Document G5D5jK6wrmOGRq9dBo79k08qv

l0(J'Of9( #rry XVIII. HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR ALL CRAFTSPERSONS IN HANDLING MATERIAL THAT CONTAINS ASBESTOS (With the intent of Covering every craftsperson who might come in contact with asbestos) Understanding a few facts and observing some common sense practices listed below will eliminate the Health Hazards associated with the use of asbestos and will insure the health of all craftspersons. A. Major Concern for Asbestos Health Hazards In those instances when asbestos fibers are present that are longer than five micrometers, the greatest health hazard exists. If these fibers are inhaled into the respiratory system, they collect in the lung sacs. If the quantities of these fibers are great enough to accumulate through years of continued inhalation, they take up substantial space normally used for air. The way in which asbestos fibers are more harmful than other foreign particles that enter the lung sacs is that they are not dissolved and absorbed into body waste streams to be carried away and discharged from the body as other particles are. They remain in the lung sacs. Membranes then grow around each fiber, resulting in a fibrosis of the lung sacs. Fiber by fiber over the years results in what we term "asbestosis." B. Normally Asbestos is Not a Major Health Hazard Under most conditions, asbestos is not normally in fiber form small enough to be airborne in a person's breathing zone and small enough to pass through the nasal filtering system of hair and mucous that filter out all but the very finest fibers. However, it is these small fibers longer than five micrometers entering the lungs that are considered to be the culprits that cause asbestosis. C. Health Risks Associated with the Use of Asbestos Have Been Greatly Reduced Risk of harm to craftspersons from the use of asbestos is slight because asbestos-free insulating materials are used exclusively now. Woven asbestos tape and sock has been replaced with woven fiber glass tape and sock in stores. No asbestos tape or sock is to be available from plant stores. Furthermore, previous personal sampling of the breathing zone air of employees indi cates that allowable limits are seldom reached even when asbestos fibers are present in any type material or activity provided normal precautions are observed. UCC 002206 2. XVIII. HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR ALL CRAFTSPERSONS IN HANDLING MATERIAL THAT CONTAINS ASBESTOS D. Our Concern - The Potential Harm from Existing Insulation Materials in the South Charleston Plant The potential harm to employees at the South Charleston plant lies almost exclusively in the removal, cleanup and disposal of existing insulation materials which were applied prior to 1972. The exposure we are concerned with is the stripping, cleanup, and disposal of old insulation. On piping, any insulation with tar paper weather barrier will most probably contain asbestos fibers. A number of steam-traced lines were insulated with "Unibestos" (trade name) and some of these lines will have either cloth and mastic or metal weather barrier. This material (Unibestos) contains asbestos, is easily recognized and must be handled, stripped off, cleaned up, and disposed of, using full precautions. Now, we have another concern. A number of our steam lines are in the process of extensive repairs to the weather barrier and replacement of damaged sections of insulation. These will tie into present asbestos contained in pipe covering and will cover existing asbestos contained in insulation. In the future, all this insulation will have to be considered to contain asbestos and precautions taken to eliminate hazards. Tank covers installed prior to 1972 will be treated as though they also contain asbestos and all precautions will be taken during stripping, cleanup, and disposal. Old steam trap lines, steam tracers, etc. will have asbestos sock or tape. Should you encounter any of these situations, consider the insulation to contain asbestos and take the neces sary precautions. If you aren't sure of the kind of material you are getting ready to remove, ask your area insulator supervisor or observe all precautions. E. Protection from Potential is Assured By following a few precautionary measures as required by OSHA regulation 1910.1001 and using sound judgment, each employee can perform his/her work in a perfectly safe and healthful manner. UCC 002207 3. XVIII. HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR ALL CRAFTSPERSONS IN HANDLING MATERIAL THAT CONTAINS ASBESTOS E. Protection from Potential is Assured (continued) Present OSHA Allowable Limit During an eight-hour period, the time-weighted average shall not exceed two fibers longer than five micrometers, per cubic centimeter of air. OSHA Ceiling Concentration No employee shall be exposed at any time to airborne concen trations of asbestos fibers in excess of ten fibers, longer than five micrometers, per cubic centimeter of air. Methods of measuring airborne concentrations are spelled out in the OSHA Register, regulation 1910.001 (e). March 1982 6AS/WBT/CED Attachment UCC 002208 MANDATORY PRECAUTIONS AND PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED WHEN HANDLING AND WORKING WITH MATERIALS CONTAINING ASBESTOS CHECK LIST 1. Respirators ' Shall be worn while removing and cleaning up all insulation, whether asbestos is present or not. Disposable types are allowed if they meet requirements. If upper limits are reached, supplied air respiratory equipment must be used. - 2. Work Area Precautions The work area will be roped off with yellow barricade tape during the removal and cleanup of asbestos-laden insulation. Warning signs to state: ASBESTOS -- AVOID BREATHING DUST -- WEAR PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT -- DO NOT REMAIN IN AREA UNLESS YOUR WORK REQUIRES IT -- BREATHING ASBESTOS DUST MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH -- must be posted outside each barricaded area to warn an employee desiring to enter the area so he/she can take the necessary protective steps. The barricade tape and warning signs are to remain in place until the job is complete. If the work is being performed where areas cannot be swept, or above open grating, the work area shall be covered with plastic sheeting or tarpaulins to contain the asbestos-laden insulation. Over grating, this will prevent insulation from filtering through into other work areas and will protect other employees from the asbestos hazards. On slagged areas this will prevent mixing insulation in the slag, made for easier cleanup and not leave insulation residues on the ground. 