Document 37bXrO89VZeM0wdd9zjpepZeD

*:* ;* si-.kochk ....................................... Westinghouse Electric Corporation SHARON WORKS Accident Prevention Safety Supervisor S. Messina CONFIDENTIAL jj July 9, 1975 Headouaners mausmai Hygiene Researcn aro Deve'oomeni Cen-er Beuiaft Road Pinsourgn Pennsylvania '5225 4!2 256 5847 On May 16, 1975 a tour of the Sharon Plant Core Building was conducted in order to evaluate the airborne asbestos exposure potential to employees. Four (4) air samples were collected at -specific work stations and areas in' the Core Building. The samples were analyzed for asbestos fibers (Table 1). The following is a summary of the plant tour and analyses of the samples: (1) The operator of the A-20 table saw is exposed to asbestos concentrations exceeding the OSHA - 8 hour limit.--' Ventilation at the table saw appears to capture the asbestos fibers coming off from the sawing operation. However, the ventilation is Ineffective when Che saw operations wastebag is changed. The changing of the wastebag appears to be the greatest source of contribution to the airborne asbestos concentrations. Note: The operator of the saw is required to wear a respirator. (2) Other areas in the Core Building contain other potential airborne asbestos concentration sources. The sources are the A-20 saw operation, the changing of the wastebags and the many open storage bins for the asbestos materials and the asbestos contamination on the employees clothing. It appears chat personnel exposure in the Core Building will not exceed the OSHA celling concentration limit of 10 fibers per cc.2./ RECOMMENDATIONS (1) A medical surveillance program is required for all employees that are potentially exposed to airborne asbestos concentra tions.!' Recommendation is made that employees handling the asbestos materials directly should be the primary group in the Medical Surveillance Program. All other employees in the Core Building, who are subject to potential exposures to air borne asbestos concentrations, should be the secondary group in the Medical Surveillance Program. ................ | g p >[l!lll,fcm:if N IK i : : . tai&JLs:. ; i..-. ^ 55016646 SOURCE 167 11 512 S t- M. S. Messina -2- / i CONFIDENTIAL 1 July 9, 1975 (2) Improve the methods for changing the table saw vastebags. One recommendation is to tie-off the bag before It is released from the ventilation source. (3) Improve the storage methods for the asbestos materials. method is to provide lids for all the asbestos storage containers. One (4) Strictly enforce the Industrial Hygiene working practices of the employees working directly with the asbestos. Examples wearing of respirators, washing of hands, no smoking in area, and use of ventilation. (5) And, finally the most important recommendation, find a substitute for the asbestos materials now in use. Zella Heasley can be contacted for more information on asbestos substitutes. Note: Finding an asbestos substitute will also answer a similar problem at the Muncie plant.' After you have reviewed this report, please contact me by phone for additional consultation. ------- K. A. Bodden, Administrator Corporate Industrial Hygiene cc: W. Ziefel cc: H. Burr REFERENCES --^OSHA 1910.93a(b)(1) --^ OSHA 1910.93a (b)(3) --^OSHA 1910.93a(j) 55016647 SOURCE 167 1 1 51