Document RZoJvO06YJB8Rrp8ZnZN7oa7

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH GUIDELINE FOR VINYL CHLORIDE POTENTIAL HUMAN CARCINOGEN INTRODUCTION This guideline summarizes pertinent information about vinyl chloride for workers, employers, and occupational safety and health professionals who may need such information to con duct effective occupational safety and health programs. Recommendations may be superseded by new developments in these fields; therefore, readers are advised to regard these recommendations as general guidelines. SUBSTANCE IDENTIFICATION Formula: C,HjCl Structure: CHj-CHCl Synonyms: Chlorethene. chlorethylene, monochlorethylene, chloroethylene Identifiers: CAS 75-OM; RTECS KU9625000; DOT 1086, label required: "Flammable Gas" Appearance and odor: Colorless gas with a sweet odor CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES Physical data 1. Molecular weight: 62.60 2. Boiling point (at 760 mmHg): -14C (7F) 3. Specific gravity (water - 1): 0.9121 4. Vapor density (air = l at boiling point of vinyl chloride): 2.15 5. Melting point: -155.7C (-243.4T) 6. Vapor pressure at 20C (68"F): 2,580 mmHg . water, g'100 g water at 24C (75"F): 0.11 . potential: 9.995 eV , , * ' .* * . juoilities: Atmcipher,t ux .gsn and strong oxio : n with vinyi chi;,; ;de to oroauce peroxide, which c. . . "'"lent polymerriauon rcac: i. 2. Hazardous decomposition products: Toxic vapors and gases (e.g., hydrogen chloride and carbon monoxide) may be released in a fire involving vinyl chloride. 3. Caution: Check valves for leaks. Flammability 1. Flash point: -78*C (-108F) (open cup) 2. Autoignition temperature: 472 *C (882 F) 3. Flammable limits in air. % by volume: Lower, 3.6: Upper. 33.0 4. Class LA Flammable Liquid Gas (29 CFR 1910:106). Flam mability Rating 4 (NFPA) Warning properties 1. Odor threshold: 3.000 ppm 2. Evaluation of warning properties for respirator selection: Warning properties are not considered in recommending respirators for use with carcinogens. EXPOSURE LIMITS The current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) for vinyl chloride is 1 pan of vinyl chloride per million parts of air (ppm) as a time-weighted average (TWA) concentration over an 8-hour workshift. and the ceiling concentration which shall at no time be exceeded is 5 ppm as determined in any 15-minute sampling period. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that vinyl chloride be controlled and handled as a potential human carcinogen in the workplace, and the NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) is that exivsurr be minimized to the lowest feasi ble limn The American (.muerencf rf rif~ in.-, trial Uveicnisis (ACGIH) La* oesignji^ ' '.n Al-sv uce (suspected himrrt rvEcsiorre:;: ^ J thicr- imir value. 'TTV*: ofj ppm (K) min.,. \ ur. chloric per cub'- 'er of .nr :mg/nvJ>l as TY.A -or nr;r,nal 8-liour . ind a 4-; our w<,-r i, i. .: 1988 as. defartmen of heal and cuman sehvicee Pubh. w f .rvice Cfc.iiers tor hseas- rintrol Nat1 -ute for Occupsr1' vS.'-tyar, -^alth C'iv'S' ' tirii Oavetopr1 Prinor r-^nsiei CT 5L 074616 Vinyi Chi ride 1 V Table 1.--Occupationai exposure limits for vinyl chloride Exposure limits ppm mg/m* OSHA PEL TWA Ceiling (IS min) NIOSH REL (Ca)* ACGIH TLV TWA (Ala)t 1 S Lowest feasible limit 5 -- 10 * (Ca): NIOSH recommends treating as a potential human carcinogen. t (Ala); Human carcinogen with an assigned TLV. HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION Routes of exposure Vinyl chloride may cause adverse health effects following exposure via inhalation, ingestion, or dermal or eye contact. * Summary of toxicology 1. Effects on animals: Acute inhalation of vinyl chloride by multiple species of animals caused central nervous system depression, coma, and death: acute inhalation by dogs also caused cardiac arrhythmias. In mice, rats, and hamsters, chronic inhalation or oral administration of vinyl chloride produced cancers of the liver, kidney, central nervous sys tem. skin, and mammary and ear duct glands. 2. Effects on humans: Acute exposure of workers to vinyl chloride has caused narcotic and anesthetic effects. Repeated exposure of workers to vinyl chloride has caused increased blood pressure, decreased blood platelet counts, increased liver enzyme levels, restricted blood flow, bone degenera tion >n the fingers, liver and spleen enlargement, nervous sys tem disturbances, central nervous system depression, decreased respiratory function, and emphysema. Cancer of the liver has been associated with exposure of workers to vinyl chloride during the polyvinyl chloride production process. Cancers of the lung, brain, skin, nervous system, gall blad der. mouth, and pharynx have also been observed in wor kers with a history of exposure to vinyl chloride. An increase in fetal mortality has been reported among wives of workers who had been exposed to vinyl chloride. Signs and symptoms of exposure 1. Short-term tacutei: Exposure to vinyl chloride can cause (ip; - '^i-.i-'ariedness. nausea, dullness of visual and ' ` ". i -*>. MnwMne'.w "and unconsciousness. Im- 1 ; ' kin and eyes car. :ilso occui. Skin contact with :.c .in: . an cause frostbite . u>,.g-wtm u hrtmic): Exposure to vinyl chloride can cause thickening oi the skin, contact and allereic dermatitis, fatieue. coughing and sneezing, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, diarrhea, jaundice, weight loss, anorexia, and a cold and tingling sensation of the hands and fee: RECOMMENDED MEDICAL