Frack Check WV » lung cancer

Recent Study Linking Home Radon Level to Fracking, Not Correctly Done

admin — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 19:07:43 +0000

Marcellus & Utica shales are being drilled in Ohio

ODNR disputes study distributed by University of Toledo, linking radon to fracking

From an Article by Sara Welch, Shale Gas Reporter, July 3, 2019

Since its publication and redistribution, a University of Toledo study that links the presence of radon in homes to proximity to fracking wells has been disputed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for using incorrect numbers in its evaluation.

The University of Toledo initially published its study midway through April. However, it wasn’t picked up by science and research websites, and even the Shale Gas Reporter, until the end of June. As its distribution spread, the data behind the study was questioned even less. It wasn’t until The Athens News took a closer look at the numbers to compose a local snapshot of the study that discrepancies were pointed out and the ODNR began working with the university to correct the errors.

After taking a closer look at the numbers referenced in the study, it’s clear they were predominantly derived from a singular source. The ODNR Division of Oil & Gas map the researchers pulled their data from contains accurate information; however, it doesn’t appear to have been read correctly.

From the map’s default view, only fracking wells appear to be marked. When you zoom in three times to take a closer look every well that has been permitted — even ones that have not been drilled — appears. One theory is that the University of Toledo researchers who worked on the study may have incorrectly counted the dots on the map, accidentally including more than just fracking wells in the data from which their study draws its conclusion.

If you’re interested in finding out more about fracking activity in your area, you can find up-to-date data on well drilling and permitting on the ODNR Division of Oil & Gas Resources Shale Well Drilling & Permitting page.

Resources for this Article:

The Athens News > ODNR: Study linking radon to fracking in Ohio uses incorrect numbers
Frontiers in Public Health > Impact of the Hydraulic Fracturing on Indoor Radon Concentrations in Ohio: A Multilevel Modeling Approach (University of Toledo study)
Ohio Department of Natural Resources > Shale Well Drilling & Permitting (ONDR data on fracking wells only)
Ohio Department of Natural Resources > Ohio Oil & Gas Wells (map used in study)

Respirators Are Not Enough: New Study Examines Worker Exposure to Silica in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

Duane Nichols — Sun, 04 Aug 2013 02:50:27 +0000

: Environmental Health & Safety

Exposure to Silica in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

Article By Sandy Smith, Environmental Health & Safety, EHSToday.com, August 1, 2013

A new study, “Occupational Exposures to Respirable Crystalline Silica During Hydraulic Fracturing,” found respirable crystalline silica, a human lung carcinogen, to be an occupational exposure hazard for workers at hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations. Researchers also found that the most commonly used type of respirator – the half-mask air-purifying respirator – might not provide enough protection for workers.

The study, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (JOEH) August issue, is the first systematic investigation of worker exposure to crystalline silica during directional drilling and fracking operations, a process used to stimulate well production in the oil and gas industry.

Field researchers from the NIOSH Western States Office (WSO) and the Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART) collected 111 personal breathing zone samples at 11 sites in five states over a 15-month period to evaluate exposures to respirable crystalline silica during fracking operations.

“Certain work in this industry requires employees to be in areas where respirable silica levels may exceed defined occupational exposure limits like the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit or the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limits [RELs],” said researcher Michael Breitenstein, who is with the NIOSH DART in Cincinnati. “However, our study found that in some cases, full shift personal breathing zone exposures exceeded 10 times the REL.”

Respirable silica is the portion of crystalline silica that is small enough to enter the gas-exchange regions of the lungs if inhaled and includes particles with aerodynamic diameters less than approximately 10 micrometers (μm). Occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica are associated with the development of silicosis, lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases. These exposures also may be related to the development of autoimmune disorders, chronic renal disease and other adverse health effects.

“Although half-mask, air-purifying respirators are most commonly used at hydraulic fracturing sites, due to the magnitude of the silica concentrations measured, half-masks might not be sufficiently protective,” said researcher Eric J. Esswein, of the NIOSH WSO in Denver. “In some cases, silica concentrations exceeded the maximum use concentration for that type of respirator.”

According to NIOSH, the risks of silica exposures for workers exposed at or above the REL (0.05 mg/m3) may be minimized by substituting less hazardous materials and using engineering controls to limit exposures. In cases when engineering controls are not sufficient to keep exposures below the REL, NIOSH recommends using appropriate respiratory protection, and making medical examinations available to exposed workers.

See also EcoWatch for related information.

Silica Dust from Frack Sand is a Real Health Hazard for Well Pad Workers

Duane Nichols — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:15:06 +0000

According to reporter Alex Wayne of Business Week, fracking sand dust from the hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas is one of the most dangerous threats to workers on wellpads reports a government safety researcher. Eric Esswein, an industrial hygienist at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) says that over 75% of air samples show high dust levels. The particles in sand dust created during the fracking process can lodge in the lungs and cause potentially fatal silicosis, he said at a conference sponsored by the Institute of Medicine on April 30^th.

Esswein, whose agency is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said his team spent about 225 hours visiting 11 well sites in Colorado, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Texas and North Dakota in 2010 and 2011, with the consent of drilling companies, to examine safety practices. He took air samples from workers and near wellheads, to test for contaminants, and found elevated levels of silica most places. In about one-third of the samples, he said, silica levels were more than 10 times recommendations.

Workers were careful while handling dangerous chemicals and generally knew what to do in the event of emergencies, he said. “There’s a big focus on safety” at well sites, Esswein said. “There isn’t as much emphasis on health. We call it big ‘S’ and little ‘H.’” Esswein said he didn’t know whether the sand dust may be harmful to local residents because his team didn’t take measurements at the edges of well sites. He plans to publish data from his survey in trade and scientific journals this year.

However, according to Steve Everley of Energy In Depth, “When it comes to claims that hydraulic fracturing is causing people to get sick more frequently or more severely, the data simply do not support that conclusion.” His group advocates for drilling-friendly policies on behalf of gas companies including Chesapeake Energy. Workers at gas wells are generally safer than in other businesses, Everley said, pointing to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data that show the incidence of non-fatal injuries in the oil and gas extraction industry is less than half the national average.