Abstract

A walk-through survey was conducted at the W.R. Grace Chemical Company, Bartow, Florida, on May 13, 1975, to investigate the possibility of conducting a comprehensive field study of a wet chemical fertilizer plant. The phosphate fertilizer manufacturing (SIC-2874) process is described, and information is given on the medical, safety and industrial hygiene program. It is recommended that a study be conducted to quantify worker exposure to concentrations of sulfuric-acid (7664939) mist, phosphoric-acid mist (7664382), fluorides (16984-48-8), trace metals, radium (7440144) and radon (10043922) levels, and particle size distribution during the period when the phosphoric-acid reaction vessel is being cleaned. Since radiation from radon daughter products is suspected as the agent most likely to cause lung cancer in this operation, a similar study is suggested in a wet chemical fertilizer facility where low radiation levels are present.