Document 66O24ZLr9wENBa5Qz6mMr3kd

fo*m om.ioooi ev. mi m f'fLC- ^ r /:^s xo ^ondell Potter ,OMKenry J. Muranko at Masai, rlorida ATiiew haven. Con i, L^t^nvironTnental Hygiene Aurvey van!to Plastics, Maud, florida. DATEAprlX 27, 1971 copy to Hoc Hoy Casque, b. W. Dsith d. W. boars On March 22, 1971 a plant visit was imade to olio vanite lustics in iiiasd, Florida for the nurnoaes of conducting a ventilation survey in the batch blending department and initiating an environmental hyglwK' survey in the plant. Assisting in this study was fir. Franx Fonseca, ; *, Plant Lnsineer at Min vanlte Mastics, Ihe cooperation and assistance extended during this survey was gratefully appreciated. Goncluaiona and flecoemendations The following section sumarisea tne text of this report. 1. The weighing operator in the blending Pep?<rti3nt is being exposed to excessive concentrations of nuisance dutt and possibly lead dust. Appropriate local exhaust ventilation 3houid bo installed to protect the operator during tie transferring of batch material. fee Appendix A, 2. Until exhaust ventilation can be installed, the operators in the blending Department should be provided with particulate filter respirators, bee Appendix 3. 3. Blood and urine samples for lead ueterMnati n should be taken from the Blending Department operators by your clinic for analysis by our tnviron- taental Hygiene laboratory. 1. Safety glasses should be were in the Blending fepartoent, 5* An eyewash, fountain should be installed in the blendiri*. Hepertnent. 6. "ertuin design no Uficntion on the .elcx -'lender and eooler will significantly reduce dust concentrations in the Diend operator**; area, 'overs on the loafing porta ant a lid cn the batch dump bin are recommended. 7. A periodic scheduling of maintenance on the wall ventilators in this department is suggested. '3. Ferious injury sal' result if a container falls frow the o;x:n pallet used to transfer cans to the blend level. It is recommended that the pallet be enclosed* 9. Accural axioms of settled ou;:t observed over notit. of the Mending Department. improved housekeeping would help reduce the general dustiness in v.is .-ma, OLI 4636 Tuie r ir von MUST RETAIN IT, SPECIFY a DEFINITE RETENTION PERIOD; ONE YEAR. OTHER Wendell Potter April 27, 1971 1C, noise levels at the infection molding grinders, while excessive In operation, are presently within acceptable limits on a time weighted Oasis, It should oe noted that relatively straightforward noise reduction methods exist for this type of machinery. See Appendix C. 11, The primary grinding operation averages 91 d3-A during rcoat of an eight-hour shift. This operation should he provided with an acoustical enclosure. An effective hearing conservation program la recommended. tee / ppendix C for enclosure details* loscri cticr. of operation The plant employs approximately 100 people in the production of polyvinyl chloride pipe and pipe fittings, iho plastic pipe is formed by four extrud ing machines and the various pipe fittings art1 manufactured on five injection molding machines, Oenerally, each type of pipe produced (e.g*, electrical pipe, pressure pipe, connunicatlon conduit, drain and vent pipe, end sewer pipe) has specific batch ingredient requirements. The oatch nixing la De ducted at the plant. further processing, such as threading, belling, or the attachment of couplings to the products, is carried out at the plant. Patch -ilfc-ndinp IX: snrtr-ar.t Tuc operators are responsible for the preparation of the batches. One man hand transfers most of the ingredients from barrels or bags to small plastic containers that he then weighs and adjusts to the required quantity. Approx imately eight such transfers are made per batch, end approximately sixty-three batches per each of the first t>o shifts are prepared (mterial for the third shift is prepared on the first and second shifts). The weighed material is then transferred in batch lots by pallet and forklift to the blend operator's position located on a platform about 15 feet above the weighing area. Iha blend operator is responsible for hand feeding the weighed materials Into the blending tank or she cooling tank, at the proper tirn. iietailod Recommendations - oaten blending 