Document 8R18ypn765JEg0bXV57VXR0Dd

FROM R. C. HINKLE BADIN WORKS TO MEMORANDUM ASBESTOS DUST CONTROL - CATHODE DEPARTMENT Don Dwight, Willie Williams, Jim Barringer, Earl Morgan and I met to discuss the status of asbestos dust control in the Cathode Department. All stock of asbestos bearing Superex insulation has been put into potlinings, and the pot record cards so marked. Skamol, with 1Z asbestos, is still on hand for installation of several pots. Since new insulation supplies contain no asbestos, the lining operation is not of asbestos concern. Nevertheless, we would advise workers to continue to wear masks while handling insulation because of the nuisance dust. Projected life of pots containing asbestos is over five years, so we will be digging such pots until after 1978. The operations of concern are: 1. Dust formation when vapor barrier steel sheet is cut or burned into smaller pieces. 2. Removing insulation from pot into Roura hoppers. 3. Dumping from 2 cubic yard Roura hoppers to Alcart 4 cubic yard containers. 4. Alcarts dumping from containers into truck. A. Cutting Vapor Barriers Mr. Morgan's limited testing to date indicates that the limits are exceeded during 1 and 2, and more tests are planned. It was decided that the maximum number of vapor barriers will be burned in two, since cutting with a jack hammer creates more dust. Use of the "big digger" would remove all but one man from the area, and as soon as possible will be so used. At present, the Case tractor is in much demand, so is returned to the Construction Department before vapor barriers can be cut. R/A will be written for a plate mounted support for the "big digger", and is expected to be in use in about 6 months (December '73). B. Removing Insulation from Pot Some of our pots leak water into the insulation. When this happens, the insulation is removed as usual (shoveled into Roura hopper which is set by crane into the pot shell). Occasionally a worker gets a chemical burn from it. The fume odor (believed to be ammonia) is strong. As to whether the fume is ammonia, and as to what the level produced is, Mr. Morgan will do the following: (a) find the TLV of ammonia, (b) make tests to determine whether it ia ammonia, (c) measure the level in a wetted insulation pot. ALCOAO 000009910 (ntv Memorandum June 11, 1973 Page 2 B. Removing Insulation from Pot (continued) Wetted -tngnlaMnn burns (exact chemical reaction not determined) a low grade bluish lame burning wooden pallets. Such combustion would make fiber drums impractical for holding wetted insulation. C. Dumping from One Container to Another and into Alcart Truck Mr. Morgan will observe and attempt to sample the area when these operations take place. Concluding this meeting, it was agreed that since we had explored some possibilities but not solved any problems, interested personnel would try to come up with possible practical procedures for meeting the regulations. Another meeting is expected in about two weeks to review. R. C. HINKLE RCHrbpc cc: E. M. Morgan D. D. Dwight d.p p&a ALCOA0000009911