Bitumen Emissions on Workplaces in Germany

Abstract

Since the mid-1990s the German BITUMEN Forum has worked on a comprehensive program on the safety and health at work with bitumen. Determining the concentration of emissions arising from handling hot bituminous substances has been one of the main priorities of the forum's work.

Almost all branches of industry in Germany that use bitumen have been examined. More than 2000 samples were gathered between 1991 and 2006. The measuring method determined vapors and aerosols emitted from hot bitumen.

With the results of these measurement data it is possible to show how exposures to vapors and aerosols of bitumen vary with production and different uses e.g., rolled asphalt, mastic asphalt, roofing, and joint fillers. With the exception of work with mastic asphalt, all uses of bitumen show exposures to vapors and aerosols of bitumen of less than 10 mg/m ³ .

The situation for mastic asphalt is entirely different. At the workplaces at mechanical as well as manual work with mastic asphalt very often exposures above 10 mg/m³ vapors and aerosols of bitumen have been observed.

The main reason for this significant effect is the processing temperature. In paving with rolled asphalt—with a maximum laying temperature of approximately 180°C (356°F)—the highest exposures are about 10 mg/m ³ . But for mastic asphalt work (laying temperature of approximately 250°C; 482°F) the exposures are up to more than 50 mg/m ³ . The results of these measurements in almost all branches of industry in Germany that use bitumen will be presented.

Keywords:

• asphalt
• German BITUMEN Forum
• roofing
• vapors and aerosols of bitumen