Document 4vqKxVg5yqjEaENBEpwK94ROa

Infer Office April 17, 197^ Personnel end Organization Staff Mr. J. D. Woods, Supervisor ftrsonnel Services and Security aaline Plant : ec R. P. Carzoli T. Z Kopke 0* 0. Lease, M.D. J. P. McOollm L* E. Botllnski, AuD. J. Stirling duib^ect: Sale Concentrations in OoqpcHdiii Room On Jtebrunry 20 and March 6, l$rfk we aanpled the cccgjoundinc room operator to assess concentrations of tale as fibers and total dust. Cb December El, 1973 an asbestos-free talc (Beavervhlte 200--Cyprus Mines Corporation) replaced Desert 51 talc (an asbestos contaminated talc) in production operations. Qe survey was to determine If Occupational Safety and .Health Act (OSSA) require ments imposed on this area based on past surveys*'-' could be lifted due to the change of talc. Conclusions 1. Concentration of total talc exceeds any applicable OSSA standard. Operator should aluays sear a Ocnpany approved respirator %hlle working in compounding room. 2. It is a vise preventive measure to keep those OSSA requirements imposed on the compounding roan by previous surveys" '. Concentration of talc fibers ( . )found and evidence of similarity of health consequences between talc 2 3 and asbestos exposures, lead us to this armclueIon. pH sc^wsioc On December 21, 1973 production began using Beavervhlte 200 Instead of Desert 51 talc in the oonpoinding room operation. The change was to eliminate asbestos from production operations. It was hoped that this revision would out-date 06HA requirements imposed on compounding operations when an asbestos oontaalnated talc (Desert 51) was in us*. This survey was to evaluate concentrations of Beavervhlte (dust and fibers) to which ths compounding room operator is exposed. Concurrently with environmental samples, bulk Beavervhlte samples were sent to tvo different laboratories for fiber content analysis. The environmental samples taken for "fiber determination" comprise Just one cycle of the operation. Urn sasgile for "total dust" represents a much longer period. We feel that these samples are representative of conditions to which the operator aanoled ie exposed. 5007 0665 ' PRODUCED BY FORD Mr. J. D. Moods April 17, 197** Bags Z Besuit for bulk BsauerwtdLte Indicate presence of fibers (see data sheet). Bis- crapancy of results is due to the two different analytical technique used. _ Total dust result exceeds OSBA standard far "Inert or Huisanoe Bust" of 19 Mg*A* and certainly exceeds OSBA standard for non-asbestos for* of talc of ZO xslllion of particles per cubic foot (KFPCF). Besuits of samples for fiber content exceed OSSA standards for asbestos fibers. These fibers were not Qualitatively analysed. Bseverwhite 00, although a type oTaafeertos, is not legally defined by G8HA as "asbestos." by straight interpre tation at the Act, OSSA requirements and/or regulations for "asbestos" do not apply to Beeveryhite BOO. However, reported cases of health consequences due to exposure^/ frtmUee to those due to asbestos exposure and results obtained in this and past surveys# lead us to advise, aa a preventive Measure, to observe the sane OSSA requirements and regulation for handling asbestos a for .handling Beaverwhlte. Xn regard to the operation sampled. It is too difficult and too expansive to con trol dust generation by ventilation. Previous surveys reported, in most instance, concentration* above OSSA asbestos fiber Units. Handling of bags (full or eapty), changing or stacking pallsta, moving flo-blns axe all source of dust. Purtbeznore, individual technique: aeene to be the nest important factor regarding dust conditions. Liberia IaSorre Industrial hygienist industrial Hygiene Section Baploye Health Services Department 9 9 ? C ZOO? Beferenoes (1) H. Lick's March 16, 1973 latter and X. Brusk'a letter - October 3, 1973 on same subject. (2) Pulmonary **>** from cosmetic talcum powder, JAMA - July 31, 1972, M. 221, Bo. 5, page ^92. (3) Mortality among talc Miners and millera In Hev York State, Archive of Environ- producedbyford Bata Sheet Baline Want Looatlon: Cbmpouajdlng Boon Pollutant Xv&Imtftd: talc (Beaveruhite fiOO-^t^prus Mines Ctaporsction) Operator aanpled: C. Schulte, BS #2058, maxing tnonrtalo Ssspirator, O.E. 0XX>, BJt. m-32 type of angles: Breathing gone OSSA Standards: Sale (aon-asbestos form)............................................. Shlc (fibroue) use asbestos Halt.................... . && .......20 HffCSF" 5 Fibers >5 Blcrancterc Cable Osntlaeter of Air Ssspie Xo. l: itdUe adding tale bags and polypropylene sooops to the alaer - sampled tor 17 aln. 15*1 fibers >5 HlcrcpctcrE Cubic Pentineter of Air Staple Xo. : While stacking pallets, moving esqrty bags and Moving flo-bina - amqpled fox 6 min. $5.6 Fibers 7$ MLcrcsneters Cubic Dentineter of Air Baraplr Bo. 3: Covered operations described for aargle Sob. 1 and 2 - aaaqplcd for JO ain. gp.A ags. total Bust Cubic Meter of Air Xnstnsoent&tloa: MSA Modal 0 Portable Piapa calibrated aa need XllHpore type AA mmdbxane filters, 0.8 jut Oelaan Olaaa Fiber Filters, type A 37 w SeteminatioD: Saaple Mas. 11 2 by Scientific Iteaearcti, Electron A X-rey Optica Section Using standard Baticnal institute Occupational Safety A Health (KICGH) counting technique* Bsapla Bo. 3 by Qravimatry Millions of particles per eubic ft. of air, basad on lsgingar ampleb counted by light-Field BachnlqusB IDO-7 CE6? ' PRODUCED BY FORD Bata. Sheet Saline Plant Upmilts of bulb Beaverwhite Analysis 1. PbrtlcleB exceeding lengths of 5 nitroneters aft veil as aspect j*tioo of 3:1 lab 1 2&f by count, k2$ "by veigjit Inl> 2 37 by count mb 1: Scientific Research, Electron, i> X-ray Optics Section, by Electrostatically dispersing talc from a bulk Muqple on a metal substrate measuring particle dimensions directly' free scanning electron aicrocrax^s* Lab 2: IJrivircnraental Health Zaboratories, visual count using an optical nicroBcopc fcOO magnification (KIOSH counting technique) Jfotc: Criteria for a xeocunended standard Occupational Exposure to Asbestos, U. E. Department of Health, Education & UpHare, 1972, page YXXI-2 defines "fibre" as follows: "A particle of length between 5 and 100 tst and having a 3ength-to-breadth ratio of at least 3:3.* observed by transmitted li^it by mean* of a microscope at a magnification of approximately J>00K." ftge vm - 6 "Any particle having an aspect ratio of three or greater is considered a fiber." 8007 C 5&c> PRODUCED BY FORD