Document Qk5j140zqLQ5GLYvvXZkV9NNk
DOW CHEMICAL U.S.A.
February 18, 1985
LOUISIANA DIVISION P. O. BOX ISO
PLAQUEMINE, LOUISIANA 70765-01 GO 504 38S-S000
Carey Brannan Plant Superintendent Poly "B"
cc: Dr, M. Currier 3. Granier B. Ledford
A, Seidule B. Shamburger
POLY B INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE SURVEY, 1984
Summary t
The employees that had a likelihood for exposure in their jobs to noise and hexane were monitored using approved sampling and analytical methods. An Area Noise Survey of the plant revealed a significant reduction in noise levels around C-2001 and 0-204 compressors. Other areas of the plant have basically the same noise levels that were detected in 1983. The Audio Dosimeter data indicates that the job classifications with the highest potential for overexposure to noise were the Extrusion O.T., Extrusion O.S., and Reaction Area S.O.T. Hexane exposure data that was obtained on the Reaction S.O.T., Lab S.O.T., and Purification O.S. jobs were well below the threshold limit value (TLV) of 50 parts per million. The highest exposure to hexane was detected on a Reaction Area S.O.T. and equalled 8.2 ppm for 423 minutes.
Conclusions and Recommendations:
1. The following job classifications had potential noise doses that averaged higher than the Louisiana Division's Guideline (85 dbA for 8 hours = 100%): the Extrusion O.S. - 174%; the Reaction Area S.O.T.- 128%; and the Extrusion O.T. - 116%. Employee's potential exposures to noise should continue to be documented and the results communicated to them, along with the hazards of noise and the benefits of wearing ear protection in high noise areas. These steps and the audiometric testing of employees by the Medical Department are the most feasible controls for noise exposure we have at the present time.
AN OPERATING UNIT OF THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
DO 104590 OONFTDFNTTAl
Poly B XH Survey, 1984
-2- February 18, 1985
Conclusions and Recommendations: (Continued)
2. Personnel samples that were obtained on the Reaction S.O.T, Lab S.O.T., and Purification O.S. did not reveai any overexposures to' hexane and the data was approximately equal to that we have for 1983. For example, the Reaction Area S.O.T.'s average exposure on a typical work day was 5.4 ppm for 1984 and 5.0 ppm for 1983 as compared to the 50 ppm Threshold Limit Value (TLV). Since this data does not indicate an exposure problem on an 8 hour basis, more emphasis in our exposure measurements should be placed on specific short-term jobs that may be performed during the workday. Such jobs would include filter cleaning, tank car unloading, breaking into process lines and the like. Currently, there is no short-term exposure limit (STEL) for n-hexane, however; there are general excursion limits that are recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienist for substances with a TLV. These limits state that "Short-term exposures should exceed three times the TLV-TWA for no more than a total of thirty (30) minutes during a work day and under no circumstances should they exceed five (5) times the TLV, provided that the TLV-TWA is not exceeded."
NOISE EXPOSURE EVALUATION Method and Explanation of Guidelines
The new Dupont MK-2 Audio Dosimeter was used to measure employee's exposure to noise and was also used as a sound level meter to measure area noise levels. The dosimeter meets or exceeds all current requirements established by government agencies in the United States for personal audio dosimeters. All noise measurements were made using an 80 and 90 db(A) threshold level and a 90 db(A) criterion level. The threshold is the level that noise must exceed to be included in the dose calculation and the criterion is the decibel level that will yield a 100 percent dose in eight hours. The 90 db(A) criteron level is an 0SHA regulation, to obtain the dose percent using the Louisiana Division criterion level of 85 db(A) the results were multiplied by two (2). This is true due to the 5 db(A) doubling rate that is included in both the 0SHA regulations and the Louisiana Division Standard. All of the audio dosimeters were calibrated before and after each measurement using an approved acoustical calibrator (Dupont Audio Dosimeter Calibrator) at sound levels of 94 and 114 decibels.
DO 10 A 5*91 CONFTDFNTTAl
Poly B IH Surv y, 1984
-3- February 18, 1985
NOTSF FXPOSURE EVALUATION (Continnvrt)
1. Personnel Monitoring
Because ear protection is required to be worn in the high noise areas of the plant, the noise doses that were detected are potential doses.
As shown in Table 1 (Attachment 1), five (5) of the fourteen (14)
employees that were tested had potential noises doses above the
Division's Guideline. The average potential exposure for the jobs
that were monitored are as follows:
Number
Average
of Potential
3ob
Samples
Dose
Extrusion O.T. Extrusion S.O.T.
2 2
116% 91%
Extrusion O.S. 3 174%
Reaction S.O.T.
2
128%
Lab S.O.T. (Uniioy)
3
57%
Technical
2 19%
2. Area Surveys
There were two areas of the plant (C-204 and C-2001) where significant reductions in the noise levels have been achieved. The C-2001 steam drive compressor has been replaced with an electric drive compressor that reduced the noise around the compressor from 98 decibels (A) to 90 decibels (A). On C-204 compressor, the discharge line was insulated with a lead shield that reduced the noise around the compressor from 99 decibels (A) to 93 decibels (A).
As shown in Attachments 3-16, the high noise areas of the plant are the extrusion area, the material handling area, and the reaction areas. The noise levels are basically the same as those that were detected in 1983, therefore; no changes in the ear protection will be necessary.
