Document 3Q5vBML52J1XXvLJ04bzQdXq6

KAISER GYPSUM COMPANY, INC. to G. B. Kirk at Oakland INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM date March 1, 1974 ( Copies to J. W. Blewett (via GBK) T. V. Smith H. L. Weightman A. F. Raftaelii subject DUST FROM JOINT COMPOUND JOB OPERATIONS From j. \>- sneahan at Antioch R & D PL 4.1.0 00022 We have received a group of three reports from the Gypsum Association covering amounts of asbestos and siliceous dusts generated during mixing and sanding of joint compounds on typical jobs. The overall summary by the testing agency states, "There was evidence of exposure of workers to airborne concentrations of asbestos and both total and respirable siliceous dust in excess of acceptable limits as estab lished by OSHA. Because of the high concentrations of total dust gener ated during the mixing and sanding activities, it is clear that control of the total dust problem would provide an inherent control rf the asso ciated asbestos and silica problems as well." The first report deals with dry and premix products fro:., the other five major gypsum companies, with KGC materials not included. The dust sam ples collected were so heavy that reliable tests for asbestos could not be made, and only siliceous dust values are reported. The second report covers a recheck using dry and premix products from two of the above companies on siliceous dust values. The third report covers asbestos dust from the products used for the second report. A summary of the test data is attached. Also attached is a summary of our own tests on our own products. ACTION REQUIRED: 1) Review and recommendation as to whether asbestos warning labels may legitimately be removed from our premix products. The 'aw states that "no label is required where asbestos fibers have been modified by a bonding agent, coating, binder or other material so that during any reasonably foreseeable use, no airborne concentrat io..s of asbes tos fibers in excess of the prescribed exposure Limits will be released." Our company is the only major company carrying the asbes tos warning on its premix and it is costing us business. 2) Recommendation as to company's position on what is next step to b<* taken by the Gypsum Association Study Committee on this project. That committee is already on record in favor of placing the asbestos warning and a dust warning on all bags and pails of joint con.pound . JSS/sc Attachment KG-0063 SUMMARY OF GYPSUM ASSOCIATION REPORTS FIRST REPORT ^ .. ." . September 1973 tests - Siliceous Dusts (asbestos dust data not reliable) Mixing, of 5 dry powder joint compounds Worker exposure (breathing zone): Total dust - 8.9 to 21.6 mg/cu m . Respirable dust - 1.3 to 9.1 mg/cu m 8. hr TWA OSHA Limit ** * * General area exposure: ' Total dust - 10.8 to 34.0 mg/cu m Respirable dust - 0.8 to 2.6 mg/cu m 3.1 to 9.7 * Sanding of joints from 5 dry powders and 5 premixes Worker exposure (breathing zone): Total dust - 72.5 to 244.4 mg/cu m Respirable dust - 1.5 to 5.6 mg/cu m 2.4 to 15.0 * General area exposure: Total dust - 27.7 to 136.7 mg/cu m 4-0 to 15.0 Respirable dust - 4.4 to 23.0 mg/cu m 0.7 to 5.0 * not calculable because samples too small to analyze for free silica content needed for the calculation. Respirable dusts are specific size fractions of the total dust. ** The OSHA limit amounts vary because they are dependent on the amount of silica present. NOTES: 1) There was no significant difference among dust levels generated by sending joints which used dry powder compounds versus those which used premix com pounds. ' 2) No one manufacturer's product was significantly closer to complying with OSHA limits than were the others. 3) It is said that the individual worker is unlikely to have more than 2 hrs. direct exposure to mixing or sanding each workday. ' SUMMARY OF GYPSUM ASSOCIATION REPORTS ^BgQtBLBSEQBI ` . . November 1973 testa - Siliceous Dus.ts . Mixing of two dry powder joint compounds Worker'exposure (breathing zone): 8 hr TWA OSHA Limit ** * Total dust - 11.7 and 33.8 mg/cu m Respirable dust - <8.5 and 6.9 mg/cu m General area exposure: . Total dust - 121.6 and 98.3 mg/cu m 6.7 and 5.4 Respirable dust - 13.8 and 12.2 mg/cu m Sanding of joints from 2 dry powders 1.3 and * Worker exposure (breathing zone): ' Total dust - 109.5 and 196:3 mg/cu m Respirable dust - 3.3 and 2.0 mg/cu m ' 8.8 and 5.0 * General area exposure: Total dust - 96.4 and 76.5 mg/cu m 8.3 and 4.0 Respirable dU3t - 14.6 and 7.6 mg/cu m Sanding of joints from 2 premixes ^ 3.3 and 1.9 Worker exposure (breathing zone): - Total dust - 69.2 and 87.3 mg/cu m Respirable dust - 3.9 and 6.4 mg/cu m 9.4 and 10.0 * General area exposure: ' Total dust - 54.9 and 91.3 mg/cu m 5.6 and 1.5 Respirable dust - 4.9 and 7.9 * and 3.1 * Not calculable because samples too small to analyze for free silica content needed for the calculation. ** The OSHA limit amounts vary because they are dependent on the amount of silica present. NC1S: 1) It is said that the individual worker is unlikely to have more than 2 hrs. direct exposure to mixing or sanding each workday. ' J-** SUMMARY of gypsum association reports THIRD REPORT ' ' *t # November 1973 tests - Asbestos IXxst (fibers longer than 5 micrometers) OSHA Standard - continuous exposure 5 fibers/cc OSHA Standard - peak exposure 10 fibers/cc Worker exposure (breathing zone): Mixing: 1st dry compound 2nd dry compound Sanding: 10 min, samples 1st dry compound avg . 2nd dry compound 1st premix 2nd premix 4.4 fibers/cc 4.2 10.8 . 31.4 fibers/cc 7.6 fibers/cc 30 min, samples t aliquoted & redeposited 39.4 fibers/cc 14.8 11.1 9.7 6 of 13 sanding tests (10 min. samples) indicated concentrations in excess of 5 fibers. 2 of 13 sanding tests (10 min. samples) indicated concentrations in excess of 10 fibers. . NOTE: l) It is said that the individual worker is unlikely to have more than 2 hrs. direct exposure to mixing or sanding each workday. i RESULTS OF TEST WITH KGC COMPOUNDS BY UNION C.iRBIDE Asbestos Dust (fibers longer than 5 micrometers) Worker exposure (breathing zone): Mixing joint compound with drill mixer Mixing finishing compound with potato masher Sending joint donewith Premia Topping Sanding joint donewith Premia Duel Purpose Sanding joint donewithFinishing Compound fibers/cc 54.6 66.5 1.3 1.1 2.8 1!QI: Since in no case the sampling time was longer than 2 minutes, these dataashou be used only as general guides to indicate gross relative differences.