Health Hazards of Diesel Exhaust

Diesel exhaust is an airborne contaminant. This type of exhaust is encountered anywhere diesel-powered equipment is used. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), "more than one million workers are exposed to diesel exhaust and face the risk of adverse health effects."

Health Risks

• Mild health risks include headaches and nausea. More severe health risks include cancer and respiratory disease. As of 2010, there is no industry standard for diesel exhaust in and of itself. However, certain components of diesel exhaust have specific industry standards. Industry standards include rules and regulations that must be followed when using a certain product.

At-Risk Occupations

• Loading docks experience high levels of diesel exhaust.

  Diesel exhaust affects a variety of industry workers. Those affected could include truck drivers, material handling machine operators and anyone working in bridges and tunnels, loading docks, maintenance garages, mines or railroads.

Standards

• At a minimum, each state must adhere to the federal standards; however, a state may enforce further standards on its own. According to OSHA, "twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans."

Code of Federal Regulations

• The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) lists all federal standards for OSHA regulations. In particular, CFR 29 -- Standard 1910.134 details regulations on respiratory protection. CFR 29 -- Standard 1910.178(b)(2) lists regulations on diesel exhaust safeguards.

Prevention

• Proper training will mitigate the harm caused by diesel exhaust. Reduce risk by caring properly for diesel engines and following all manufacturer guidelines. Follow the preventative maintenance schedule. Do not operate the engine at low revolutions per minute (RPM) in high load situations. Eliminate unnecessary idle time.