1. A large amount of air is woved through the batch blending building by four general room ventilators located about 20 feet above the floor on the west wall. This large air raovewent adequately captures and neves dust away from the blending o-^rutor but is of little benefit to the weighing operator. Faside the potential for excessive nuisance dust exposures, certain products require tae use of a coloring compound (Holly Oran, e) that is 60? lead, v.hile the quantity per batch is e^-all {1-1/2 lbs.) and the production infrequent {10-20*), a potential for excessive Lead exposure "Uiy exist. r;ho isnjcr portae:,- of the wuig-ir, ' operator's dust exposure occurs duri the nand scooping of batch material from large drums to the plastic wc?ig!dr.r er-.ntaiuers, and the pouring of rate-rial frc's cut bags to ths containers. Looser expos urea occur at the weighin'.: scale where the OLI 4637 G'endell Potter -3 April 27, 1971 container ccnt'.-nts are adjusted to the required weight. It ia rccot53nded that adequate local exocusi ventilation be provided for these operations, one possible erausst sy<sts design for the scooping and bag dumping opera tions v/oulc be an enclosure in which ail transferring would be dene, Zhe enclosure ventilation should be of such a design as to move the contaminant away frws the operator* 3 breathing son. fh enclosure would have the advantage of protecting the exhaust air flow fron the strong air currents produced by the wall ventilators. The nan's tasks should never require that he be between the dust source arid the direction of movenent of the exhaust air. An alternative systea would be adjustable exhaust hoods that withdraw dust at each point of origin. Trse wfeighinc scale er a should be provided with local exhaust ventilation, 'ere again, because of the strong air currents produced by the wall ventilators, a email exhausted enclosure for tho seals would be most practical. This type of process exhaust ventilation nay be in violation of city, county or state air pollution regulations and therefore require an appropriate duut collector. It is suggested that this aspect be thoroughly investigated prior to ventilation equipment installation, fee Appendix A. (Conclusion-lecomanootion 1) 2. Vroperly designed exhaust ventilation should reduce both nuisance dust and lead dust exposure to a miniaum, It is rocomanoed that the weighing operator <jg provided end required to wear a Bureau of Mines Approved dust filter respirator for protection against nuisance dust and lead dust. Ihe blending operator, although his potential for exposure appears to be ouch 1cl3 than that of the weighing operator, should be furnished a similar filter respirator for use during particularly dusty operations. See Appendix 3, (Concluslon-Hecoaaendation 2) 3. It is recognised good occupational health practice* to periodically monitor potential exposures to lead by analyzing blood and urine eample*s for lead content, formal values for blood lead and urine lead samples have been established by the American Industrial Hygiene Association in their hygienic Guido series. It is outposted that a blood and urine c&r.pit* fror, each of the operators in the Hatch .Slending Department be obtained by your clinic for delivery to our fnviz*onent&l hygiene labor atory in 'ew Haven for lead analysis, - should also have another set oi such ffia."!;`Iws 2 to 1; days after a pro'3 i:-e ti on run of P"C 1317-oranre pipe has heron. Periodic urine-load mnnitorinr thereafter ia reco-tKendod. Our laboratory cun furnish your clinic the necessary information and supplies for the collection of these samples. (Coftcluoion-decomBondation 3) u. Gurin- the course of this survey it was learned that two eye splash accidents had occurred in the handling of It is therefore recorrocendep that safety glasses be worn and an eyewash fountain be ine tailed in this departe?nt. (Concluclon-Pjecoateftudationa h and 5) new ? ;*.seral i-acuoational safety and Health Act to become effective April 2.3, li>71 wi!7, maicc rcartdatory standards of mar.; of the *!recowended trdlot r.nrarcd in inter..ta corr/ic-rce . OLI 4638 April 27, 1971 3. Certain dasirn Modifications on the Welex Blonder and -Cooler rind the dump hopper rff ihe cooler