Document O3VjnK9JXk3xrV42a9jDqpNvv

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION. AND WELFARE PU8UC HEALTH SERVICE CEKTCR FOR OISEASE CONTROL NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY ROBERT A. TAFT LABORATORIES 47 COLOMBIA PARKWAY. CINCINNATI. OHIO January 9, 1978 TA 77-41 Mr, J. W. Johnson Sales Manager Vimasco Corporation P. 0, Box 516 Nitro, West Virginia 25143 Dear Mr. Johnson: ,, As requested, the Technical Assistance Report TA 77-41 was reviewed to identify which samples were collected for airborne asbestos during the cutting of pre-coated cable. Samples A-5 and A-6, presented in Table IX of the report, were taken when a section of burnt and unbumt pre-coated cable was cut with a hacksaw. The concentration of asbestos fibers for these two samples was below the NIOSH analytical limits of detection of 0.05 fibers per cubic centimeter of air. Enclosed is a copy of Report TA 77-41 prepared by Thomas Anania. If we can be of further assistance, or if there are any questions, please contact us. Sincerely yours Enclosure James H. Price Industrial Hygienist Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch U,$, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND. HEALTH CINCINNATI, OHIO 45202 HAZARD EVALUATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REPORT NO, TA 77-41 VIMASCO CORPORATION NITRO, WEST VIRGINIA SEPTEMBER 1977 Study Requested By: Mr, J, W. Johnson Vimasco Corporation Mr, Gerald Golsch Cincinnati Gas'and Electric Study Conducted By: Thomas Anania James Price Industrial Hygienists Industrial Hygiene Section Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch, NIOSH Study Oates: '' April 28-29, 1977 * ( Page 1 - Hazard Evaluation and Technical .Assistance Report No. TA 77-41 I. SUMMARY OF REPORT The Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducted an asbestos study for the Vimasco Corporation of Nitro, West Virginia, and the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. The study was conducted on April 28-29, 1977. A total of 38 samples for asbestos were taken during the survey of which 28 were personal and 10 were general area samples. The concentration of asbestos on all samples was below the analytical limits of detection of 0.05 fibers per cubic centimeter of air (fibers/cc). Based on these data and recent NIOSH recommended environmental criteria, it can be concluded that no health hazard exists during application of the Vinusco cable coating operation (Tables I and II). , II. INTRODUCTION On April 28-29, 1977, the Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducted an asbestos survey of the Vimasco cable coating operation at the Cincinnati Gas and Electr.ic's Oakley Substation located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Vimasco cable coating is a fire protection material consisting of polyvinyl acetate and asbestos. It is used to prevent the spread of fire in electrical cables having conbustible Insulation when grouped together in continuous rigid cable supports, junction boxes, cable trays and similar locations. The material is received in five gallon containers and is ready for use when opened. An airless spray pump, operating at 80 cubic feet per minute (cfm) is used to apply the coating. The piston type pump is submerged into the container of material and during the `'up" stroke, the material is deposited into a reservoir and on the "down" stroke it is forced through the line and spray pump. The air was supplied by a large portable air compressor located on the outside of the building. III. EVALUATION METHODS, CRITERIA AND TOXICOLOGY A. Evaluation Methods Personal and area samples for airborne asbestos were collected on Millipore* type AA cellulose membrane filters with an 0.8u pore size. The filters were encased in a 37 nni three-piece plastic field monitoring cassette with the face cap removed to expose the entire