Table 2.
Cobalt skin exposure concentrations from the hand testing areas (thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and palm) by department (µg/cm2/h)
| Department | n | Mean | Median | SD | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder | 6 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 0.9–11 |
| Pressing | 25 | 29.0 | 23.0 | 23.0 | 0.44–100 |
| Periphery grinding (shape) | 11 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.99 | 0.33–4.2 |
| Periphery grinding (grade) | 1 | 0.49 | 0.49 | — | — |
| Charging/decharging | 6 | 0.21 | 0.21 | 0.11 | 0.046–0.33 |
| PVD furnace | 3 | 0.20 | 0.15 | 0.084 | 0.14–0.29 |
| CVD furnace | 2 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.034 | 0.075–0.12 |
| Inspection | 2 | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0.066 | 0.088–1.0 |
| Storage | 2 | 0.16 | 0.16 | 0.11 | 0.081–0.23 |
| Process laboratory | 4 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 1.0–5.4 |
| Total | 62 | 12 | 2.0 | 20.0 | 0.046–100 |
CVD, chemical vapour deposition; n, number of workers; PVD, physical vapour deposition; SD, standard deviation.