Document 15RgaX3xeJMBw3XoMGZBNjw2j
C. Bayard T.S. Bialke
Shawinigan Akron - D/0020, 5-H
9-19-83
Industrial Hygiene Survey; August 1983
During the period August 16-19, 1983, an industrial hygiene survey of the BFG Shawinigan Chemical plant was conducted. The plant continues to show improve ment in their industrial hygiene program. All previous recommendations have been satisfactorily addressed except for physical examination requirements which are not being met. Housekeeping in all areas was very good. Compliance with hearing protection requirements was observed to be excellent.
One area of the plant continues to need attention and that is noise at the compound lines. Alternative approaches to the control of noise from the C-8 cuber are discussed in this report. During the visit, the plant's occupational exposure inventory was initiated and left for the plant to complete. Personnel monitoring for organo-tins, vinyl acetate and asbestos is needed to-document worker exposures.
Please respond by November 30, 1983 and every three months thereafter until all recommendations have been satisfactorily addressed.
I wish to thank J.P. Gregoire and R. Forcier for their cooperation in making this survey productive. I also want to extend my regards to Mr. J.A. Brooks and wish him a fruitful and happy retirement. On behalf of the Environmental Health Department, I would like to express our appreciation for the support and cooperation he has provided in our mutual endeavors. We are looking forward to working with Mr. Bayard in the continued development of the Shawinigan plant's health programs and of a mutually rewarding relationship.
T. S. Bialke, CIH
cc :^EL-BiKat2.ULmieycr t JrWlh W.DieLZ'TKEy' yCcfe-
R.A.Guyton,MD/R.A.Kelley
*
H.Waltemate/G.Lefebvre
H.Botelho
F.Hovey/D.A.Brooks
J.P.Gregoire (w/attach.)
R.Forcier (w/attach.)
tn to
oo
BFG45424
Shawinigan IH Survey; Aug. 1983
Previous Survey Recommendations
1981 Items
1. Install permanent doors to FCH line cuber room.
2. Purchase low-flow pumps for VCM monitoring.
3. Issue monthly environmental health report.
1982 Items
1. Establish effectiveness of new C-9 blender ventilation unit for control of lead by obtaining three samples per exposed employee.
Actions Taken
1.
1. A GPO was submitted in 1982 but was not approved. Action incomplete. See current findings.
2. Three low-flow pumps purchased. Action complete.
3. A monthly Industrial Hygiene/Environ mental report is being issued. Action complete.
1. Twenty-one personnel monitorings for lead have been obtained. All results are less than Quebec lead standard of 150 ug/M^ with an average of 38.2 ug/M^.
Ventilation system is being periodically checked to ensure optimum flow rates.
1983 Findings Findings 1. No exposure inventory.
2. Respirator procedure does not establish re quirements for fit testing.
3. Tin, asbestos and vinyl acetate exposures not quantified.
Recommendations
Responsi-
bility
Exp.Date Comp.
1. An occupational exposure in ventory was initiated during this survey. All plant jobs have been classified. Four departments were inventoried with remaining depart ments to be completed by Jan. 1 1984.
2. Incorporate into the plant's respirator program provisions for yearly fit testing of all respirator wearers, utilizing the Chemical Groups irritant smoke procedure.
3. Tin in the form of organic
tin stabilizers is used in the
plants compound operation.
Millmen would be expected to
have the greatest exposure.
Obtain six tin monitorings from employees working in this
job class. Sampling procedures and sampling devices are
being provided under separate cover. Send collection
devices to Brecksville for analysis.
*
Copolymer, utilizing vinyl acetate was not being made during the survey. Three vinyl acetate samples per exposed employee are to be collected to evaluate Shawinigan employee exposures. Vinyl acetate collection tubes
BFG45425
Shawinigan IH Survey; Aug. 1983
Findings
Recommendations
Responsi-
2
bility
Exp.Date Comp.
3 (con'c)
previously supplied to the plant are to be modified by cutting off the pre-dried sections and using the remaining charcoal section alone to collect vinyl acetate vapors. No other changes to the procedure are required.
Asbestos containing pipe insulation is present in the plant. All asbestos containing insulation should-be identified; if there are any doubts if the insulation contains asbestos, the material must be treated as asbestos. The plant is developing asbestos handling procedures which will include isolating the area, wetting material down, wearing of pro tective equipment, proper bagging, removal and disposal. To establish that the procedure is adequate in controlling asbestos exposure, employees removing asbestos must be monitored. Obtain at least three asbestos exposure measure ments using the collection devices and procedure left during the audit. Send collection devices to me in Akron for analysis.
4. Environmental laboratory hood where VCM standards are made has an airflow of less than 25-50 fpm; QL lab hoods 50-110 fpm with an average greater than 85 fpm.
