Document 2RrKqVn6jZqVb3V16KyGNjKJa

MUdTVfWT Of KVlONMCNT*t HUlTX KCrrt*1*0 L*ao*ATO*r am irj-jTeo University of Cincinnati Medical Center 3223 Estn Avnue Cincinnati, Ohio *5213 * September 5, 1973 Mr. Richard Sager The Sager Clove Corporation 4030 North Nashville Chicago, Illinois 60634 Dear Mr. Sager: Enclosed is a report of the survey conducted on August 23, 1973 in your Murray, Kentucky Plant'. In the course of the survey, your MSA Model 6 -personal sampling pump was flow calibrated, and the simple sampling procedure was demonstrated. A draft copy of the procedure was left at Murray, and another copy is enclosed. We antici pate that your staff will be able to conduct all the air sampling called for by OSKA on your own from now on. We will, of course, be glad to advise you as necessary, and perform the dust counts by the standard method. - It was a pleasure to work with the people at Murray, and I appreciate their courtesy to my son and me. An invoice is also.enclosed. cc: D. Yeager Frank Peer EA:bh Enclosures (3) Sincerely, UM1 Howard Ayer Associate Professor DKS 125 AIR SAMPLING FOR ASBESTOS DUST Report of a Survey on Aug. 28, 19.73 by Howard Ayer Certified Industrial Hygienist at Sager Glove Corporation Murray, Kentucky Kettering Laboratory University of Cincinnati 3223 Eden Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45219 syyyjjLY a::j rzcchmzndations The Murray, Kentucky Plant of the Sager Glove Corporation was surveyed for asbestos dust concentration on August 23, 1373. All samples were within the present OSKA limit of 5.Q fibers longer than 5 micrometers per cubic centimeter (ffihers/cc) . Personnel off the Sager Glove Corporation were instructed in the use of air sampling equipment for future monitoring'. It is recommended that a series of air samples be taken^during cold weather with windows closed. On the basis of present knowledge, no operations are believed to present a health hazard. However, both good occupational health practice and OSEA regulations require periodic physical examinations of people working with asbestos, and periodic monitoring of asbestos dust in workroom air. Several individual samples were slightly above the 1976 averag limit of 2.0 fibers/cc, and to meet these more stringent standards, control measures will probably be required. Before the 197 6 standards take effect, it is recommended that: 1. The asbestos operations be located in a separate room or building, 2. Sewing ar.d turning operations be provided with local exhaust ventilation, and 3. Cloth cutting be provided with local exhaust ventil ation' unless asbestos cutting operations are conducted r.o rr.ore tr.jr. c.-.e-haIf of each workday. DKS 127 INTRODUCTION The Murray, Kentucky Plant of the Sager Glove Corporation manufactures a wide variety of safety clothing* Several types cf asbestos gloves are included" in the product line. At the time of the survey on August 28, 1973, asbestos gloves were the only product using asbestos. To make the gloves, asbestos cloth is laid out on a cutting table, eight high, and cut into rectangular strips with a knife. The glove pieces are cut from the strip by a stamping press with appropriate dies. The pieces are taker, to a group of women who sew them into gloves and sew on wool or cotton liners. The gloves are turned right-side-out by a man at the turning operation, and pressed and inspected*at another operation. Asbestos dust may be generated at any of the operatic: The asbestos glove operations are conducted in a large roof in which a variety of non-asbestos safety clothing is made. In addition to the 9 or 10 people working with asbestos-containir.c products, the other workers at the process would be exposed to some dust being blown about. During the summer months, all winds-, are open and a number of man-cooling fans are in use. Thus would have the tendency to reduce average dust concentrations, but distribute the dust more about the workroom. PROCID|UR: Personal samples were taken on exposed workers using Mine Safety Appliances Company Monitaire or Model G sampling pumps and Millipcre Aerosol Analysis Monitors. The Monitors were loaded with type AA, nominal 0.8 pm pore size membrane- filters. it The filter holders were fastened to the worker's shirt or blouse within 30 centimeters (12 inches) of the worker's nose. In use, the front cap was removed and the filters were used open face,.with the face down. The flow was adjusted to a reading of 8 on the pump rotameter, which gave a flow rate of 2.10 to 2.22, depending on which pump was used. Each pump was individually calibrated by the bubble meter method prior to sampling. Sampling periods off one hour or more were used for each sample. All samples were taken for determination of average exposure. No operations were observed which might generate peak con- centrations for which the ceiling limit would be applicable. Samples were returned to the Kettering Laboratory, and ecu.