PRACTICES Medical surveillance program Workers with potential exposures to chemical hazards should be monitored in a systematic program of medical surveillance intended to prevent or control occupational injury and dis ease. The program should include education of employers and workers about work-related hazards, placement of workers in jobs that do not jeopardize their safety and health, earliest possible detection of adverse health effects, and referral of workers for diagnostic confirmation and treatment. The occurrence of disease (a "sentinel health event," SHE) or other work-related adverse health effects should prompt immediate evaluation of primary preventive measures (e.g., industrial hygiene monitoring, engineering controls, and per sonal protective equipment). A medical surveillance program is intended to supplement, not replace, such measures. A medical surveillance program should include systematic collection and epidemiologic analysis of relevant environ mental and biologic monitoring, medical screening, mor bidity, and mortality data. This analysis may provide information about the reiatedness of adverse health effects and occupational exposure that cannot be discerned from results in individual workers. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of biologic monitoring and medical screen ing tests should be evaluated on an industry-wide basis prior to application in any given worker group. Intrinsic to a sur veillance program is the dissemination of summary data to those who need to know, including the employers, occupa tional health professionals, potentially exposed workers, and regulatory and public health agencies. Preplacement medical evaluation Prior to placing a worker in a job with a potential for ex posure to vinyl chloride, the physician should evaluate and document the worker's baseline health status with thorough medical, environmental, and occupational histories, a phys ical examination, and physiologic and laboratory tests ap propriate for the anticipated occupational risks. These should concentrate on the function and integrity of the skin, liver, kidneys, and cardiovascular, hematopoietic (blood cell form ing), nervous, and respiratory systems. Medical surveillance for respiratory disease should be conducted by using the prin ciples and methods recommended by NIOSH and the Ameri can Thoracic Society (ATS). A prepiacement medical evaluation is recommended in order to detect and assess preexisting or concurrent conditions which may be aggravated or result in increased risk " hen a worker is exposed to vinyl cUlonde. The examining ptiysi* ciai soeuie consider the probable frequency. -intensitY, and duration of exposure, as well as foe nature and degree ot the condition, in placing such a worker. Such conditions, w hich should not be regarded as absolute contratrtaicauonsio iol placement, include chronic diseases ot tne liver. Hie prrvs>cian snouia uotain oaseiine viiues tor ser. i'sicj, test:I:vc; function ana markers for injection with Hepatitis d virus. Periodic medical screening and/or biologic monitoring Occupational health interviews and physical jsxaminatmn* 2 Vinyl Chloride 1988 SL 074617 should be performed at regular intervals. Additional exami nations may be necessary should a worker develop symptoms that may be attributed to exposure to vinyl chloride. The in terviews, examinations, and appropriate medical screening and/or biologic monitoring tests should be directed at iden tifying an excessive decrease or adverse trend in the integrity and physiologic function of the skin, liver, kidneys, and cardi ovascular. hematopoietic, nervous, and respiratory systems as compared to the baseline status of the individual worker or to expected values for a suitable reference population. The following test should be used and interpreted according to standardized procedures and evaluation criteria recommended by NIOSH and ATS: standardized questionnaires and test of lung function. * Medical practices recommended at the time ofjob trans fer or termination The medical, environmental, and occupational history inter views, the physical examination, and selected physiologic and laboratory tests which were conducted at the time of place ment should be repeated at the time of job transfer or termi nation. Any changes in the worker's health status should be compared to those expected for a suitable reference popula tion. Because occupational exposure to vinyl chloride may cause diseases of prolonged induction-latency, the need for medical surveillance may extend well beyond termination of employment. * Sentinel health events Delayed-onset SHE's include: Liver cancer (hemangiosarcoma) and "white finger" (Raynaud's syndrome, secon dary to vasculitis) MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES * Method Sampling and analysis may be performed by collecting vinyl chloride vapors with tandem charcoal tubes followed by desorption with carbon disulfide and analysis by gas chro matography. Direct-reading devices calibrated to measure vinyl chloride may also be used if available. A detailed sam pling and analytical method for vinyl chloride may be found in the NIOSH Manual ofAnalytical Methods (method number 1007). PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Chemical protective clothing (CPC) should be selected after utilizing available performance data, consulting with the manufacturer, and then evaluating the clothing unf^r aci.i:.i use condition!. V -rr .s'.