Document Gwqk4BGBgVpBQppNOamLxy5r

FILE NAME: Weyerhaeuser (WEY) DATE: 1974 Apr 9 DOC#: WEY002 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo - Quarterly Asbestos Situation Audit ABQ01567 .V" i ' iatoro.fxiir*?Ci1" -'i*'i'**wuiOffs ;vv*i- LA-raifen Longview #|i.^ftl - , >W W i. W e y srJia e w se r C o m p a n y t>.i April 9. 1974 ivm. J', D. tfendiicK QUARTERLY ASBESTOS SITUATION AUDIT - MARCH 1974 T R. S. Welch Marshfield As outlined 1 our initial discussion cm March 22 and covered in some detail in our cloning discussions on Harab 28, the objectives of my visit to Marshfield at this time wore to: 1) conduct a quarterly audit of the asbestos situation in both the Mineral Core Plant and the Core Mill, 2} hold employee educational sessions similar to those given during the week of February 26 - March 2, 1973 and 3) with Morni Pacourek's assistance, collect comparative breathing zone samples of asbestos dust by simultaneously sampling according to our method and the Department Df Labor's recommended method. The following report covers the various aspects and ramifications of each of these objectives in the order if which they are listed above. QUARTERLY AUDIT; Mineral Core Plant A. installation of the new sandcr immediately down the process stream from the old sandar, which enables a single sanding pass to be made on cores out of the dryer, has aerate definite advantages for control of employee dust exposures and, " -- coincidentally, minimization of overhead in this area. *--- Becuusc each mineral core block arriving at the scissor lift adjacent to the sorting and grading area is now fully sized, asbestos dust levels entering the workroom air from the sequential stacking (and dropping} of cores onto the scissor ... lift can be expected to be drastically reduced from levels found by the QSUA Compliance Officer on January 9. The Department of Labor's samples were taken during the first pass (unsized] of the mineral core blocks through the gander. Elimination of the unilaterally-sanded mineral core block process will further reduce employee exposures to asbestos fibers since core block rotation and the additional handling required for the second pass through the sander are new unnecessary. CrTl 5 > R'w2 ;o Inc D3 LTl fr Bf O o_ 5T Z S' o' n> r. vo o K S o r.. tj e o D l*J 5-J y WY02-A00587 AB001568 -zV While accomplishing an obvious improvement in control of . asbestos around the trim saw-sander axpk with the additioh Of" . the new Sander, a coincidental reduction in overhead could also be realised. Kith the decrease in handling brought ; about by the addition of the new sendee, two employees.coal'd,, : perform the work tasks formerly requiring four employees. Two employees could onload and stack mineral core from the dryer,' feed the trim saw/sandere and sort and grade the sized, ' ' : sanded mineral core blocks.. Because less handling is necessary;, some reduction in the percentage of broken cores in this area is also likely. ' The planned modification of the trim saw area from caws to (rotating "hogging" heads, a3 indicated by Jim Gallatin, should bring about another improvement in asbestos control by increasing the effectiveness of dust pickup at these positions. evidenced by the substantial dust accumulation immediately ET inside the access door on the new Bander, further improvements in design of the internal dust pickup beads could be made. 6 The relative importanos of such a modification becomes apparent after isolating and studying significant sources of mineral core screp and dust which Ultimately lead to the accumulations of these materials In evidence under and alongside the process line in this area. _ Airborne asbestos levels at the sorting and grading work stations, as indicated by the February sampling testa oh employees working in this area (Steve Cant's April 4 report on Horn's February tests is attached for your information), have finally dropped b e l w the 1976 QSHA asbestos standard limits'* "f"or two mourtithKsS in succession" These excellent results are reflective of several fine points in asbestos control in this work area: 1) a more consistent phono lie glue sire application to the cores out of the Bander, 2) sizing cores on the first pass through the Sanders (thereby minimizing the "puffing" of mineral core dust during stacking of unsized cores on the C receiving scissor lift), 3) better handling practices and 4) more frequent and thorough cleanup activities. As active ongoing control- program ia urged with respect to those J~~ cogitrlputory factors responsible for these results ia~order that the low exposure leWls can be `continuously maintained la tills area. " ' TM "r" TM " ' . J,C. /'In"]1' Considerable buildup of mineral core dust and scrap was observed under the radial arm cut-off Saw, especially on Saturday morning, March 23, which provided strong evidence of O' f i>"\ a continuing problem with the negative air pickup system ^ serving that machine center. Further investigation revealed i i l* J that the system deficiency centers in the sheet Btetal duct '*?