3. Wet Cleanup Insofar as practicable, insulation containing asbestos should be wet down before removal, cleanup and disposal to prevent the presence of airborne fibers. If this is not practicable, place plastic sheeting under the job being stripped and mist spray, with water, the removed insulation. Where possible, strip the insulation into labeled plastic bags on the job site (fiber-pacs can be used to support bags until bag is wired closed). When wet removal, cleanup is impractical due to temperature below 32F - location and/or nature of the job, sweeping compound will be applied to the work area during cleanup. All insulation will be stripped and bagged in the area in which it is removed. UCC 002209 CHECK LIST (continued) W 4. Disposal All removed insulation containing asbestos will be placed in dust-proof polyethylene bags, the bags wired closed and caution label attached to caution personnel about the asbestos contents. Bags with caution label on the bag front are being used. Each area insulation caution label on the bag front are being used. Each area insulation supervisor has a supply of these bags. The bagged insulation must be disposed of in landfill. This means we will place the bags in open top dumpsters and deliver to Goff Mountain only for covering up with soil. 5. Clothing Storage Work clothing used by insulators will be stored in separate lockers away from their street clothing. Coveralls will be supplied for jobs where insulation containing asbestos is being removed, cleaned up, and disposed of. Coveralls will be changed each day when the concentration of asbestos fibers may be heavily concentrated. Coveralls should be removed or vacuumed before entering eating facilities or where food is handled. Vacuums may be used to remove dust from clothing. CAUTION - at no time will compressed air be used for dusting off skin or clothing. 6. Laundering All protective coveralls used by insulators will be placed in dust-proof polyethylene bags, wired closed, and a caution label attached to each bag to alert the laundry employees of the possible asbestos contamination of the contents. CAUTION -- Used bags are to be disposed of and coveralls returned in clean containers. 7. Monitoring All jobs of significant size are to be monitored. Safety Department will monitor these jobs with designated equipment for air samples at the employees' breathing air zone. Results will be recorded. One-day notice should be given to the Safety Department so equipment can be prepared for the job. Monitoring results will be administered in accordance with Safety/Health Procedure No. 16. UCC 002210 .8 EPA Notification Stripping jobs of insulation containing asbestos must be reported to the plant EP Department (John Soic'e) for all largescale jobs. A large-scale job is one where more than 260 linear feet of pipe is to be stripped or a job where more than 160 ' square feet~is to be stripped. Notification must be 20 days Tn advance so proper notification can be filed with EPA. 9. Medical Records Will be maintained by the Medical Staff. Respirators approved for use: a) Normal Dust Exposure - 3M Respirator No. 8710 Norton Respirator No. 7170 Both of the above are of the single use, disposable type. b) Heavy Dust Exposure - Type "C" supplied air, continuous flow or pressure-demand type, supplied with full breathing air from breathing air cylinders. WARNING SIGNS To State: Asbestos Dust Hazard Avoid Breathing Dust Wear Assigned Protective Equipment Do Not Remain in Area Unless Your Work Require It Breathing Asbestos Dust May be Hazardous to Your Health Warning signs are located in each insulator building and must be used. CAUTION LABELS To State: CAUTION - Contains Asbestos Fibers Avoid Breathing Dust Breathing Asbestos Dust May Cause Serious Bodily Harm Caution tags for polyethylene bags containing discarded asbestos insulation materials and polyethylene bags containing coveralls used by insulators being sent to the laundry are stocked by each insulator supervisor in the three geographic areas. Bags with caution notices printed on the front are now being stocked and will be used. UCC 002211 PROCEDURE FOR HANDLING AND DISPOSAL OF ASBESTOS WASTE FROM THE SOUTH CHARLESTON PLANT All asbestos waste leaving the plant must be hauled to Goff Mountain disposal site in the proper individual marked containers (dust proof polyethylene bags with all OSHA specified warnings printed thereon). The truck drivers must have in their possession a properly filled-out manifest as prescribed by RCRA. The truck bed will be covered to avoid asbestos fibers from being dispensed to the atmosphere. Specific large truck beds will be used in hauling asbestos waste outside the plant to Goff Mountain; however, other types and sizes of waste containers can be used to collect asbestos waste within the plant and then transfer to the larger (15 to 20 Cu Yd) bed south of building 251. The manifest will be issued by the trucking function of the Maintenance Department and approved by E.P.D. BPJ 7/29/80 UCC 002212