Document 069659NDd7jVnp2Mj1JgEOxDx
Mellon Institute, 4.100 Ftr?M Avenue
PiTTsausew 13. Pa.
Report on EVALUATION OF THE ASBESTOS DUST HAZARD
IN, TYLER, TEXAS PLANT oC the
PITTSBURGH CORNING CORPORATION ' ` July 8 August 6, ?, 1963
Field Investigation By: Jacob Chotak
Laurence 3, Schaier William J. Schrcibeis
Samples Analyzed By: The Kettering Laboratory
Cincinnati, Ohio
PLAINTIFFS EXHIBIT
WV-11046
PLAINTIFFS EXHIBIT
fWsro
William J. Schrcibeie, P, E, Industrial Hygiene Engineer
Robert T, P. dcTrcvitlc, M,D, Managing Director
oram *a*oC'At*o*i or (M6uaT*ca re ** Av**ct*er
MCAutMrv^wornmmo oo*ion#
*
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arTrvyw/taw -?*
-TTT
WV-11046
INTRODUCTION
i
On July S, the plant of the Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, TyU*r, Texa* was visited by Messrs, Jacob ChoU* and William J/ Schreibess in order to review the potential health hazards of handling asbestos during manufacture of asbestos pipe insulation. On August 6 and ? 1963, sampling wa* conducted at the plant by Mr. Lawrence J. Schafer and an evaluation made of the airborne dust concentrations.
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
In Table l, the concentrations of particulate matter, when possible,
are expressed both on a weight basis and as the number of particles present in
one euhic^foot of air. Samples collected with the high volume sampler and the
electrostatic precipitator were suitable for gravimetric and other analysis while
samples collected on membrane filters were suitable for dust counting only.
The number of particles present in the air as total particulate matter and as
asbestos fibers were determined. Any rod like particle with length definitely *
greater than width was considered as asbestos fiber. It may be seen that the
per cent of fibers in the dust varied from a low of* 29# to a high of 56#. The
............ '
i"*--
--,, L--*"
*' ';* >.
dust in the sawing area contained a slightly higher content of asbestos fibers than
did the airborne dust in the production area. It will also be noted that mere parti*
* .............. .. ........
- ""
clef of dust and fibers of asbestos were present in the air near the scrap crushers
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) than, surprisingly, was the case Tor aU* in the sawing area. The values in
Table I foUowcdhyanastcriak are estimated counts taken from the straight tines
in Figure 3, fitted to the data by the method of least squares. It may be seen,
Vihat the dust counts and the mass coneentrations,axe.closulyLrelated. Figure 1
offers the plant a rather simple method for estimating the numbers of total
particles and of the fibers of asbestos present per cubic foot of air from the ma<*
% -- - --............ ................. -- *-- -->--. --.in |
. ..
weight data and volumes of air sampled#
*
Highest dust counts, at the threshold limit, were obtained in the case
of samples collected at the scrap crusher. The highest concentration of dust oc curred for the five-minute period that the three-unit dust collector In the saw
area was being cleaned. The air at the take-off areas of the building machines
. - -
...........
was the least contaminated with dust.
It should be noted that the threshold limit for asbestos, {5 mppcf) is
assumed to apply only to asbestos fibers while dust in the air of the plant will
Contain other particulates, including filler materials used in the process. Since
V there is some evidence that the most active particles are those fibers between 20
V --. ___
*
. and SO microns in length, the numbers of fibers present in various sire categories
were also determined. These data are given in Table 2. Data in Table 2 and the
asbestos fiber eounts in* Table I were used to derive the d-ata-- in --Tabi<c--- 3. As ma'y be seen from Tabic 2, the fibers in the air of the sawing area were generally
shorter than were those in the process area.
In Tabic 4 arc tabulated the per cent of the numbers of the fibers of
asbestos or, more properly, bundles of fibers varying from 5 microns to less
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than! micron an diameter. The fibers in the air of the sawing area appear to
, have slightly smaller diameters than was the case for fibers in the air of the pro
cess area.