-A ,*' which captures dust and narrow strips of core block trim behind V WY02.000588 AB001569 -3 - and below the laser track In which the 63 blade travels Design Of the short duct (2-3* long) undoubtedly plays a prominent rale in its tendency to be Obstructed with core block: trim strips. Spate serions considratipp should bo given to redesigning this partidhli JLg of the<ait-?oE attt negative air pickup, eyatiife slitge ogftu&iaiBce with tff lOT.w CBBa. asbestos Bj-nd&ea bas hh vaen 'tdiia. iajal't".is rg.1' end -' tl> system is funGfai^jpg properly. Pla refer to Table 1/ my report to you of "February 26, for the airborne asbestos fiber levels measured during Norm's monthly checks for Decenber and January. February's monthly monitoring (attached to this report), by stark comparison, represents typical breathing rone asbestos fiber levels (13,50 fibera/cc) when the lower duct on the cut-off sew is j,ggg and salvage sawing continues to be performed. Whenever At begeaas obvions to cither the cut-off say operators or cut-off saw o^flaarem that visible, dust is being generated dite to a avtem -Blag-up Sa the lower duct, sawing should; B&_IToWfclnua, .nntXiThe system has been unplugged hha fstbij^.to piofer working order. This procedure ia necessary to effectively aihimize the exposure to asbestos fibers for-employees Working in this area and to comply with the OSRA asbestos standard until system modiftestions have been put into effect which obviate the need for suoh work stoppage. D. Cleanup activities wore performed by an employee with bis 3M-8710 dust mask not in place. While this is certainly not violation of the present 0SH& asbestos standard (employee reathing zone levels have been measured at 1.5-3.5 fibere/ce or these activities) and quite plainly not contumacy on the employee's part, until rapre complete evidence Indicating compliance with the 1976 OSH* limits in in hand, all employees performing cleanup activities should uniformly wear thiir " protective dust masks. Evidence gathered to date appears to warrant discriminatory treatment of this rule, depending upon the form of cleanup (vacuuming, squeegees, wet rag wiping, etc.) in which an employee is engaged. However, because our avowed goal is compliance with 1976 OSlih asbestos standard (this is the key point) in all .areas of the Mineral Core Plant"an3 Core Mill, additional evidence is necessary before selective removal of masks can be .recommended for cleanup activities, or more specifically, certain types of cleanup activities. With regard tp breathing zone levels measured on the employee who weighs out the asbestos in the negative air eyetom-protectee weighing hoppers, tha February results betoken an astounding I-00 fiber/cc, which ja equivalent to background levais in this area 6 months ago! In view al the modifications, which have been made to the "weighing hoppers (most notably, the panic bar setup) and. the present results, a direct correlation is WYO2-0O0589 L'AD-JO'O.^ asej) arnjtirFj .issnnrqsoao:y.t a sjoady u\Ew^Btporafft q vfj)-^ ''iwto.rspg 3 k W ^ n J ^ ^ p S ^ 5 5 W " o i ' P * 5tip' AB001570 -4 - indicted. Albeit this airborne level is undeniably excellent* ptocedurally some improvements could be made in this area. yacuumiag 6f the flour area ground the weighing hoppers should still be performed after each Weighing.- Throwing, of nrinqrPl1 TM"~a "r^TF end blpdlcs IS still in effect in the Mineral Core Plant. Thih dracfc'*TM gnena_hB aicronratied to minimize airborne asbestos fiber gpjinontT-nf<fip= 1 " ' '" TM Although the lid over the drinking fountain is a good addition to our program to protect the health of our employees, its 1- effectiveness in this regard is dubious when propped open (observed on several days). Sot only should the lid be left down after use, but a foamed rubber strip around the bottom of the lid may provide a better seal to prevent asbestos contamination between usee. To dispel employee misgivings with respect to the potential aerobic microbial brooding place offered by this enclosure, a regular prograin should be institute* to sanitize the top of the drinking fountain and the underside of the lid. n. %g reiterate a recommendation made in mv December 1? report to K7 E. &chamberi the basement area situated directly beneath , m e Weighing loom aliuoldDfe Clduida tiajUtiliiiy by placing iicMiwuiatIuhs,"iir