24 Jun 2025

A Field Sampling and Analysis Protocol for Assessing Occupational Exposure and Risk from Military Munition Storage Magazines

Abstract: An occupational health study was conducted inside reinforced-concrete earth-covered munitions storage magazines at Fort Wingate Depot Activity. HEPA vacuuming of bulk dust and wipe sample verification post-vacuuming was used. In Phase 1, no explosives detections exceeded site-specific screening criteria. In Phase 2, no exceedances were noted for detected explosives with criterion. Using structure/ reactivity characteristics within the explosives category, surrogates were assigned to the six explosives without occupational health screening criteria. Based upon structural similarities within the analysis category, assignments of surrogates to explosives without criteria did not adversely impact the conclusions. In Phase 1, lead was detected in bulk dust in all igloos, and all exceeded the applicable criterion for commercial/industrial workers. In Phase 2, all lead detections in wipe samples were below the wipe screening criteria. Results indicated the ECM interiors posed no unacceptable dermal occupational risk for explosives or lead residues following bulk dust removal. HEPA filter vacuuming of interior bulk dust in ECMs at FWDA reduced occupational risk/hazard for exposure via inhalation and dermal contact under worst-case exposure conditions. Both phases of sampling are widely applicable, provided the site-specific assumptions made for this study are evaluated for suitability to another specific application and adjusted if needed.