Document Lp4Z4XQK9OY32LNyV82Jyp5M3
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DOW CHEMICAL U.S.A.
LOUISIANA DIVISION
___________________________________________________________________
P. Cl BOX ISO
------------------------------------------------- ---------------PLAOUEMINb. LOUISIANA 70754-UlfaU
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE REPORT
504 360-8000
The asbestos in air monitoring for first half of 1983 has been completed in the Chlor-Alkali II, Cell Service and Chlorine plants. Short term personnel and area excursion sampling was selected to depict peak concentrations of airborne asbestos. Survey results should be compared to the OS HA Permissible Exposure Li mi its (PEL) of two (2) fibers per cubic centimeter greater than five (5) microns for eight-hour time weight averages and a ceiling limit of ten (10) fibers per cubic centimeter greater than five (5) microns. Survey results in the Cell Service, Chlor Alkali II, and Chlorine plants were below the PEL of two (2) fibers per cubic centimeter greater than five (5) microns in length for an eight-hour time weighted average. The short term exposure sampling results were well within the PEL ceiling limit.
Good housekeeping, strict safe operating procedures, and a constant vigil for problem areas are the most important considerations for a successful abatement program. Employees must be informed of the sur vey results and must review the consequences of exposure to toxic amounts of asbestos fiberB. (See attachment)___________________________________ _____
DISTRIBUTION
LOUISIANA *J. R. Birdwell - 2306 *T. P. Rozas - 2306
H. M. Bell - 4701 Dr. M. Currier - 2303 G. w. Daigre - 3502-E C. E. Halphen - 3502eE `j. J. Hymel - 5601 R. Peebles - 5601 J. Diamond - 2601
J. Medine - 2601 J. Bock - 3601 W. Clark - 3601 J. Paul - 3601 B. Heinze - 3701 J. McKirdy - 3701
*F. D. Axe, Pittsburg *S. A. Goode, OCD Gary Meier, Strongsville A. Pollock, Sarnia *F. H. Braunlich, Tulsa
MIDLAND L. W. Rampy - 1702 R. R. Langner - 2030 M. Swank, 1803
*J "ArP
the DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
*R. M. Croyle - 474
DO 01?104 CONFIDENTIAL
-2-
Introduction
The required asbestos in air monitoring for the first half of 1983 has been completed. The survey serves to help protect the employees against over-exposure, pinpoint problem areas and fulfill the require ments of the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Discussion
In addition to everyday safety equipment, operators are required to wear disposable paper suits or work uniforms laundered on-site, rubber gloves and proper dust respirators when handling or working with friable asbestos. The safe procedure for handling asbestos should be discussed with each new employee before entering the work area and reviewed annually with the experienced operators as part of the ongoing Industrial Hygiene Education Program.
Sampling Method - Personnel samples are collected from the operators' breathing zone with a mixed cellulose ester membrane filter (37 mm diameter; 0.8 micron pore size) mounted on an open-face filter holder and attached to the operators' lapels. These cassettes are connected to monitoring pumps calibrated with a soap bubble meter to operate at a rate of 1.5 to 2.0 liters per minute.
Area samples are collected utilizing the same equipment and method as the personnel samples.
Analytical - The asbestos samples are analyzed using the NIOSH-Approved Method, P & CAM 239.
Results (See Attachment)
Monitoring results of thirty-six (36) samples indicated all samples were below the present exposure limit of 2 fibers > 5 microns in length per cubic centimeter for an eight-hour time weight average PEL.
Twenty-nine (29) personnel samples were collected from the operators' breathing zones. A high of 1.96 fibers per cc was recorded. The highest personnel breathing zone sample was a short term excursion sample of twenty minutes during pulping procedure on a series of cells. This short term excursion sample should be compared to PEL ceiling of ten (10) fibers per cc > five (5) microns in length.
on oi?ios
CONFTDENTTAl
- 3-
The seven (7) area samples recorded a high of 0.18 fibers per cc in the Cell Service building outside of the sandblast room's southwest corner. This sample was for a period of 465 minutes and should be compared to the eight (8) hour time-weighted average PEL of two (2) fibers per cc > five (5) microns in length. Recommendations In anticipation of the lowering of the OSHA PEL (in all likelihood 0.5 fibers/cc >5 microns in length) eight (8) hour time-weighted average sampling should be reinstituted to determine compliance. Conclusions The monitoring results were satisfactory and below the established permissible exposure limit of two (2) fibers per cubic centimeter eight-hour time-weighted average and for short term excursion sampling below the ten (10) fiber per cubic centimeter ceiling. The hazardous nature of asbestos necessitates housekeeping and safe operating proce dures remain the most important considerations for an abatement program. This must be a daily, job-by-job program to be successful and to offer the greatest protection to the employee. The Chlor-Alkali II, Cell Service and Chlorine plants employees must be informed of this survey's results and the consequences of exposure to toxic amounts of asbestos reviewed. (See Attachment.)
TC: sb
no 012106.
CONFIDENT T A(
DATE
SAMPLE #
5/25/83 3709
5/26/83
3708
6/1/83
3659
6/1/83
3660
6/8/83
3707
6/8/83
3663
6/9/83
366 2
6/16/83
3656
6/16/83 3657
6/16/83
3661
CHLORINE BLOCK
ATTACHMENT
SAMPLE DESCRIPTION
DURATION {MIN.)