-, by the standard NIOSH procedure. The filters were rendered transparent by a mixture of dimethyl phthalate and diethyl oxalat and fibers longer than 5 pm were counted at 4 0OX using phase contrast illumination. RESULTSi Results of air samples axe presented in the attached table-. The weighted average fiber concentration at the asbestos glove sewing operation was 1.8 fibers longer than 5 micrometers per cubic centimeter (fibers/cc). At the. asbestos cloth cutting it 2.0 fibers/cc. Other concentrations were less than 1.0 fibers^: All these concentrations are within the present Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard of 5.0 fibers/cc. -3- DKS 129 DISCUSSION: The Occupational Safety -and Health. Administration has adcure a limit for asbestos dust in workroom ir of 5..0 fibers per cubic centime ter until July 1, 197S, as counted by a specified procedure. This limit is for an average over an eight-hour work day. Workers may be exposed at or .above this level for a portion of a workday provided that at no time they are exposed to as much as 10.0 fibers/cc. Effective July 1, 1976, the 8-hour limit is to be reduced to 2.0 fibers/cc, with the same maximum allow able concentration off 10.0 fibers/cc. Ia interpreting measure ments of asbestos dust it is necessary to consider the present limit of 5.0 .fibers/cc for eight hour average exposures, the scheduled reduction to 2.0 fibers/cc for eight hour average exposure, and the maximum limit off 10.0 fibers/cc. As noted above, all concentrations were well within the pres limit for average exposures, and no operations were observed which seemed likely to exceed the maximum limit. For all workers to be within the limit every day, it is r.ece. ary to keep the usual concentrations well under the limit, or violations will occur. With the open windows, concentrations at the asbestos glove sewing may have been lower than they would be in winter with windows closed. This is also true of glove turning, and possibly inspection. On the other hand, the general workroom air had readily measurable concentrations of asbestos dust although only the asbestos glove operations generated the dust. To assure that concentrations are within -4- DKS 130 present OSEA limits when windows are closed, another series of samples should be taken during the winter. To meet the 1976 limit, additional controls will probably be required. In planning for this reduction in allowable dustiness, the following actions could be considered: 1. The operations using asbestos should be conducted in a separate room with its own ventilation system. This would limit the number, of workers exposed to asbestos and make dust control measures simpler. 2. A local exhaust system at sewing, turning, and possiblypressing and inspection can be installed. A lateral or downdraft exhaust using a control velocity of 100 linear feet per minute would be suitable. For sewing, an exhaust volume of about 400 cubic feet per minute (cfm) per machine will probably be necessary to achieve the control velocity. This assumes that a nine inch clearance is necessary between the needle and an exhaust hood. A similar volume should control the turning operation. 3. At the cutting table, a slot along one side with an exhaust volume of 100 cfm per square foot of table should provide control to the OSHA average limit of 1976. However, if the asbestos dust concentration determined during this survey at cutting is typical, and the operation is conducted for no more than four hours per day, additional controls would not be required, because the daily average would be well wto.. the reduced limit. -5- DKS 131 RESULTS OF A IR SAMPLES AT SAGER GLOVE CO W orke N e l l 77 H azel Sue 60 June 75 Workroom a irjs e w in g c o tto n fl 0 X o Xl u u <8 41 U o' xl U C01 0 r-t C. uoC W0CO) uE3i. >3 U >X fi A'-JZ Ow <N O <N C8 * eN CN O <"l no xi <8 n r-- ai ip^ .34 O 3 x) <33 <N C 0) Xl X ta 3Oi >1 3 (8 < W w 3 X cn -x x E a eo >8 E cn 6* u Ox x) U 4) a, o zo 41 r-i Q. E <8 cn n O' r- VO kfl s VO VO n vo S3 X <8 Xl xJ 01 X X w <8 A3 CJ n <8 -X O -X u X <8 0. cn ca > 81 <8 CO o A a uz u <8 A U <8 j u <8 a 13 <8 04 I I 1 3C ca S ca ai V oi a) ai 4) > o > O > 0 oi 41 a 3 at o > cn zo o 09 4>1 o O' w <U O' O' B O' O' O' X) 0 0) > JSa 09O' O' -1-4 3 41V cn a: a O0 xl X) 0] 01 Si A a. <8 <8 O' O' C W 33 V cn cn a 0 xi 01 41 A ai O' C x 3 0) cn oi 3 0] 4) J3 01 i8 O' C 3 4) cn oi a O xl 09 0 x01i 4) Si A U! <8 A 09 iS O' O' x x 33 4) 4) cn cn ze- ca uz o u ca u ca >< a 0a}. 4) ca > iHo M O' -a O' c0a1 U 4) 3U ft* x0l n S3 A 01 (8 O' -X X> X> 3 a a ca e* % .X CN t1 cn cn PI I X 1 cn m < cn o i cn i cn a r* i cn aa t cn co ii cn cn DKS 132