surface of the filter. ^Mention of commercial products does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH. o Page 2 - Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Report No. TA 77-41 Personal samples were collected at the employees* breathing zone using portable, battery-powered, Mine Safety Appliance* gravimetric pumps (Model G). The pumps and filters were worn by the employees during spraying. General air samples were also taken using the same type of pumps and filters used in personal sampling. The area samples were taken at various locations in the building. All samples for asbestos were collected at a flow rate of 1.0 liters per minute (1pm) and were analyzed at the Utah Biomedical Test Laboratory, Salt Lake City, Utah, using phase contrast microscopy.* B. Evaluation Criteria r 1. Environmental ^ The primary criteria used .for the evaluation of airborne asbestos was the NIOSH recommended standard limiting worker exposure to an airborne concen tration of 0.1 fibers over 5 millimicrons in length per cubic centimeter (fibers/cc) of air on an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) and a peak concentration of 5 fibers/cc based on 15 minute sampling period.2 2. Evaluation Toxicology Asbestos is a generic term which applies to a number of naturally occurring silicates of variable composition, but basically is of a form of hydrous magnesium silicate. Their chief characteristic is a structure composed subdivision of long, parallel, flexible fibers, capable of repeated longi tudinal subdivision. The most widely used form in the United States is chrysotile, a fibrous form of serpentine. Other types include amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinoli.te. One of the potential health hazards associated with exposure to asbestos is that of inhalation of airborne fibers, resulting in a type of pneu moconiosis referred to as asbestos is. Asbestos fibers are capable of passing through the upper respiratory tract and depositing in ther terminal bronchioles of the lungs.' The fibers, upon deposition in the terminal bronchioles, initiate a tissue response which results in a coating of the fiber with the ultimate production of what is known as the asbestos "body". If large quantities of the fibers are inhaled over a prolonged period, the tissue reaction progresses until a generalized, diffuse fibrosis becomes evident. This fibrosis is first seen in the lower lobes of the lungs, but eventually if exposure continues, appears in the other lobes as well. The fibrosis can impair the^transfer of oxygen across the alveolar membrane and result in respiratory insufficiency, or cardiac failure. *Mention of cotmtercial products does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH. Page 3 - Hazard Evaluation and Technical. Assistance Report No. 77-41 Along with asbestosis, studies have provided conclusive evidence that exposure to asbestos fibers causes cancer in man. The frequency of bronchiogenic cancer is greater in occupationally exposed persons, as well as an increased occurrence in development of mesotheliomas of the pleura and peritoneum. These asbestos-associated neoplasms may occur without radiological evidence of asbestosis. C. Results of Sampling A total of 38 samples for airborne asbestos were taken during the survey, of which 28 were personal and 10 were general area samples. The concen tration of asbestos fibers on all samples were below the NIOSH analytical limits of detection of 0.05 fibers/cc (Table I and II). Since these samples are below the current OSHA standard of 2.0 fifrers/cc and the recent NIOSH recommended standard, it is believed that no health hazard will exist during the application of the Vimasco cable coating if the manufacture recommendations for application are followed. IV. REFERENCES 1. Manual of .Analytical Methods, HEW Publication No. 75-121. 