labeled "pxastlc bags ana vaeuwing np-feha residuals. This is of especial import now since a window has been provided through the floor (grating immediately under the asbestos weighing hopper ledge), making these accumulations visible to visiting state or federal inspectors, industrial hygienists, etc., whose visits are unannounced. I To effect further diminution in airborne asbestos fiber levels within the Mineral Core Plant generally, a More active houses" keeping program is reccnnnondedr As will be discussed later in this x'eport under the section entitled "Employee Educational Sessions," each individual employee represents a Vital part of our total program to achieve and maintain a clean and healthful workplace (paraphrasing Section 5a of the Act). Core Hill A . Frequently throughout my quarterly audit in the Core Mill, observations of work practices and machine operation were made at the feeder position on the abrasive planer (Timesaver sander) The dustiest conditions arose at the feeder*a position when railed mineral core from a load to be sanded iar _pe_r_s_u_a_s_ion to separate one from anot-h-e-r-.- "-t*vffsu of mineral core dust produced by this activity" dispersed rapidly into the work station air around the feeder's position and undoubtedly account for a major portion of the high airborne asbestos concentrations shown in the February monthly samples. Asbestos dust release to the work room air from this work sLation was seen to be particularly intense on Saturday morning, March 23. WY02-00059D ABQ01571 :S '5 - Investigation of a probable cause for the more pronounced problem of March 23 revealed a coincidental situation involving partially--nised mineral core from last summer's inventory and seme side stile adhesion requiring pry separation. Engineering is presently studying a hood system, design for this position which wpuld capture the disrt released near the point of generation. Another suggestion va$ made tp locate a slot hood on the outlet end of the electronics to remove Surface dust and minimize potential release to the in-plant atmosphere at the abrasive planer feeder's position. A white film of dust on the face of the back: sander juxtaposed with the abrasive planer feeder position provided ample evidence of periodic system malfunctions. To significantly lessen the magnitude and extent of work room air contamination with asbestc fibers during infrequent system plug-ups or baghouse overloads, Ifc it is recommended that a pressure-sensitive warning system be installed hear the baghouse which would trigger burzer/iiashlng light alarms situated at the feeder positions on the abrasive planer and double-end tenoners upon any sudden ohaftga in the negative air pressure system. Such a warning system would ehabl machine'operators' fee take exigent stops to stop that* machines and the product "feed" ahead of the time visible dust begins to spew out of their machines. Another desirable aspect of this system is that it will reduce markedly the asbestos exposures of those unprotected employees who work in areas contiguous to mineral core work areas. c. fugitive dust clouds continue to escape from the inlet end of the main abrasive planer, especially immediately following entry of the tailing edge of a railed mineral core block into the abrasive pi finer. It appears that a marked drop in the efficacy of the sander negative air pickup system occurs at this time, resulting in the loss of mineral core dust to the work room air. u. Removal of the negative air pickup system fane from the inside work room environment or enclosure of these fans is seeded as evidenced by the sifting of dust buildup from around these fans down onto"the floor or loads of rails stored immediately below the fans (S-l) . Sc long as the fans occupy their present positrons in the Core Mill, they will continue to act as sources of asbestos contamination for this work place. At the abrasive planer feeder position, another problem of significance which undoubtedly contributes to the high asbestos n exposure in this employee's breathing zone is the makeup air system. One of the inlets of this system impinges directly dewn upon the railed mineral core blocks at the feeder position, blowing surface dust up into his face. A repositioning of this particular inlet is recommended. WY02-Q00591 AB001572 y 6a. 0 - 6- & F . During my discussions with Mr. Milan Racie, OSDA Compliance 1 Officer/Indus trial Hygienist, on March 18 and 19 in Milwaukee, it became apparent that OSEA has extended the depth sf the 0 asbestos standard, section 1910.93a, with the inclusion of the teachings contained in the HIOSh criteria document. This extension has touched on all areas listed in the OS8A asbestos standard and served to expand each of theta considerably. 