Document 3e5aBK9Q5BV9J5E0JLZKbM5VD

FILE NAME: Shree Digvijay (SDV) DATE: 1980 Nov 29 DOC#: SDV018 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter to SDV from J-M with Recommendations COPY TTTW J ohns Manville ' p.O. Box 5108 D e n v e r , Colo. USA 80217 MADRAS, INDIA NO VEMBER 29, 1980 S.R. Bhandari General Manager Shree Digvijay Cement Co. Ltd. P.O. Digvijaynagar AHMEDABAD - 382 470, INDIA . . - ~ Dear Mr. Bhandari: - As per our discussion in Ahmedabad on November 22, 1980 I am reporting my observations and recommendations based on my visit to your factory during the week of November 17th. The items requiring actions are listed in order of importance. 1. ASBESTOS FIBER -- Manual handling, weighing, and feeding of willowed fiber- The present method results in heavy concentrations of fibers being released into the work place environment. This is undesireable both from the environmental health stand point and also the loss of valuable virgi n fibers to the atmosphere. RECOMMENDATION - Proceed at once with the installation of the live-bottom Bin system for handling willowed fiber. The L.B. Bin system drawing shown to me by your Mr. V.R. Natarajan appears satisfactory and is compatible with similar Johns-Manville installations in our U.S. Plants. Upon my return to the U.S. I will advise you, and send you details on load cell technology for automatic weighing/batching systems. 2. ASBESTOS BAG OPENING - Willow Feeding ' ""__>N The present work method and equipment design permits loose fibers to become scattered around the work area. RECOMMENDATION -- I will supply you with working drawings and photos of an improved bag opening station with ventilation. In the meantime the following steps are recommended. A. Workers handling and opening bagged fiber should w e a r Respirators at all times. I have left with Mr. N a t a r a j a n a Norton Model 7170 Respirator. This particular R e s p i r a tor has an exhalation valve that provides the user with more comfort than ordinary Respirators. rilie use of hooks by all :t tlO L a s t l l i Fiber Bags should be stopped T h e 01se of unnecessary release and loss of fib e rs 1 hooks Los creates DU ST COLLECTOR - Willow System ,, ^ P n iipr tor XinadliCciaitueedu that th--e-r-e In spection of your Dust h ker mechanisms causing hadd been malfunction of J ^ compartment , and partial complete plugging of the c e n r C"P ! plu gging of the two outer compartments, RECOMMENDATION r A. "i a ot- m l lector in sp ection system, ments if any. Sv t-he collector manufacturer B. ^ " i f h e 3i n s t a l l e d and Serviced no that Manometer S w i n g s c^n be observed and recorded on a regular (preferably daily) basis. 4. POR TA BL E VACUUM CLEANER Hand sweeping w * ^ ^ d i s c ^ t i ^ L d ^ sieejing actually r i r t r r L ^ ^ ^ ^ r ^ t r a ^ L k e s the dust airborne.^ " tP U p J c r u p 1 dust 2s andV finesy iin ^ r a i e L of vacuum cleaners varuuQ d e a n e r s are not available cleaners. make vacuum FINISHING COLLECTORS - EMISSIONS 5. Th. cyclone type - l l e - o r ^ l n s t a l l e d ^ t g a s h i n g lo th e centers are successful y Socket Machining Operations. however is being exhauste wind and vehicle traffic. M uch of - ^ the collected dust . st outside the p r e c i p i t a t e ,to the ?*. - ^ S E C 0 M M O D ATIM .- There ^ : - l f pCr" i;" : d " U "and design on some type of w e t scrubber. J 6. DUST CONTROL - CORRUGATED SHEET CUTTING Prese nt dust collection is not adequate. are easily visible. Dust emissions REC OM ME N DA TI O N - It is my un de r s t a n d i n g that the 2 saws are to be moved and adequate collection is to be p r o v i d e d . I . woul d recommend a water spray and enclosed blade type of dust control. Please advise if you r e q ui re assistance on this. 7. SCRAP GRI NDING - SHEET : I observed a small grinding operation south of the Manu facturing building. I understand that this is a sporadic type operation and that the Ground she et is used as a filler in making hollow blocks for use in workers housing. R ECO MME ND ATI ON - This operation Is fairl y du st y and does not create direct income to the company. I w o u l d recommend that other material be used for building blocks - such as the chips from_ the .finishing cyclone collectors. This ma terial (chips) would require no processing and could be mixed " directly with cement for blocks. . 8. AI R SAM PLING - ASBESTOS Sometime soon in the future it will b e c o m e ne c e s s a r y to know what the dust levels are in the factory. I would recommend that sampling equipment be obtained and personnel trained to take and analyse air samples. I w o u l d recommend that sampling be done in accordance with U.S. methods and not wit h the I.S.O. method which co llects A i r at a rate of 1.0 l i t r e / m i n u t e , while U.S. method is at a rate of 2.0 lities/ minute. I might mention that Hyderabad Asbestos Cement Is now doing air sampling, and Southern Asbestos has sampling equipment on order. . ASBESTOS-CEMENT SCRAP - There are A-C scrap piles on both sides of the road east of the factory. A l t h o u g h . I d o n 't believe that these piles pose a health risk, they are un sightly and could be photographed and used detrimentally (again) against all Asbestos-cement producers. I recommend that these piles be levelled off and covered with earth fill from your new settling pond excavation. Completion and attain ment of the above recommendations will provide the following be nifits to Shree Digvijay. A. A major reduction in dust levels, whi ch w i l l provide a safe and healthful environment for all employees. B. Your Mr. Natarajan and others h a v e indicated that y ou experience approximately a 2% loss of fiber (purchase weight _VS weight of fiber weig he d at scales). - 4- I am convinced that you are losing approximately 1% of your fiber due to handling methods, spillage, etc. Based on your current usage of ap pr o x i m a t e l y 7500 tons of fiber and assuming a blend of .60 PV, your cost per ton of fiber is approx. 8400 Rs /Ton (1980 prices.) A 1% loss or 75 tons is worth Rs. 630,000 or U.S. $84,000. ________---------- Any and all environmental, improvements made at any AYC ^ produc ing facility will enhance the image of the^ A/C industry and circumvent criticiziras from environmen talists and Government Agencies, regulatory or otherwise. "Wr^wish to acknowledge that some im pr ovements have already been accomplished - (Negative Willow system,, finishing^ lathes dust collection, clean UP and Pa in t i n g of bu il din g and equipment, etc.) . In closing I have one last recommendation. I suggest that your Mr Natarajan and Mr. Gupta should visit a Johns--Manville Plant i n t h e near future. .1 would suggest that they vi si t the Stockton Plant. I believe it would be most beneficial to Shree Digvijay to have these two gentlemen visit a U.S. Plant. I wish to thank you for the courtesy, ho sp it a l i t y and co-operation shown to Mr. Hay and myself during our visit to your factory. Sincerely, CECIL P. BONZO Environmental Control Engineer. c c :B .S . Thakkar Shree Digvijay V .R . Natara jan Shree Digvijay M.L. Gupta Shree Digvijay >