour exposure limits for talc dust are two milligrams of talc per cubic meter. 

A study of 260 workers with 15 or more years of exposure to commercial talc dust (containing not only talc, but also tremolite, antho-phyllite, carbonate dusts, and a small amount of free silica) revealed a 40-fold greater than expected proportional mortality from cancer of the lungs and pleura. In addition, a major cause of death was cor pulmonale, a result of the pneumoconiosis the effects were likely due to the asbestos-form contaminants. The role of nonfibrous talc in these disease states could not be assessed. 

Kleinfeld M et al Lung function in talc workers—a comparative physiologic study of workers exposed to fibrous and granular talc dusts. Arch Environ Health 9 559-566, 1964... 

Safety Note The talc used In this unit is the common baby powder sold In drugstores. Handling this material should create a minimal—and nonhazardous— amount of talc dust. If Inhalation does occur, contact a physician Immediately. 

In the above, <7C is the equivalent volume diameter, i.e. the diameter of a sphere having the same volume as an irregular particle. As Hinds (1982) points out The equivalent volume diameter can be thought of as the diameter of the sphere that would result if an irregular particle were melted to form a droplet <7C is calculated from microscopic measurement of the actual particles being considered, while x is the dynamic shape factor which is included to allow for the effects of shape on terminal velocity. For example, talc dust is characterized by a dynamic shape factor (/ ) of 1.88, sand particles by 1.57, etc. Spheres have a dynamic shape factor of 1.0 while cubes have a dynamic shape factor of 1.08. 

Beaverwhite. [Cyjxus Industrial Min.] Magnesium silicate (talc) dusting agent for SR bales and crumbs filler for SBR and NR foams, plastic resins. 

OTHER COMMENTS cosmetic grade talc contains more than 90% mineral talc and is free of detectable asbestos body, baby, face and after-shave powders are usually more than 50% industrial talc dusts (commercial talcs) have a varied mineral composition and may contain little or no talc found periodically as a contaminant of starch on surgical gloves. 

Occupational skin diseases health and safety precautions Acrylonitrile personal protective equipment Control of lead air sampling techniques and strategies Control of lead outside workers Control of lead pottery and related industries Control of exposure to polyvinyl chloride dust Control of exposure to talc dust Atmospheric pollution in car parks Benzidine based dyes. Health and safety precautions Probable asbestos dust concentrations at construction premises Work with asbestos cement Work with asbestos insulating board Ozone health hazards and precautionary measures Occupational exposure limits (updated yearly)... 

The prevalence of pneumoconiosis has been highly related to dust levels observed in the past years, as with other pneumoconioses. In one study of 43 talc workers who had an exposure to talc dust in milling operations for more than 10 years, 16 workers (37%) had roentgenographic findings of reticulonodular infiltrates (Kleinfeld et al. 1965). In one study on 176 workers having worked exclusively in the talc industry, associated with quartz below 3% and no... 

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