Document KzxdXrZOgY0q9BX9RvYZ6dO90

FILE NAME: Foseco (FOS) DATE: 1974 July 24 DOC#: FOS037 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo U W / iw ~ 4 V_A ^ W * y r U N w ' Vfc*k^ O !NTSa-C0MPANY AN9 l.\*T2ft"DEPA."<7h2NTAt, COS^SS?OND2NCS "fQi Production Supt:* M l Supervisors ^ROM OATK: suajecT .PIAnt vuly 24, 2.574 Asbestos handling In view of the dangers ir.harent. in handling asbestos ir. our plant, and 0SHA*3 revent interest in our employees safety in this respect, we should like to remind supervisors o thoir rasponsibilities in training new employees, and supervising asbestos handling operations. All new employees muss be instructed as to the danger s o breathins air borne asbestos fibro and the locations in tr.e plant who s this hazard is present. a) Basically, inhaling asbestos fibres of greater than five micron size can, at a later date, cause lung cancer. Once in the lungs, the fibres an be retained and may afreet the lungs many years l_tar. Hence, breathing heavily laden air occassionally or lightly contaminated air continuously are equally dangerous. So effects will ha noticed by an affected person until, the fibres cause malignant tumors, at which point the individual is unlikely to be cured. b) The hazard of air born asbestos is present in the batching area of the pulping mezzanine, at the pulpers themselves during charging and at the refinishing stags of packaging, The danger also exists for those employees sweeping or vac"^ ing the floors in these areas. The refinishing operations giving rise to airborne fibres are: cutting grooves in one piece tops, dressing pallets of rings and cleaning "Super G" boards. Xev employees or employees being m o v e d to a hazardous area must bo instructed in*correct procedures. These procedures must be supervised to assure eon ti.nua'J compliance. Procedures to be observed are s a) Ail employees must wear respirators when in hazardous areas. Saw .respirators will be handed our personally to aach'em ployee located in these 'areas at the start of each shift. r b) Asbestos bags r.ust not bo brokor.'i;r.tii they aru u..dj.. traction hood of the asbestos bin.' When the bin ii, .. charged, who charging eoors cast be closed. c) Transfer of asbestos from the bin to the weigh drum will be carried our with a shovel only. The mat arial will not be tire.'.---furred by hand.. "* d) Cooling fans will be placed in such locations as to assist the dust extraction hoods ir. their gob, or to leave them unaffected, They must not blow across the front of a wigh station or throtgn it. a) Drums muss be dumped into pulpars slowly to give the d t collection equipment time to function. Dumping drums too fast gi s rise to excessive dust and spillage. f> The dust collector must ocs functioning whenever mixing or handling operations are taking place. The unit must bo shako.-, down at each break, iur.ch, and shift change. Pulpers which are not being used should have their doors closed to increase the dust extraction in other areas. h) Scrap finished products must be disposed of in the co ato i) Asbestos spillage, as from bag breakage and dust resulting from rerinishing operations will be cleaned up as quickly as possible either by vacuuming or by wetting down prior to sweeping and shovelling. ) Employees exposed to asbestos during their shift must change their external clothing before leaving the plant. Gkjves and respirators will be collected by supervisors for disposal through the compactor. It) Employees are recorr.r.er.ded to use the shower facilities provided and shower at the end of their shift. ^ 3. All employees are given an X-ray ana medical prior to hiring. In future, there will be an annual X-ray ana medical check-up and em ployees should be informed of this. C% D, C. Sar.ks Plant Safety Committee dfw FT