HEXANE EXPOSURE EVALUATION
1. Sampling and Analytical Method
The 3M organic vapor monitor badge (#3500) was used to obtain breathing zone samples of personnel who may have a likiihood for exposure to hexane. The badges, which use an activated charcoal wafer as a collection medium, were desorbed with carbon disulfide and analyzed by gas chromatography.
00 10459? CONFTDFNTTA!
Poly B IH Surv y, 1984
-4- February 18, 1985
HEXANE EXPOSURE EVALUATION - Continu d
2. Discussion of Results
As shown in Table 2 (Attachment 2), all of the samples were well below the 50 ppm Threshold Limit Value for n-hexane. The highest concentration was detected on a Reaction S.O.T. operator and equalled 8.2 ppm for 423 minutes. One excursion sample was taken on a Day Maintenance operator while unloading a hexane tank car. The operator's exposure during this job was 5.4 ppm for 200 minutes. The other excursion sample, also shown in Table 2 (Attachment 2), was taken on a Purification O.S. operator while cleaning FL 202 E & F hexane filters and equalled 4.5 ppm for 60 minutes. The average hexane exposure for the jobs that were sampled on a typical workday are as follows:
JobSamples Reaction S.O.T. Lab S.O.T Purification S.O.T.
Number of
3 3 3
Average
Average
Sample
Hexane
Duration________ Exposure
404 Minutes
5.4 ppm
416 Minutes
1.9 ppm
403 Minutes
3.1 ppm
Mark D. Ryland Environmental Specialist Plastics Department Building 807
Attachments (16)
ltb
no 104590 OONFTDFNTTAL
ATTACHMENT 1
TABLE 1
EMPLOYEE'S TIME-WEIGHTED AVERAGE POTENTIAL EXPOSURES TO NOISE AT THE POLY B PLANT, 1984
SAMPLING DURATION (MINUTES)
30B
EMPLOYEE NUMBER
POTENTIAL EXPOSURE > 115 db(A)
TIME WEIGHTED AVERAGE EXPOSURE, PERCENT OF ALLOWABLE DOSE
DOSE % OSHA
REGULATION1
DOSE * 90 db(A) THRESHOLD2
DOSE % LOUISIANA DIVISION STANDARD3
369 436 432 249 432 388 405 432 420 360 420 420 425 425
EXTRUSION S.O.T. 433909
EXTRUSION S.O.T. 433642
EXTRUSION O.T.
433900
EXTRUSION O.T.
433672
EXTRUSION O.S.
433220
EXTRUSION O.S.
433244
EXTRUSION O.S.
432266
REACTION S.O.T.
433558
REACTION S.O.T.
433341
LAB S.O.T. UNILOY 433613
LAB S.O.T. UNILOY 433477
LAB S.O.T. UNILOY 433477
TECHNICAL
434093
TECHNICAL
434497
YES NO
YES YES YES
NO NO NO
-
-
-
-
-
40.0 51.2 82.6 33.8 116.7 64.1 80.6 35.9
-
27.0
-
-
--
1 90 db(A) for 8 hours using an 80 db Threshold, 2 90 db(A) for 8 hours using a 90 db Threshold. 3 83 db(A) for 8 hours using an 80 db Threshoid unless indicated differently, 4 83 db(A) for 8 hours using a 90 db Threshoid.
MDR/ltb
2-14-85
29.8 45.2 70.7 24.5 105.0 51.1 71.9 18.9 92.0
20.0 38.0
5.0 14.0
80.0 102.4 165.2
67.6 233.4 128.2 161.2
71.8 184.0
54.0 40.0* 76.0* 10.0* 28.0*
00 104594
C O N F ID E N T IA L
ATTACHMENT 2
TABLE 2
EMPLOYEE'S TIME-WEIGHTED-AVERAGE (TWA) EXPOSURES TO tCXANE AT THE POLY B PLANT, 1984
SAMPLE DURATION (MINUTES)
SAMPLE VOLUME (LITERS)
DOB
EMPLOYEE NUMBER
ACGIH THRESHOLD LIMIT VALUE FOR N-HEXANE
200 6.4 EXCURSION2
415
13.4
REACTION S.O.T.
423
13.5
REACTION 5.0.T.
375
12.0
REACTION S.O.T.
414
13.2
LAB S.O.T.
417
13.3
LAB S.O.T.
416
13.3
LAB S.O.T.
405
13.0
PURIFICATION O.S.
375
12.0
PURIFICATION O.S.
430
13.8
PURIFICATION O.S.
60 1.9 EXCURSION3
434386 433558 433970 433350 433477 434367 433477 432560 433087 432560 433359
TWA EXPOSURE TO tCXANE1
PPM (VOL/VOL)
50.0 5.4 6.7 8.2 1.4 2.8 1.2 1.7 1.4 2.0 6.0 4.5
^ Total hexane isomers. 2 Sample was taken while employee was unloading hexane tank car. 3 Sample was taken while employee was cleaning FL 202 E & F hexane
filters. Respiratory protection Is required when performing this job.
MDR/ltb 2-14-85
DO 104595
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no 104603 conftdfnttai
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DO 104604 CONFIDENTIAL
ATTACHMENT 12
TRAIN IV DOWNSTAIRS AREA NOISE SURVEY db(A)
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AREA NOISE SURVEY db(A)
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