Level of soot particles in diesel exhaust varies on oil & gas worksites
On oil and gas worksites, diesel engines power machines ranging from drilling rigs to high-powered hydraulic fracturing pumps, to generators and lighting equipment. The diesel exhaust from these engines, however, is a toxic mix of chemicals that includes small particles of carbon, or soot, which can be accidentally inhaled.
For workers, exposure to diesel soot, also called diesel particulate matter or DPM, in diesel exhaust can cause health problems ranging from eye and skin irritation to breathing difficulty and, potentially, cancer. Yet, little information is available about the health risks of DPM exposure during oil and gas extraction and other related tasks. At this time, work-related exposure limits for DPM are not established, although the state of California Department of Health Services advises limiting occupational exposure (measured as elemental carbon) to less than 20 micrograms per cubic meter of air over an 8-hour workday.