4. Upgrade environmental lab' hood to provide for 85 fpm across face fixed in usable position. Attached are drawings of a lab hood retrofit developed by Brecksville R&D labora tory that will increase lab hood face velocity from 25-35 fpm to over 85 fpm without changing a room's heating or airconditioning require
ments.
5. Monthly IH program report list total number, of IH samples collected with an average.
5. Expand data reporting on monthly report to include reasons for over exposure and wearing of protective devices. Attachments I and II.are examples of other plants data re porting that show yearly and monthly trends and details of current moni toring results. Tables such as these should be kept for all agents the plant monitors for.
6. Previous years recom
6. Efforts must be extended toward
mendations have been directed
containing the noise coming from
toward installing a more
the cuber room. Various approaches
efficient noise barrier be have been discussed. Installing a
tween the C-8 cuber room and floor to ceiling sound barrier across
the mill area. Previous
the opening to the cuber room and re
noise dosimeter monitoring
stricting the entrance to the worker
on the C-8 millman have
via the steps was one alternative.
recorded readings of 146%
Floor to ceiling vinyl curtains have
of the standard over an 8-hr. been tried, but this is not effective
shift. One dosimeter result because curtains are too easy to move
obtained during this survey out of the way and are not good sound
had a reading of 90.7% of
barriers. Enclosing the cubers inside
the standard.
BFG45426
Shawinigan IH Survey; Aug. 1983
Findings
Recommendations
Re sponsi-
3.
bility
Exp.Date Comp.
6. (can't)
(The current lower reading is a result of a different compound and slower cubing speed, not because of noise control efforts. See Table II.)
another enclosure was another solution discussed. In effect, a room-within-a-room would be pro duced. This would be an effective approach at reducing cuber noise, but may result in operational problems. Enclosing only the cubers inside the room would also not address the other noise sources in the room, i.e. the shaker screen. (See Table III, item B2 a & b). It sould seem the best solution would be to install a permanent floor to ceiling wall across the opening with a self-closing door and small openings through which the PVC strip would be passed into the room.
-
Discussion
Two workers in the suspension resin unit (SRU) were monitored for vinyl chloride (VCM): a poly operator and a drier operator (Samples 1 and 2, Table I). Both results were low (0.1 ppm and ^-0.1 ppm). The tank farm operator was also monitored for VCM; his exposure (//3, Table I) of 0.1 ppm is also low. The compound bagger was monitored for N-hexane and toluene which are components of the bag cement he uses. The compound bagger's exposure to both substances was very low, 0.5 ppm for N-hexane and *-0.2 ppm for toluene (Sample if4, Table I).
The plants physical examination requirements were reviewed and found in order. Wearing of hearing protection by- employees in noise hazardous areas is excellent. During the entire visit I did not find an employee without hearing protection in a posted area.
Housekeeping throughout the plant was very good, even the compounding department looked good.
TSB
25942004
a BFG454^7
Employee/Date
1. B. Broden 8/17/83
2. C. Martel 8/17/83
3. E. LaPlant 8/18/83
4. M. DuMaine
TABLE I. PERSONNEL AIR MONITORING RESULTS1 Shawinigan - August 1983
Job/Location
Sample Time
(min.)
Resp.
Poly oper., SRU
381 No
Drier Oper., SRU
364 No
Tank farm oper.
361 Yes
Compound bagger, C-8 line 385 No
i? Concentration
(ppm) 0.1 VCM
<0.1 VCM
0.1 VCM
0.5 N-hexane 0.2 toluenh
1AI1 samples collected on standard size charcoal tubes; GC analysis by Brecksville Environmental Health Lab.
'Exposure Standards: VCM N-hexane toluene
1.0 ppm (BFG/OSHA) 50 ppm (ACGIH) 100 ppm (ACGIH)
*************************
Name/Date
1. S. Beaulac 8/18/83
2. C. Perron 8/18/83
TABLE II. NOISE DOSIMETER RESULTS1 Shawinigan - Aug. 1983
Job/Location
C-8 (rigid) millman, compound building C-9 (flexible) millman
Sample Time (min.)
360
Hearing Protection
Yes
338
Yes
1DuPont Mark I instrments set on 90/80-5.
X 8-Hr. TWA ;
90 dBA Bfse
90.7
41.3
BFG45428
o t\n y
TABLE III.
