Document QMv8yMyBLY5jvJ8mRvaQXXvp6

FILE NAME: Union Carbide (UC) DATE: 1959 May 11 DOC#: UC193 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Unpublished Report from BC Deposition - Special Hazards Survey - Occupational Disease Study tk A .'i i < Plaintiff's Exhibit S-H = -- ------ . .t ( ) UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION H * m OCTANT SfEEDKAT C m , INDIANA Kay U , 1959 Purposet This T i s i t vas made to a s s is t the p lan t in evaluating th e ir occupational disease exposure. Contactt Etna S a fe ty Engineering Representative R . Warner and I con tacte d Mr. Harold Sans, Manager o f in d u strial R elatio n s. t Procedure! A ir sampling fb r du st vas conducted using the midget im pineer v ith d is tille d water as a c o lle c tin g medium. Dust counts were made on a lig h t fie ld follow ing th e procedure as outlined by the United S ta te s P u b lic Health S e rv ice . A ir samples fo r p -ssible sulphuric m ist wer-? co llected in sodium hydroxide solution end the sample returned to the laboratory fo r determination by chemical methods. Ledge dust samples were co lle cte d and brought back to the laboratory fo r analysis o f the free s ilic a contents. R esultst A ir Sample N o. 1 - Copper Room Powder M ill - Taken a t breathing le v e l in front o f sh ie ld open to the m ixer. - General Room Sample 3 .4 m illio n p a rticle s o f dust per cubic fo o t o f a ir . A ir Sample No. 2 - Copper Room Powder M ill - Taken in tr e a t in g sons o f opera tor as he measures out f i l l s and mixes a batch . 7.5 m illio n p a rticles o f du st per cubic fb o t o f a ir . A ir Sample No. 3 - 020 Department - taken to l e f t o f operator breaking up and feeding chunks o f esbestos to picker 3 .9 m illio n p a rtic le s o f d u s t, 10 microns or le s s in s iz e , per cubic fo o t o f a ir. A ir Sample N o. 4 - 020 Department - taken in breathing zone o f operator f i l l ing bags o f thb asbestos from b in s. 12.2 m illio n p a rticle s o f d u s t, 10 microns or le s s in s iz e , per cubic fo o t of a ir. A ir Sample No. 5 - 020 Department - sand lin e f i l l i n g on mixer platform . Taken in front o f mixer while operator uas adding asbestos and silica . 96.5 m illio n p a rticle s o f d u st, 10 microns or le s s in s iz e , per cubic fo o t of air A2 174b f Union Carbide Corporation Page 3 A ir S ^ p le N o, 3 vas taken vhere one man breakes up the packages o f a s bestos and then feeds i t through a picker vhere i t i s fu rth er shredded. This p a rticu la r deration i s provided with an exhaust which i s qu ite e ffe c t ive in keeping the dust a t a minimum. This asbestos i s fe d in to a la r g e * enclosed b in which i s connected to the dust c o lle c to r , so th a t very l i t t l e o f the dust gets out into the a ir . A fter chopping up several packages o f asb esto s, the man then f i l l s and weighs out th e asbestos in to burlap sacks from the bin s (A ir Sample N o, A ) , Our count here was ovrr the threshold lim it . The man f i ll e d 3 bags in about 0 m inutes, so the exposure i s fo r short periods o n ly . I t would be d e s ir a b le , though, fo r th is man to use a respirator fo r t h is operation , We would a lso suggest th a t consideration be given to the use o f cardboard or sim ilar type containers fo r th is p a rticu la r handling o f the asbestos, Whenever empty as bestos bags are handled, the small p a r tic le s o f asb esto s, those most harm ful, are retained by the burlap bags and these are disturbed end set fre e when ever the bas is handled. There i s also the problem of f i l l in - these b a g s. This i s done by shovcliny and there is considerable sp illa g e * An open card board container could elim inate most o f th is s p illa g e . A ir Sanpie No, $ was taken a t the mixer w hile sand and asbestos was being added. Our r e su lts show a very high count h ere, even over the threshold lim it o f nuisance d u st. Here again the duration o f exposure i s q u ite s h o r t, the operator takin g only 7 minutes* This operator was net using a re sp ira to r fo r t h is although he had i t about his neck and used i t a t the point where A ir Sa.--.ple N o. 6 vas taken , We fe e l th a t the use o f the resp irato r hero I s im portant and should give the necessary protection fo r t h is short exposure. A ir S a-p le No, 6 was taken w hile the workman was emptying and weighing out bags o f sand end lim e in to hoppers. Here again considerable dust i s cre a te d . F o rtu n ately, the man wears a respirator here which a ffo rd s him p ro tectio n fo r the short period i t takes to perform th is operation (0 m inutes), 1."e did note during the takin g o f th is a ir sample th at housekeeping conditions on the platform where the lim e and sard are handled was none too good. There was considerable sp illa g e o f both lim e end sand here and a number o f broken bags, whenever the operator moved he kicked up considerable d u st. I t i s quite important th a t t h is platform be cleaned up and kept d e a n . A ir Sample lo , 7 and 0 were taken along the p ick lin g li n e . The H .A .C , fo r su lfu r ic m ist is 1 .0 mgs, per cubic meter o f a i r . Our r e s u lts are w e ll below th is l i m i t . I fe e l th at conditions here are sa tisfa cto r y and there i s no great exposure, Ve also v is ite d Department 042 Testing Room fo r coal converters. Oxygen i s used in here and there was concern th at there might a t tim es be an excess amount in th e a i r . The plant has recen tly purchased an oxygen analyser and we observed the te s t made using th is instruraent. A ll te s ts showed th a t th e amount o f o x y g e n in the aii here vas nor n a l . This instrument i s th e most p ra ctica l means o f checking fo r oxygen in the a i r . I fe e l th a t checks should be made on a regular schedule basis w ith th is analyser. ri 2 1 7 4 7 Diiion Carbide Corporation Page 4 I fe e l th a t conditone in regard to occupational disease exposure a t the p lan t are f a i r l y i-e U trader control tilth th e exception o f those rentioned above. Attached i s a l i s t o f suggestions and re correndac tio n 5 which 'ould help to reduce the occupational disease exposure at th is plan t. J .if.Robinson/od S `)l) (/ ) 21748 UITION CAHBHT. CORPORATION U S X CO:?ANT SPOT) 'AT CITY, INDIAI'A MAY 11, 1959 Kani-rrauATions 1 A C . S . Bureau o f Mines approved fo r asbestos dust resp irato r should be vora by the nan who weighs out and f i l l s bags o f as bestos. Mould suggest th a t consideration be -iven to th e su b stitu tio n o f cardboard or sim ilar type o f container fo r burlap bags in the handling o f asbestos. 3 . A .U . S* Bureau o f Mines epproved re sp ira to r shoxld be worn by the nan who i s charging sand end asbestos In the m ixers. A . Housekeeping should be improved on the platform where sand and lim e are measured out in to hoppers. This platform should be cleaned up d a ily . 5 . Mould suggest th a t checks be made w ith the oxygen analyser on & re g u la rly scheduled b a sis in the coA converter room o f Depart ment 042. ^ 2 7 7 4 _g