'tb According to their new definition - each employee 'exposed to 1 & asbestos fibers" shall be covered by all applicable sections of the asbestos standard. To eliminate the probability of individual interpretation, "exposed to asbestos fibers' has JF5- ntw been defined as exposure to levels egual to or greater 3 than 1 fiber/cc greater than 5 microns in length on a time- VpI weighted average or 5 fibers/cc greeter than 5 microns in length for a ceiling limit. Because of this interpretation, I* it is recommended that my previous reconwendatioa indicating b o p <D showers would he necessary in the Coro Hill (baaed upon our E 6 monitoring program which Indicates near compliance with the CT 1975 OSHA asbestos standard) be -disregarded and be superseded, by a reconmandatlon to install such facilities and make these available to the employees (wearing unifoEga) in a manner : consistent with the program io^effect~Tn the Mineral core Plant. Q G. Since asbestos fibers were found In the dust accumulations on X m c h T-^bles in the Cora Mill lnnch room, each table ahoEld be wiped clean (with a damn cloth) at least m e a a day. The floor in the lunch room should also be attended to in a similar manner to minimise asbestos fiber contamination of lunch room >c air, etc. o po 11. At least for the present, all employees working either in the north aisle (alongside the double-end tenoners) or against the north wall in the Core Mill mineral core area should wear masks just as operators and offbearers on the double-end tenoners now do. The justification for this recoimnundation Is three-foId: 1) Some consideration ie being given to modifying, hopefully improving, the negative air pickup system around the double-end tenoners. While the3e changes are being O implemented, all employees in this area should be protected 2 against those upset conditions which typically arise during system modifications, < 2) The peccant behavior of several employees working in the (s Eli mineral core areas of the Core Mill; namely, the double If. end. tenoner and electronic areas, indicates the need now f> for a strong reminder (masks required) in the north aisle. VT p 0 1 n WY02-000592 L*i Zf) AB001573 -7- 31 Alleviate the cynicism which is boiling over the facetious magical boundary between support posts along the north aisle preventing airborne transport of asbestos fibers from the double-end tenoners across the north aisle to the work stations of the two rail sawyers, I. As in the case of the drinking fountain cover in the Mineral Core Plant, the drinking fountain cover in the Core Hill should be extended with a foam rubber atrip around the periphery of the lid to restrict admission of asbestos fibers to the nozzle area between uses. Sanitization should also be conducted on a regular basis on the top of the drinking fountain and the underside of the lid to allay employee anxiety regarding unsanitary conditions. The lid on this drinking fountain should not be propped open, as observed in the Mineral Core Plant. d. A ventilation deficiency was noted on the dual saw CH-10 in a rather qualitative manner. When the switch activating a valve to close a gate is flipped from "wood" to "mineral," about one-half the pull in the main duct leading from the saw to the main system is in evidence vis-a-vis that obtained for wood. Investigation of this problem revealed a potential bottleneck at a manual gate approximately 2-3' from where the duct from CM-10 enters the main, negative air system line- Opening the manual gate at this position more completely may resolve this discrepancy. K. vacuum clean-up drop legs have now been installed around the two double-end tenoners (FD-9 s FO-10) operating on mineral core full-time and the CM-20 double-end tenoner, which handles mineral core block tongue and grooving only occasionally. These additions are excellent examples of a continuing asbestos control program which ultimately will bring the Marshfield complex into compliance with the 1976 OSHA asbestos standard. Volume and correspondingly, velocity, of air entering these drop legs was found to be somewhat reduced when mineral core is being handled on the double-end tenoners and the abrasive planer simultaneously versus when the double-end tenoners only are connected to the system, if some conveniently detachable handle could be used in conjunction with the present drop Tegs, it would greatly facilitate cichw-up, especially in large open areas. Such a modification is recoitmended to make the employees1 clean-up tasks easier, thereby encouraging continued employee cooperation. WY2-00Q593 AB001574 I'- In the patch and putty (inspection) area, one process sti^ exists which occasionally produces higher than expected le\ vis. - 5.58 hexTs/ec tref- S. H. Cant's attached report). The process which brings about unacceptable oxpoguiaa is the drilling out of mineral core doors for insertion of a colorcoal'd dowel paq, If the drill's used for this purpose are equipped with stops, such that penetration could not be effected more than 3/4TM, no contact with mineral core would ba made and exposures to asbestos fibers (from this source) would rapidly fall to zero. M. Commendation is certainly in order for those involved, in changing the saw travel track on FM-5 through the use of lead. With the center groove now leaded in and the rip-saw during a typical cut producing no visible dust, it is doubtful that this machine center will become a significant health problem. N. Inspection of the washer and dryer for Core Hill employees1 uniforms showed- that the filter in the washing machine was very clogged and most certainly not functioning as it was intended. Frequent checks on the filter are appropriate to maximize efficiency of fiber removal from the contaminated uniforma. O. A recent problem with an ostensibly abrasion-type dermatitis among many of the Core Hill employees required to wear uniforms precipitated a study of present work practice and uniform cleaning procedures. As near as is poscible to tell from story re-creation and direct investigation, the trichloroisocyanuric: acid used in Davies Hi-Brite bleach is not being adequately removed from the uniforms and therefore may be causing a sensitization dermatitis. Restricting the size of the loads in the washing machine and/or washing uniforma without bleach may be the best ways to eliminate the problem. P. The new innovation which has been applied to the lite opening routers in the Detail Department very likely will bring these machine centers to within the 1976 OSHA asbestos standard Continuing efforts on mineral dust control at the drilling stations and at the lockset mortising stations should eliminate asbestos concerns in this department within the year. Employee Educational Besaloha As outlined in my December 17 report to K. E. Schonmer, employee education sessions were held during the week of March 25 to 1) apprise the employees of engineering controls which have been implemented since my February 26-March 2, 1973 educational sessions, 2) relate those before (prer February, 1973) and after (December, 1973-January, 1974) asbestos fiber levels which correspond to those engineering controls, 3) reiterate the health aspects of asbestos WY02-000594 AB001575 fiber inhalations, 4) address the problea of smoking and its cocarcinogehLa effects with asbestos, and 51 describe those portions of ear asbestos control pro grass which are the responsibilities of each employee who works with mineral core. The following sessions were held: Monday, war. 25 Tuesday, Mar,. 26 Wednesday, Mar, 21 B-.2Q a.m. (CM) 11j00 a,m. (CM! 4:50 p.m. (CM) 11:00 p, ro. (CM) 12:30 p.m, (MCP) 4:50 p.m. (CM) 10:30 p.m. (HOP) 12:30 p,m. (MCP) Employee comments and concerns elicited during the question and answer portions of the sessions are given below for your information. ifc> y* r daring baghouse dleanout or baghouee repairT Originally'/ a continuous flow supplied air respirator was employed for this purpose and, as far as they were concerned, this was acceptable. However, the air supply used for their excursions into the bughouses was secured from an oil-lubricated air compressor, which presented a potential carbon monoxide hazard. In accordance with OSdA Section 1910.134(d) Air Quality (2)(ii), if tins compressor was oil-lubricated, "it shall have a liigh-cempe r at u re oj carbon monoxide al-ita, or both. If only a hlgh-temperature alarm to used, the air from the coapu-saor shall be frequently tested for carbon monoxide to insure that it meets rhe Specifications in Subparagraph (1) of thia paragraph .11 Since the air compressors did not meet these criteria, air-pack and demand-type respirators were substituted. The objection being voiced by these people with respect to air-pack or demand-type respirators Is that they heavily tax the body during extended periods of use. Maintenance personnel have had to work 8-16 hours continuously to bring a baghouse back into normal function. For these long periods of tin? inside a confined space like a bughouse, half-hour alx-pack . i o WY02 000595 AB001576 b] Aside tram concern over proper protective equipmen entering the baghouses, the most noteworthy item iron, sessions was something that wasnit mentioned. Mo advexse . gOBggnts were directed either h\r aame or Sjanuendo toward'~any management or prodiiotipp staff employee- This