Personnel - SOT Filled Pulp Wagon and Pulping Series
Personnel - SOT Pulping Series
265 45
Personnel - SOT Pulping Series
1 20
Personnel - SOT Pulping Series
1 20
Personnel - SOT Pulping Series
Personnel -SOT Pulping Series
45 30
Personnel - SOT Fitted Pulp Trailer and Pulping Series
Personnel - SOT Pulping Series
Personnel - SOT Pulping Series
Personnel - SOT Pulping Series
45
60 60 13
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION WORN
VOLUME (L. )
530.00
FIBERS/CC >5 MICRONS IN LENGTH
<0. 1 0
90.00 240.00 240.00
90.00 60.00 90.00
<0. 30
<0. 1 0 <0. 1 0
<0. 30 <0.40 <0. 30
111.00 120.00
26.00
<0. 30 <0.20
1.36
DO 0 1 .2 1 0 7
OONFTDFNTT
>
DATE 6/9/83
SAMPLE # 1 366
6/9/83
1380
6/13/83
669
6/14/83
676
6/14/83
677
6/15/83
678
6/16/83
679
6/16/83
680
CELL SERVICE BLOCK ATTACHMENT
SAMPLE DESCRIPTION
DURATION (MIN.)
Area - Cathode Oven Control Panel
385
Area - Over Lab Oven
334
Personnel - OS Training on Cathode Line
490
Personnel - Laborer - 255 Anode Building and Brushing Copper Contacts
Personnel - Laborer
220
Installing Cathodes in
Cells with Anodes
Personnel - OS Operation of Cathode Drawing Vat
397
Personnel - Laborer Installing Cathodes and Brushing Copper Contacts
-
1 55
Area - Cathode Oven Control Panel
372
VOLUME ( L. )
635.25
FIBERS/CC >5 MICRONS IN LENGTH
<0. 1
Ao
668.00
980.00
<0. 1
510.00
0. 1 6
440.00
<0.1
794.00
<0.1
31 7.50
<0.1
911.40
<0. 1
DO 0 1 2 1 0 8
c o n f id e n t :
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION WORN
I>
Z-n o
o
Tl N)
Z
>
CELL SERVICE BLOCK (Continued)
ATTACHMENT
DATE
SAMPLE #
6/16/83
681
6/17/83 6/20/83 6/20/83
68 3 684 685
6/22/83 686
6/22/83 6/23/83
687 688
6/23/83 689
6/30/83
691
SAMPLE DESCRIPTION
DURATION (MIN.)
Personnel - Laborer Installing Cathodes in Cells and Brushing Copper Contacts
200
Area - Debagging Room
405
Area - Debagging Room 473
Area - Center of
465
Building by S.W. Corner
of Sandblast Room
Personnel - OS Routine Operation of Cathode Drawing Vat
470
Area - Over Lab Oven
470
Area - Cathode Oven Control Panel
Personnel - SOT Routine Operation of Anode Line
365 375
Personnel - Laborer Working on Cathodes at the Drawing Vat
465
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION WORN
VOLUME (L. )
400.00
FIBERS/CC >5 MICRONS IN LENGTH
<0.1
830.25 969.65 976.50
<0.1 <0. 1
0.18
869.50
<0. 1
987.00 730.00
675.00
<0. 1 0.1 3
<0. 1
930.00
<0. 1
O
oo
2~n O
`-f o
o
2^
-t ^ o-t
CA II BLOCK ATTACHMENT
DATE
SAMPLE #
SAMPLE DESCRIPTION
6/24/83 3084
Personnel - OTT Pulping Series
6/24/83
3083
Personnel - OTT Filled Pulp wagon and Pulping Series
6/27/83
3082
Personnel - OT Pulping Series
6/27/83 3078
Personnel - OTT Pulping Series
6/27/83 3079
Personnel - SOT Pulping Series
6/27/83 3080
Personnel - SOT Pulping Series
6/29/83
3081
Personnel - OTT Pulping Series
6/29/83 3076
Personnel - OT Pulping Series
6/29/83
3077
Personnel - OT Pulping Series
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION WORN
DURATION (MIN.) 55 1 30
55 29 20 45 82 30 30
VOLUME (L. }
95.00
FIBERS/CC >5 MICRONS IN LENGTH
<0. 3
221.00
<0. 1
93.50 49.30 34.00 76.50 139.40 51 . 00 51.00
0.28 1.03 1.96 <0.3 <0.2 <0.5 <0.5
CONSEQUENCES OF EXPOSURE TO TfrXIC AMOUNTS
compound:
asbestos
eyes:
CONTACT WITH THE DUST CAN CAUSE MECHANICAL IRRITATION SIMILAR TO THAT CAUSED BY ANY SOLID PARTICLE.
skin:
UNLIKE FIBROUS GLASS, THE FIBERS DO NOT CAUSE DISCOMFORT OR MECHANICAL IRRITATION.
ingestion:
SOME EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT LONG TERM INGESTION OF ASBESTOS MAY INCREASE CHANCES OF STOMACH CANCER.
dust inhalation:
SHORT TERM: HIGH CONCENTRATIONS (WELL ABOVE ACCEPTABLE LEVELS) MAY CAUSE ONLY MODERATE DISCOMFORT FROM MECHANICAL IRRITATION.
LONG TERM: THE FIBERS CAN CAUSE SCARRING OF THE LUNGS (ASBESTOSIS). A CANCER OF THE CHEST LINING (MESOTHELIOMA) MAY ALSO RESULT FROM ASBESTOS EXPOSURE. MOST IMPORTANT, ASBESTOS EXPOSURE AND CIGARETTE SMOKING GREATLY INCREASE THE RISK OF LUNG CANCER. '
ihg: author: checked by:
ACGIH TLV IS 2 FIBERS/CC
G. H. FLORES
R. L. DANIEL - INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE G. C. JERSEY - TOXICOLOGY R. E. FLAKE - MEDICAL
-- issue date:
REVISED: 6-6-80
"""
RESTRICTED: for ua within Tha Dow ChamIctI Company only.
~r -------------- DO 0121.11.
CONFIDFNTTAI