2. Memorandum from Oi rector .NIOSH to Assistant Secretary of Health, Decenber 15, 1976. V. AUTHORSHIP ANO ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Report Prepared By: Thomas l. Anania Assistant Chief Industrial Hygiene Section Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch Cincinnati, Ohio Originating Office: Jerome P. Flesch Acting Chief Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch Cincinnati, Ohio Acknowledgement: t James H. Price Industrial Hygienist Industrial Hygiene Section Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance Branch Cincinnati, Ohio i "1 Sample No 5 3 4 1 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 TABLE I PERSONAL AIR SAMPLES FOR ASBESTOS VIMASCO CORPORATION April 28, 29, 1977 Sample lime ON OFF 0930 0930 0930 0930 0930 0930 1330 1330 1327 1328 1328 1328 1413 1413 1430 1430 1430 1430 1430 1430 0820 0820 0821 0820 0823 0820 100S 100S . - 11S0 1150 1152 114S 1145 1430 140S 14 OS 1430 1430 1430 1430 1430 1430 1532 1530 IS 30 1530 1530 1530 1122 1110 0920 1120 1123 0920 1110 1110 Sample Vol/llters 140 140 142 13S 135 360 35 35 S7 58 58 S8 17 17 62 60 60 60 60 * 60 182 170 61 180 180 60 65 65 Job Title Concentration fibers/cc Sprayer Sprayer Sprayer Helper Supervisor Station Oper. Sprayer Sprayer Sprayer Helper Supervisor Operator Sprayer Sprayer. Sprayer Sprayer Sprayer Helper Supervisor Helper Sprayer Operator Supervisor Sprayer Helper Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0,.05 --40.05 <0.0S <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.0S <0.1 <0.1 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <G.0S <0.05 <0.05 <0.0S <o:os <0.05 r O are years p ro d u ct was aade w ith asbestos, Sooe p ro d u cts lis te d a re Appearance o f sech p ro d u ct was as 8 visco u s liq u id , ra n g in g from th e co n siste n cy o f a th ic k p a in t to th a t o f a heavy p u tty . Unless a s p e c ific c o lo r is shown, p ro d u ct was a w ater-based c o a tin g w hich was tin te d to the customers* c rie rs . < co 0I < oOo* o O -4 O' 8 o O =11= -COot4O oii-- t-3 osi : H 3 O Os<tl H >O >O !8 -4 t VIO > 8<v o W <f*-*t CO !c-*t O o <3 I SO3 O <0 o0 l 1 8 VO -V4O I 8 g g 8 8 88 VO o -4 tO VcO\ Ot N 8 vo ON --CI4D CP s vvOn < 8 vVvnoJ i vO vo O01N 3 * VO vn vn i 3 vn VO Ot & ON NvOn 7* vn cJ a C0D> 58 a:-**, pct .> *1 fO CO CO wrr On i crioo t-* t to CtioO C-IpO* ICpO* Ictoo to t CO fO -T'OI to CO tH-** to *p: p H* P p p o too*, oct ct o o p(0 ct 0 8 IM sa & f I<0 > & t? *3 f-l < *po O P J M 0 P < P P P P a: -C ppp pp p p p PP i o 0 05 cHt* <5 pt>r-*t SJ p0HP)* 6* cHt* O 0 o*1 0n3 0 t<?+ 0 ff s p 3 OO 8. 8 ct 0* 0* pp 3 "*3 oo 88 0* P *3 O u p ff *3 O 8 3 o *-* a 1 sr 1co s S' 8 8ct O ST p s .& <+ o & o Qj 3 o o O t H* Hc*t ct H* ct H* ct H* ct <H+* fi fi fi fi .fi fi P <H-t O 0 a <(A5 ct 8 ct 8 p cHt* & tIo ON 8 8CO & 01 o w ts p p ss y-' 18 oo p vt o<0&1* <t 8 8 8 8 5 8<P*<300 ft B 0 fOt <o+ c*<35 ' o o P ct O o p e+ H- O o p ft" H- * o> tf p (A o O P d* H* O P <+ O 6 p I-* o p p ct H* O o p <t o ct H* T0O O OO o p ct H* ct H* 0 ft a o <t a1? * "s ft 4 M> ? P> o{ P*P03. o0PPP*1<. >w O*O3S Poop33. P* s: j0jt* cPt a<n o3 CPOP*3u. > P 'ff OPP*- -PO*03* P3 P* PP3. >P O PP*i* P*3 P* >P POPPP33.i >P OPPP*33i P< >P OP*PP*33i Pi >P OPpp53 Pi > p o*3 P* P*3 P P< 0 o( 0 0 ct to 1(IJ* KJ3 t.* MJ < OOCt. < << oth : <n s t i l l b e in g made, t u t w ith o u t as'oestos. TABLE II GENERAL AREA SAMPLES FOR ASBESTOS VIMASCO CORPORATION April 28, 29, 1977 Sample No. A-l A-2 A-3 A-4 A-S A-6 A-7 A-8 A-9 Sample Time ON OFF Sample Vol/liters 0858 1430 332 0858 1430 332 0900 1430 ' 330 1325 i43Q 65 1413 1430 17 1345 14 OS 20 1435 1530 55 0823 1US 172 082S ms 175 Concentration Location_______________fibers/cc Lunch Table <0.0S Mid Room <0.05 First Aid Bos Mid Room <0.05 . -- <0.05 . Cutting Insulat. <0.05 Cutting Insulat. <G.0S Mid Room <0.05 First Aid Box <0.0S . Mid Room <0.05