Document 6BNZzKkxMd32B1b8BmVaJoDV4

Federal Register / Vol. 51. No. 119 / Friday, June 20, 1986 / Rules and Regulations 22659 other than those involved in fiber Local exhausts, area hoods, and Coating and Sealants introduction and milling, to be at levels central exhaust collection systems below 0.2 f/cc. The level of exposure represent the normal control measures Many types of coatings and sealants have asbestos added as a reinforcing . during braiding and twisting of treated asbestos yarn is controlled by local exhaust ventilation and is supplemented by general control measures, including used to minimize asbestos exposure at the slitting and calendering stages.. Housekeeping is also critical here. The rewinding step involves the bulk agent and property modifier. In most instances, tbe final product is asphaltbased and is used for roof coatings and automobile undercoatings. dilution ventilation and systematic packaging of paper products on spools, The production processes forsurface cleaning. In addition to wet mixing operations, sheet and gasket cutting causes very little generation of airborne reels, or beams from larger rolls. The operation is dry. and the hoodB and local exhaust may be used as dust- coatings and sealants are similar. In the . production of these products, the fibers must be opened, or fluffed, as much as fibers. Thus, OSHA has determined that control measures during these possible. Thus, a fluffing.operation to it is feasible for these operations to operations/ agitate the fibers follows the fiber comply with the 0.2 f/cc PEL. Although airborne asbestos fibers are introduction stage. Dry ingredients are Fiber introduction levels at these generated throughout the entire then mixed with the opened fibers plants were reported to be in excess of manufacturing process, exposure levels followed by the addition of the asphalt 0.2 f/cc. with exposures at two of the vary widely depending on the asbestos or coal tar and solvents. After mixing, plants reported to be in excess of 0.75 f/ content of the product. If comparable - the fiber is encapsulated and little cc. OSHA, however, believes that these control systems are used, airborne fiber asbestos dust is generated. The coatings. plants did not utilize the best available levels at a plant producing a gasket and sealant blends are then packaged technology and that it is feasible for paper containing 90 percent asbestos are and prepared for shipment. fiber introduction stations to comply normally higher than levels at a plani For this industry, the major potential with the 0.2 f/cc PEL. This determination producing specialty papers, or beverage sources of airborne fibrous exposures of feasibility was made because the or pharmaceutical filters containing 10 precede the mixing operation due to fiber introduction process in the gasket percent asbestos. Emissions also can accidential spills during fiber receiving and packing industry is similar to that in vary depending on the physical process and storing, and from emissions during other primary manufacturing industries itself. Some plants perform fiber fiber introduction. As in the where exposures are currently below 0.2 . introduction and stock preparation (i.e., manufacture of other asbestos products, f/cc (e.g.. A/C pipe and floor tile). wet-mixing) as separate operations and OSHA has determined that it is feasible Asbestos Paper others combine these into a single operation. to perform these tasks with with exposures below 0.2 f/cc. The fluffing In the manufacture of asbestos paper, Housekeeping in the stock preparation and mixing operations are kept under raw asbestos fiber is most often area represents a crucial control negative pressure, and housekeeping introduced in unopened pulpable bags, measure for minimizing operator around these operations is continuous. although for some types of paper the exposure to asbestos. Central vacuum OSHA based its feasibility . Tiber is dumped from the bags. In order cleaning systems and mechanical floor- determination on data provided by the to decrease exposures in cases where sweeper-v'acuum units often are. used Monsey Products Company for the firm's the fiber is dumped from the bags, during these operations. Indianapolis, Garland, and Rockhill asbestos may be obtained in OSHA based its feasibility. plants. These data, which are the most noncompressed pulpable paper bags so determination on data provided by the comprehensive available on coating that bags may merely be slit and added directly to the mixer: where it is Quin-T Corporation's plant in Tilton, New Hampshire. As shown in Table 15, facilities that have good work practices.1 are summarized in Table 10. immediately wetted. The use of batch these data are the most recent and sizes requiring whole bags of asbestos comprehensive available for asbestos Table 16.--Worker Exposures During the (rather than Vi or Vi bags) can further paper production. The mean exposures Manufacture of Asbestos Coatings and minimize asbestos handling and the for all areas were less than the 0.2 f/cc Sealants potential.for dust generation. As in other PEL. OSHA concludes that it is feasible manufacturing processes, the asbestos Tiber is carried under negative pressure by conveyor to a mixer. There, the fiber for this industry to comply with the 0.2 f/cc PEL. This position is consistent with RTFs findings for two paper firms that Job classification process Mean 6hr TWA exposure Wcc) Standard deviation No. of observa tions is wet-mixed with paper stock, binder, and other ingredients. The stock slurry responded to their survey [see Appendix Fiber introduction *..... C of the RIA). Other_______ _________ 0.13 -04' 0.15 . 05 34 13 flows into the papermaking machine and. forms a sheet with a solids content of . less than 5 percent. Although the moisture content is reduced greatly during transit through the paper machine, the wet nature of the material largely precludes the release of airborne Table 15.--Worker Exposure for Asbestos Paper Manufacture Job dassiBcation process Mean B. hr TWA exposure (l/cc) Standard deviation No. Ol observe-, tions. * Those data omit one outlier ol 1.03 f/oc. As ell of. the other observations were below 0.7 f/cc, wrtth most below O.tS f/cc, OSHA assumed (hat this observation was due to' an equipment problems. Source: U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA. Office of Regu latory Analysis. As indicated in.the table, the average exposures for these work stations were asbestos. Fiber introduction'.......... 005 0.04 The steam-heated rolls in the drying Wei mechanical.......... section typically have canopy hoods and Day mechanical*--....... Other............................... .09 .14 .06 to .12 .11 6 less than 0.2 f/cc at both stations in the 22 17 coating plants. OSHA, therefore, has 2S determined that it is feasible for this . exhausts to remove water vapor and heat. This type of hooding and exhaust augments the general ventilation in the area and aids in removing asbestos particulates released during the drying operation.. ' These date omit one outlier ot 0.56 (/cc. As an of other data *ero ,0.1 f/cc' or below. OSHA. assumed that this observation teas due to an equipment problem. 'These data omit one outlier ol 1.3 l/cc. As all ot the other observations wore'0.4 f/cc or below, OSHA assumed that this observation was also duo to an equipment problem. Source: U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA. Offico of Regu latory Analysis. industry sector to comply with the 0.2 f/ cc PEL This feasibility determination is 1 Data provided indicate (hat (he four other plants did not appear lo have (he eame quality of control technology (Exhibit 312A. Section L). GLEASON-000907