Document 0gjOxadELBEN65KKOq4KaKNyO

ASBESTOS GASKETS ARE GETTING FEWER By now, everyone is aware of the health hazard of breathing asbestos fibers. On November 4, 1983 OSHA fur ther tightened the regulations on air borne asbestos fibers to reduce the statistical probability of asbestosi3 and lung cancer. The allowable level was cut from 2 to 1/2 fiber over 0.0002 in. long per cubic centimeter of air. This level approaches the practical limit for detection and will undoubtedly cause companies which sup ply and process asbestos to get out of the business. Garlock, the largest U.S. manufacturer of packings and gas kets, discontinued its entire asbestos line at the end of 1982. Since asbestos fibers in compressed sheet gasketing material are locked in by the rubber binder which makes up about 20% of most sheets, they cause no health hazard to the gasket user with normal handling and use. How ever, cleanup of flanges from which asbestos gaskets have been removed and handling of used, dried out gaskets will release asbestos fibers. There fore, from a safety as well as a legal standpoint, many Du Pont locations ban any asbestos-containing materials at the site. Aimed primarily at pipe insulation, woven tapes and loose col umn packings, the ban also includes packing, brake linings, and compressed asbe3to3 gaskets. Design Division's Technical Services Section and the Gasket and Packings Standards Subcommittee have begun a transition program to phase out asbes tos gaskets over the next few years. They plan to: o Advise plant personnel of the tran sition with articles such as this one, and letters where needed. o Highlight asbestos-containing gas kets and packings by bold print1 of their Du Pont codes in Engineering Standards U2A and U1C, and in Spec ifications SU2A and SU1C* o Begin listing alternative gaskets along with the G-1, G-2 and G-40 gaskets in all new P-codes, and revising existing P-codes and spec ifications. o Remove references to all gaskets containing asbestos from the Du Pont codes after a period of time. Generally, the stocks of asbestos gas kets on the plants should be used up and not discarded at this time, sub ject to plant and department policy. Wherever possible, non-a3bestos gas kets should be used by plant main tenance personnel. The Standards now list four sheet gas-, ket oodes for '*non-asbe3to3w gaskets which have been specified as substi tutes for G-1, G-2 and G-40 (com pressed asbestos sheet) gaskets. The new non-asbestos codes are S-80, S-8l, S-82 and S-83. The differences sire in the rubber used to bond the sheets: o S-80 SBR (Styrene butadiene rubber) o S-81 NBR (Nitrile butadiene rubber) o S-82 CR (Neoprene) o S-83 EPDM (Ethylene-propylene terpolymer elastomer--Nordel ) 1 In sunmary--Du Pont is phasing out asbestos in gaskets and packings. New non-asbestos codes have been esta blished and brands are approved for use. Plants should start using the new non-asbestos gaskets, but only those listed in SU2A. For further information contact { C. P. Shaw or W. M. Bounds, ENGG, D=8233 (366-3661). DU 009476 DUP 0810928 T-1'-1*1#**** -**** OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS ' -- . Determine scope, content, and direction of overall plant occupational health program (POHP) based on Plant Staff guidelines, Corporate directives and guidelines, and legal requirements. Advise and inform Plant Staff relative to status of the various elements of the POHP. Prepare written material as needed or desired for issue under the Plant Manager's signature on matters concerning occupational health. MEMBERSHIP* AND RESPONSIBILITIES Asst. Plant Manager Committee. chairmanship Interface with Plant Staff Employee Relations Supt. Written communications Employee work history records Plant Doctor Medical programs to monitor and protect employee health and meet legal requirements Employee health records Employee health studies Interface with Wilmington Medical S & F Superintendent Chairmanship of Central Safety Occupational Health Sub committee Procedure development preparation and update Audit of AOHP elements, including I/H procedures, and quarterly reporting to Central Safety Interface with Wilmington S & F Plant Occupational Health Coordinator Adequacy of POHP content for Corporate directives and guidelines and governmental requirements Coordination and follow-up with area coordinators on plant-wide programs Program assistance to area coordinators Quarterly Occupational Health Report Interface with Wilmington PD Dept. Occupational Health Coordinator OHP documentation and records . < jkjnuttm o/6 Environmental Control Consultant-Air Interface with environmental standards, guidelines, and legal requirements AS/11 DU 009477 DUP 0810929