Diesel Exhaust
Diesel exhaust is a mix of gases and fine soot particles. It is classified as a cause of lung cancer, and it irritates the eyes, nose and lungs. Exposure is highest in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas, where it can build up along with carbon monoxide.
- Construction
- General Industry
What’s in it
- Diesel particulate matter (soot): particles small enough to reach deep into the lungs. They carry cancer-causing chemicals on their surface.
- Gases: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde and other irritants.
Health effects
| Short-term | Long-term |
|---|---|
| Burning eyes, sore throat, cough, headache, dizziness, nausea; worse asthma | Lung cancer (IARC Group 1 carcinogen), possible bladder cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease |
Headache, dizziness or confusion around running engines can mean carbon monoxide is building up. Get to fresh air and report it. See Carbon Monoxide.
High-exposure situations
- Equipment working in tunnels, parking garages, basements and enclosed buildings
- Loading docks and warehouses with trucks idling
- Working behind equipment exhaust stacks, or in trenches and pits near running machines
- Mechanic shops, bus and truck garages, and fire stations
- Rail yards, ports, and mines
Reduce exposure
- Don’t idle engines unnecessarily. Shut them off while waiting or loading.
- Indoors, use electric or propane equipment where possible, or newer diesel engines with diesel particulate filters (DPFs).
- Provide general ventilation with fans and ducting, and use exhaust extraction hoses in shops.
- Keep cabs closed with filtered, pressurized air systems.
- Stay out of exhaust plumes; position yourself upwind.
- Maintain engines and filters; a smoking engine is putting out more soot.
- Monitor carbon monoxide and other gases when equipment runs indoors or in trenches.
Before running diesel equipment indoors
- Is there an electric or propane alternative for this task?
- Ventilation plan in place: fans, ducting, open doors
- Gas monitor with carbon monoxide alarm running in the work area
- Other trades in the building told about the work
- Equipment exhaust filters in good condition
- Plan to shut off engines whenever they aren’t working
Limits: OSHA has no specific exposure limit for diesel particulate in construction or general industry, but it does have limits for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and other gases in exhaust. MSHA limits diesel particulate in underground mines. Respirators are a last resort; if they’re used, a full respiratory protection program is required. See Exposure Limits.
Standards & references
- OSHA: Diesel exhaust
- See also: Heavy Equipment · Occupational Cancer
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