t t
The results of other analytical work performed on these samples are
given in Table 5. As may be sec*dusis or fibers removed from the air fn the
production and sawing areas|did not contain any free crystalline silicV.i Two dif
ferent *^pls_^p^coUte_containcd variable small amount* of quartz and cristobaiite. In view of the warning printed on each bag, the low concentrations of free
silica in this material were rather surprising^
, It would appear from the analysis of the samples that were collected
4
intentionally only at those processes that appeared to be the principal producers
of dust, that the number of asbestos fibers present in the air, with few exceptions;
were well below the threshold limit of 5 mppef. One significant exception was
the brief period of time during which a collector system was bginp cleaned. Dur
ing this period, excessive quantities ITdust and fiber were being dispersed into
the air for a period of about 5 minutes. It would appear, from an examination of
the total numbers of particles and of fibers as well as observation of the operations,
that the crusher and the sawing operation may at times produce large quantities
of dust. However, the dust, because of its physical characteristics, appears to
.............. ...................................... '.................................... 1 ........ -*11 hi
. - *--
settle out of the air rapidly, Particles of particulates in samples collected at
*.. mi 11 * *
breathing level heights, were well below threshold limits, uvon though some op
erations were observed to produce what appeared visually to be large clouds of
dust.
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The type f asbestos used in the plant is "amosiU" an i?on*magnesiun silicate; The speci:ia gravity f this material is 3,.45 as compared to 2.S5 ^r(_l
. -- chrysettle, the material more widely used in this country.
The fibers of chrysotilc are also much smaller in diameter than are
those of amesite, tKe minimum diameters being 0.5 micron and 0. OJLmicron ' Vy -- .
respectively fox amsitu and cbrysetUc. Another factor in favor of the rapid
settling of the fibers from the air of the plant U that the asbestos bundles are not k
given the drastic shredding as in the textile industry.
RECOMMENDATIONS
At o time during the survey was the air of the plant contaminated with dust to the point to affect visibility, and one could always see down the entire
length of the rather long building in which the operations f being conducted# Nevertheless, our observation of the operations leads us to make the following recommendations:
-*
1. There was an obvious need to institute a better housekeeping pro*------------------ --- -----------------
gram, especially in the sawjng arua. Floors, equipment and other structures
should be cleaned regularly and frequently according to a definite supervised
schedule. Dry sweeping should be avoided and only vacuum cleaning equipment <*/ ,
-- .....
. ...
| 'V/
providedjwith suitable.,,cUeetors should be used.
2 Hoods and ducts should be maintained in good working order and \
a
aU breaks and leaks in connecting duets, etc. should be repaired promptly.
- -
, 3. The hoods and the exhaust system At the wheel cutter in the su'
m . v^^ *>
ing room should bo improved*
4* Moro space should bo provided between the sawing equipment tc reduce cress-contamination ot the si?'with dust.
S'. It is suggested that the crusher be fed by means of a shoct con-
veyor system in order to keep the operator clear ! the cloud of dust produced
when the machine is in operation.
4. Operators should be educated in respect to working habits which
will reduce the dispersion of dusts. For example la.) carts of crushed material
should be moved from the crushe^or.iy after the crusher has been turned off and
a brief period has elapsed to permit dust to settle. (&5 Work should ho removed
from the large slitter only after the exhaust system has cleared the dust from the
interior of the piece being cut. A wait of only a Cow seconds would accomplish
this, tc) Bag collectors should be opened only when the discharge end of the col
lector is closed.
+**
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Table 3 - The Numbers o? Asbestos Fibers (mppcf)
^ , ' l*1
.Present in the Air According to the Range
. f the .Lengths of the Fibers
Sample No.
.z
*
3
4
5
6
.
(
8
9
v
n
it
' 13
.
14 . 15
16
1?
19
20
Millions of Fibers Per Cuhie Toot of Air
5 - 50 Microns
16 JToMic.rons
in Length
in Length
4 0.68
, .,
i
.- 0.43
4
1.50
*1.90
0.90
0.39 0.25 1. 10 1.07 0.40
1.09
0.43
4
............ ... .2.40
0.78
0.36 0.27 * 0.67 0.26
20.70
6.80
3.06
1.64
. 0.25 0.14
0.20
0.15 0.07 0,07
0.60
0.40
0.87
0.46
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S3 0023.3
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Tabic 5 -- Free Silica Content ot a Number of Samples Collected in the Plant
Description of Sample
A sample of Dacolitc collected on 7-10.6j
i,
Per Cent Free CrvautUne sm-n
Quartz
Cristobahte
--T--rid..v..m.,,ims
3.0 2.5 Absent
A sample of DacoHte collected on g.$~63
1.2 '
<2.0
Absent
General air sample collected in the sawing area between the large slitting saw and the large edging saw.
<2.0
Absent
*
Absent
General air sample collected 5 feet from the scrap crusher.
<2.0
General air sample collected in the feed area.
<2.0
Absent Absent
Absent
*
Absent
*
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MUUernm* Hur Cubic Molur w Air
*
- *
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>
SJ 0021*