will greatly reduce potential duct exposures to the blond operator and ths general room dust. The following modifications should be consiaeradt a. Accuse neither tne blender nor the cooler tanks are equipped with downdraft exhaust ventilation, dust escapes at the open duop ports during loading and Mixing of the dry batch material. The major escape of dust occurs during the vigorous mixing action of the blonder, before ventilation systems are considered for these units it is surgestart that the loading ports be equipped with hatch devices that remain open only during the loading operation. Such devices may be sliding covers or spring-loaded twinging panels on the top of each port that close after each ingredient is dumped * while it is expected that there will be some release of dust when the ports are opened for leading, the wall ventilators should adequately remove this from the verb area and alleviate the necessity for equipment ventilation. b. The cooler deposits the batch formUation into an open bin. The falling material i3 often entrained by air currents moving through the department. Before a local exhaust vsntilation hood is con sidered, it 13 suggested that a lie be designed for the bin to prevent dust eseapage. A flexible sleeve should connect the bin cover to the cooler dur.p spout. 6. The transferring of the batch material containers from the ground level to the blending platform is performed by stacking, the full containers on a wooden pallet and then using a small forklift to raise the pallet to the upper level. The pajlet is not provided with sidewalls nor doaa the forklift have an overhead guard to protect the man below in tha event the containers fall from the pallet. It is suprested Uiat the pallet bo enclosed. (Cconclusion-'.occ-.Tiendjition 3) ?. Toicc levels wore: well within acceptable limits lr. this dep&rtnent. do action is necessary at this tl-we* Tc;* re 6. oldiro and -jetrudinp bspartments 'oise levels measured in the above departments are within acceptable limits fur eight-hour exposures. ;re i'irures 1, 2 and ii. ijaction wolfing operator's area is approximately rations, the total exposure tine for an 3-hour dny a Figure 3. The balance of the operator's time is - V sheulT b*- noted that relative!;, straightforward methods exist for the OLI 4639 ^nd-nll Totter S' April 27, 1971 Pri saury Grindiny Opcratici: ----- * - - * - ....-- i.ols;c levels wasured in this area with the grinder operating; were approx imately 97 d-3-A. The two grinders are located In a relatival;' isolated area of the plant and are attended by one operator tor 5 hours on she day shift only. The operator is supplied with and wears ear suffs. i.f; acoustic a., enclosure# for these units is presently under consideration. Ghs enclosed information jnay be of assistance in the design of such an enclosure. Appendix C. It should he noted that in addition to provlairy personal hearing protection to workers exposed to excessive noise levels, f'afety and Health Standards for federal Supply Contracts under the .. alsh-Healey i-ublic Contracts Act requires that an effective hearing conservation program be adsdnistored. lie expect these requiroswmte to be applied to the Occupational Safety and health Act of 1970. 3ueh a program includes: G* - r-rineerin.-; to minimise noiso exposure. 1. Tfi-asuresjent of the extent of hazard (noise survey). 3. Periodic audiostrie testing of the exposed individual, this ie require;' regardless of the fact the man is provided ear muffs. It is there I'orn recormenclsd that arrangements be nsde 'with your clinic to periodically have sudioraetric tests conducted on your grinder operators. Such tc-utc will be required until the satisfactory completion of an acoustical enclosure reduces the level of exposure to noise. 'f wv. can be of any further assistance to yew, please do not hesitate to call. henry J. Kuru&o Guoplementai Inforration OLI 4640 Manure V..*.UC 5 Iran iO d3 Area Traction no] dinp Machir.o y.o, ) , Remarks Operator's position. i-T. * ,. ^ V.7j . Typical of all operators' exposures. c La i-- C T *i rr. ^ 9C ruinates pS* j.X o* p'uI>*i OJ Date 3/22/71 Area Extruding .Machine -otx&sn Mo. 1 and 2 rienuirks Operator1s position Personnel Exposed o i3Tv O ;> 11**