Document 9Jb21RBqyzB1yDLOkMydbzRpq

Environm ntal Protection Department South Charleston Plant .. 7\ 165a r. > October 25, 1974 To: Mr. J. L. Carvajal Building 82-3 cc: Mr. D. W. Finn Mr. C. E. Fry Mr. J. E. Giffin Mr. B. L. Murray Mr. R. N. Wheeler *-- Mr. J. L. Worstell RECEIVED Cu i 3 i 1374 R. N. WHEP^P. JR. From: W. C. Young Subject: Duplication of NIOSH - Conducted Survey Resin Dust Monitoring in Workplace Environments On October 23, 1974, Mr. Ralph Zumwalde, a Research Industrial Hygienist, Dept. HEW, NIOSH, Division of Field Studies and Clinical Investigations revisited the South Charleston Plant to conduct the subject survey. Careless gross errors by the NIOSH investigating team during a previous study of our vinyl chloride activities made it necessary to repeat dust measurements. Simultaneous, duplicate measurements were made by this department on October 23, except in one location. Only one of two workers operating packing machines in Building 177 was monitored by us. (However, as it turned out NIOSH's sample on the worker we failed to monitor is invalid.) UCC monitoring results ranged from 1.1 to 4. 6 mg/m^ of air which are below the TLV (10 mg/m3) adopted by OSHA for "Nuisance Particulates". Furthermore, workers operating packing machines and when collecting samples at the Dispersion Vinyl Resin Unit wear dust respirators as SOP. Thus, their actual breathing exposure to dust is much less than any of the measured values. Some noteworthy comments concerning this investigation are: 1. Due to inherent limitations of the measurement method it is empirical in nature. Consequently, a significant variance in results would not be surprising. 2. Surveillance of employees and operating conditions was not maintained during the sampling periods. It was learned after the NIOSH investigators depar ture that his sampling train (rubber tubing) became disconnected, for an unknown duration, from the sampler pump worn by D, E. Cross at Building 177. This was discovered by an EPD staff member at approximately 1:15 p. m. He replaced the pump intake line and reported the incident at the end of the day. As a result, this particular measurement UCC 035347 2- would be invalid. Nevertheless, for reasons stated above this interruption may not be evident and we feel no compulsion to report the incident to NIOSH. /Pi Attachment ucc 035348 RESIN DUST MONITORING RESULTS SOUTH CHARLESTON PLANT October 23, 1974 Sample Number Type Sample 1 Personal 2 Personal 3 Area 4 Personal Employee Monitored E. H. Barnette H. D. Harrison R. E. Hunter Location Bldg. 190-1 Bldg. 190-1 Bldg. 190-1 Bldg. 177-5 Sampling Time, Min. 216 213 208 168 Concentration, mg/m3 4.6 2.1 1.1 1.8 Calculation: (W? - Wi) x 103 mg/gm E x T x 10-3 = Total dust, mg/m3 Where, Wx W2 F T Initial weight in grams Final weight in grams Jt Flow rate in liters per minute Total sampling time, minutes ucc 035349