is in. direct contrast to the sessions held one yearago when each group o f employe es offered up their venomous barbs with specific individuals on the receiving end. Each group of employees, except for the first group (time ran out before questions could be entertained), made constructive comments and voiced concerns relative to workplace conditions only. c) Session X (B;2Q a.m, - 3/25) was problematic from the onset, primarily due to the incivility of two highly charged, cynical employees. This was most unfortunate because their behavior very likely suppressed comments from those in the group who were less outspoken. After wading through their collect!ve acrimony, the following concerns surfaced: 1 - When routing out mineral core doors, mineral core dust frequently "hangs Up* in the four corners of the lite opening and, not being caught by the negative air pickup system, it trickles out on the floor from the vibration along the roller conveyor line. Presumably, this loose material could be eliminated .if the router operators were permitted to run the router around the opening a second time. 2 - Considerable dust from the lite opening routers and the hinge 3lot and mortising routers is released to the workroom air, eventually causing buildup on overhead pipes and other horizontal surfaces. When tile "doors" are opened, the incoming blast of air blows the dust off these surfaces into the air again. Employee's question "when will these pipes be vacuumed off?" If the wood dust and mineral dust collection systems are extended to Include the mortising work stations, the problem will have been solved, 3 - "Why do they have a plastic catch basin for mineral dust from drilling when we need a vacuum?"4 4 - Dust from detail (mineral and/or wood) presently goes to the hog fuel boiler furnace. "Does this represent a harard to the people of Marshfield?" i answered this question by discussing an article by Paul Cross, M.P., in last fall's Archives of Environmental Health, which pointed out that the polyfilamentous structure (thought to cause cancers) is altered (fused) substantially in the combustion rone of a fire. Heat treated asbestos fibers, for all intensive purposes, no longer present the carcinogenic character to the lung on inhalation. However this is highly dependent on combustion rone temperatures anti residence times in the combustion zone. WY02-0Q0596 "ZWBT 'ion?} <-UEcluro3jss':omyoAD,\\ 'a sioitoy u; JoSnietpaiV'SRW A:q AB001577 -1 1 - d) Concern was voiced in three sessionb regarding the use of fans for ventilation in certain areas of the Core Mill.. While this practice can not be overtly condoned owing to the potential of forced air movement adding to the airborne asbestos fiber loading some acceptance of this practice is probably necessary to improve the heat stress conditions during hot weather. If the fans are to be used without materially aggravating theTexistiag bagaid, direct MpStiq-ement of the fan breezes on any surface containing asbestos"'dust shoalJ be avoided. 'The speed of the fans should be maintained such that the dust carried airborne is not blown into areas where unprotected employees are working. e) Several employees wanted to know why the Coro Hill did not have shower facilities, whereas the Hineral Core Plant has had these for some time. They wanted a place to shower. Wash their hands, etc. This aspect of our compliance program is covered under the Quarterly Audit section of this report. f) A problem with dermatitis was pointed out in one of the sessions with Core Mill employees. Discussion of this problem was also covered under the Quarterly Audit section. Those employees who were perhaps the most vociferous on this point were also the most displeased when the supply of lotion dryed up at the storeroom. g) Asbestos dust in the lungs was mentioned in connection with lung clearance mechanisms and the probability of developing cancer. Although this subject is delicate, the point was made that in all diseases, some people are more susceptible than others, with only a marginal correlation with magnitude of exposure. The type of questions asked by this employee reflects typical Valetudinarian concerns. h) In the Core Mill, loads of mineral core block or railed mineral core are often stacked on 2"jc4" stud sections situated vertically under the load. When the pallets are set down, the weight of the load resting on tho 2**x4's occasionally shifts, causing the entire load to drop approximately 2-1/2B, This usually produces much dust, which contributes to the airborne asbestos exposures in the areas where this occurs. A batter . orientation for the support blocks on the pallets would be to use 2 - 2"x4"4g under each side of a load (in the horizontal configuration) to eliminate load shifting and the attendant dropping. WY02-000597 Kci'AD" 10 i\  ' ''" ";"*<' //>* ........ rf-. ._..,, ,.... ,i-f '1. 'j.v- y,. .4 *.* li5hr;iML`.vAi:_-v.'^Irt*.JL"_.-?>_">twK*1^3ti^BSSfiaEti5sRra2mdi^l H p ^ ;i|. H o m F^b&wKK^s hn'iftisL_..,, w h^lf by our method fay the Depacti^nt of tabpr. i| by Bide on each :e^lcsi^fe}^t^(,. ,,_. samples taken should between the two sampling methods; yaiiil coinpari on During the filling of sound retardant doors with either a clay aggregate or a ferro-phoaphorOus aggregate, a very fine dust is released both, in the area next to the core pusher and in the veneer chip department ii> the basement directly fallow the filling area. A sample Ofeach of-'felese matferlafs has been submitted for heavy metals analysis to ascertain the relative hazard from the exposures, hast which sifts down into the basement and the veneer chip apartment Creates very few problems until summer when the hot working conditions develop. When the circulation fans are turned ori lb' reduce he apparent heat load, some of the dust which' adcufituihted during the winter in picked up .and h l o ^ arbi^dvvin^4ii|'iire'aV 'Employees affected by this dust cbfapl&ijri of'pardKdS throat, watery eyes, WY02-000598 AB001579 -1 3 - burning sensation In the nose, etc. HopefulLy, the analysis of these materials will shed some light on the validity of their subjective responses. P Because most of the dust arriving in the veneer chip department can be traced to one small area immediately below the aggregate filling station, it is recommended that the filling box be enclosed, preferably with a pieSIglas emelosttro. B. On Tuesday, March 26 at approximately 1<J;20 a.a, , arc welding Was observed in an area adjacent to patch and putty (inspection) in the Core Mill. The welding was being performed on a steel track along which the glue spreader used for sired mineral core out of the abrasive planer slides. The real significance of this incident was that a portable protective shield was used around the welding area, effectively protecting employees in the immediate area against exposure to ultraviolet tram the welding are. ~ Conclusions I* In general, the Mineral Core Plant and Core Mill looked much better in this quarterly audit. Unlike safety problems which can be corrected with a guard, railing, rewiring, etc., however, the asbestos health problem is one which requires an ongoing and dynamic program. The very nature of this occupational health hazard requires a unified control program representing a cooperative effort between staff and' employees, always seeking ways to reduce airborne asbestos concentrationsat the source or point of generation. II. The ej^loyees who attended the educational sessions on Monday through Wednesday, March 25-27, seemed to be receptive toward assuming their responsibilities as discussed in these sessions. To ingeminate, those portions of our asbestos control program which are properly the responsibilities of the employees include; a) wearing their protective masks at all times in areas so designated, b) handling mineral core blocks, railed mineral core and mineral core scrap in a manner so as to minimise the production of airborne dust, c) vacuuming up their individual work areas during production breakdowns or stoppages to minimise the sources of asbestos fibers, and WYQ2-000S99 AB001550 -1 4 - d) warning other employee s entering mineral core work areas who are not properly protected or who are not familiar with procedures in handling mineral Core at the fcisSe Of the incident, rather than complaining to their foreman several hours later. Such employee responsibilities., administered in a positive, c^pGSantary way as pppoged to'usiaq tbem'as a "stick," can C3 go a long wavs toward achieving pur objective: total compliance with the 1976 OSRA asbestos standard, workplace asbestos fiber concentrations. Ill Although efforts directed toward good housekeeping were apparent in both the Mineral Core Plant and the Core Mill, the Core Hill*s efforts in. this area were particularly note ' worthy. XV, Problem areas which show up in our monthly sampling program if are almost always traceable to an enployee whoso work practices are poor, a plug-up or malfunction at a major machine center or employees working in areas containing con siderable accumulations of dust and scrap. In only one case is there a problem area (feeder position - abrasive planer) which doesn't fall into one of these three categorise and that should be taken care of within the newt 3-4 months. Jbw :he CCi D. R. EhIke - Cd 2-9 L. 11. Roelacher - oaa-6 R. T. Jenkins - CH 1-18 J. F. beRoux - CU 3 Wendlick < ^02-000600