AREA SOUND LEVEL READINGS1 Shawinigan - Aug. 1983
Area
C-9 Flexible Line
bagging area cuber enclosure:
discharge end feed end inside cuber enclosure
strip blow-off
calender strip-off
'
operator's station between mill and calender
extruder room
C-8 Rigid Line
packaging area dicer room: shaker screen discharge
shaker screen feed dicer discharge dicer feed - normal run
- start-up
operator's desk outside dicer room between calender and strip tank calender gear box front of calender extruder room
dBA
83 91 90-91 106
90-91 87 86.5 85.5
82.7 93.0 97.0 97.0 97.0 100
83 84 89 88 90-92
All areas posted as "noise hazardous"; hearing protection worn by all employees in all areas.
1DuPont Mark I noise dosimeter operations in the sound level meter mode.
h
BFG454-29
PLAQUES Z PLANT LONu TERM
VCM PERSONNEL MONITORING SUMMARY
Month of December
.AREA MN I 6 II 3in III wit I/E AB
\NT TOTAL -
IC A L
M- 1 M-l M- 1 M-l M-l M-l M- 1 M- 1 M-l M-l
M-l
AREA
m4 on 014 014 Oil 051 014 Oil 014 014
014
NUMBEI*
i
SAMPLI:d j no. ^ 1 PPM 1
% ^ 1 PPM
RANGE
AVERAGE READING
V
14 i
,2
j
14%
0.04 - 1.37
` 0.40
r
'
34 i
7i 1
21%
0.00 - 10.89
1.00
12
i i
i i 6/ i
1. 1
i
66
i _____ i___________
11
i :
i i* i i !
8% 17%
17%
0.00 0.04 -
1....80_ 1.16
-
j 0.00-10.89 1
i 1
0.23 6.27
0.67
PERSONNEL EXCEEDING 1 PPM -
EMPLOYEE
R.L^ Ellis___ A^.Smith J. G. Solete iH. J. Vauqhn T. J. Frank C. Simoneaux B. K. Billups L. Broussard ` T. Gaudet W. Jackson
J. Ennis
DATE
12-2-82 12-2-82 12-2-82 12-3-82 12-7-82 12-7-82 12-8-82 12-13-82 12-15-82 ` 12-15-82
1 2-2-82
R. P.
Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes .
JOB CODE VALUE _____
COMMENTS
L_____3Q______i . A96
______ 130
i U0
360
2.47
360 oil
3.83 Hull
022 360 032 330
1.16 6.14 1.80 3.30
360 1.17
Tiahten.oackinq V-31 and V-35
Turnina Blinds
Routine Reactor Cleanina
Tiqhten Packing y-3i Unknown
________
Unknown
Tighten Packing V-35 -- Opening vinyl Lines
Turning Blinds
Routine Reactor Cleaning ,__ _
^
360 [10.89 . Tinh1"i=r ParV-i nn V-31 ---------------.
"H O O
V!,
W *TJ -G
4^
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1980 1981 JAN. FEB. MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. 1982
NO. 147
(9
7
3 5 S
6 3
3 0 4
4 10
1
^ .5 126 / :o9 121 / .13
2 / .46
.5 to 1.0
> 1.0
9 / .73 18 /'.65
1 / .98
12/ 3.92 16 /2.81
4 /2.29
3 / .15 3 / .20 4 / .29
6 / .21 3/ .05
0 ______ 0_______
2 / .61
0
1 / .90
0
00 00
3 / .06 ____0___________
--0_______
2/.14
3/.14 8/.13
0 37/.17
1/ * 53
1/1.19
0___________ ..1/1.25------0 2/2.91
0 5/.73
1/3.82 /9/2.42 /
NG RANGE
NO.. > 1PPM MONTH
NO RESP. RESP. RESP
NO R2SP.
.00-12.85 .00-12.58
-
- 12 - 12
0 4
.45- 2.80
3. 1
3
1
.12-.18 .02-.64 .14-.90 .01-.48 .01-.11 .03-.09
.10-1.19
04-1 7^
.02-3.94 3.82
.01-3.94
00 3
1
00 3
1
00 00
31 3! 1
0 : 0 -----3------ 1 1 i
0 0 3i 1
I
0 0 r-31--r; 1
1
0
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1
j0 1 4
2
0
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25942008 BFG454B1
A Tr-'
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PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS
ALARM--VISUAL f AUDI8LE, '(FACE VEL. BELOW 80 rprv
ocn
AIRFOIL:
CREATES LAMINAR FLOW t INCR. LOW LEVEL CAPT.
Tr
HOOD PERFORM* RECORD
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O O O oo
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SASH POSJT ON LOCK AS MAXIMO OPf
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90 PfM
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SAFTY SHIELD
THICK lAfU/MT; SKFETY 6 AS
25942009 BFG4543D
ft-
HOOD PERFORMANCE RECORD
DESIGN VEL.: 80 TESTED VEL.: DATE TESTED: CERTIFIED BY:
FPM FPM
O IQ Z 5 6 5 Z
BFG45433