-j'jld re provided with and required to use CPC, jioves. and other appropriate protective clothing necessary prevent skin contact with vinyl chloride. SANITATION '"'lathing which is contaminated with vinyi chloride should be removed immediately and placed in sealed containers for storage until it can be discarded or until provision is made for the removal of vinyl chloride from the clothing. If the clothing is to be laundered or cleaned, the person perform ing the operation should be informed of vinyi chloride's hazardous properties. Reusable clothing and equipment should be checked for residual contamination before reuse or storage. A change room with showers, washing facilities, and lockers that permit separation of street and work clothes should be provided. Workers should be required to shower following a workshift and prior to putting on street clothes. Clean work clothes should be provided daily. Skin that becomes contaminated with vinyi chloride should be promptly washed with soap and water. The storage, preparation, dispensing, or consumption of food or beverages, the storage or application of cosmetics, the storage or smoking of tobacco or other smoking materials, or the storage or use of products for chewing should be pro hibited in work areas. Workers who handle vinyl chloride should wash their faces, hands, and forearms thoroughly with soap and water before eating, smoking, or using toilet facilities. COMMON OPERATIONS AND CONTROLS Common operations in which exposure to vinyl chloride may occur and control methods which may be effective in each case are listed in Table 2. Table 2.--Operations and methods of control for vinyl chloride Operations Controls During the manufacture of monomer, polymer, copolymer, and terpoiymer Process enclosure, personal protective equipment During the transfer of monomer to tank cats or polymerization reactors: during maintenance work on tanks or reactors Local exhaust ventilation, personal protective equipment During the cleaning of polymerization reaction tanks Process enclosure, personal protective equipment EMERGENCY. FIRST-AID P`-^CEDURES In the event of an emergency, reme ther exposure, send for medical assist - eenev procedure*: * - -si initiate a Eye exposur Where there is mv possibility of a worker's eyes being ex posed to ViiiyI cnlonde. an eye-wash fountain should br 1988 Vlrr*' ' SL. 07A618 provided within the immediate work area for emergency use. If vinyl chloride gets into the eyes, flush them immediately with large amounts of water for 15 minutes, lifting the lower and upper lids occasionally. Get medical attention as soon as possible. Contact lenses should not be worn when working with this chemical. Skin exposure Where there is any possibility of a worker's body being ex posed to vinyl chloride, facilities for quick drenching of the body should be provided within the immediate work area for emergency use. If vinyl chloride gets on the skin, wash it immediately with soap and water. If vinyl chloride penetrates the clothing, re move the clothing immediately and wash the skin with soap and water. Get medical attention promptly. Rescue If a worker has been incapacitated, move the affected worker from the hazardous exposure. Put into effect the established emergency rescue procedures. Do not become a casualty. Understand the facility's emergency rescue procedures and know the locations of rescue equipment before the need arises. SPILLS AND LEAKS Workers not wearing protective equipment and clothing should be restricted from areas of spills or leaks until cleanup has been completed. If vinyl chloride is spilled or leaked, the following steps should be taken: 1. Stop the flow of gas. If the source of the leak is a cylinder and the leak cannot be stopped in place, remove the leaking cylinder to an area with local exhaust ventilation and repair the leak or allow the cylinder to empty. 2. Remove all ignition sources. 3. Ventilate area of spill or leak. WASTE REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Department of Trans portation. and/or state and local regulations shall be followed to assure that removal, transport, and disposal are in accor dance with existing regulations. RESPIRATORY PROTECTION he 'tressed that the. use o', respirators is the -least .w;. .-,;r,:.iinswo.i:j'cxa.ts: .`vuiiu.snauij ii 'nnalit .. u ;c di. -miy means ot preventing or mmni/ing exposun : routine operations. However, mete arc some exception.-, i.-i which respirators may trc-uscc to control exposure: when engineering and work practice con trols are not technically mil'll ClIUlLlCll llifc IU11L1 , x arc in the process of being installed, or during emergenc 's and certain maintenance operations including those requn mg contined-space c- iv (Table 3). In addition to respirator selection, a complete respiratory pro tection program should be instituted which as a minimum complies with the requirements found in the OSHA Safety and Health Standards 29 CFR 1910.134. A respiratory pro tection program should include as a minimum an evaluation of the worker's ability to perform the work while wearing a respirator, the regular training of personnel, fit testing, periodic environmental monitoring, maintenance, inspection, and cleaning. The implementation of an adequate respiratory protection program, including selection of the conect respi rators, requires that a knowledgeable person be in charge of the program and that the program be evaluated regularly. Only respirators that have been approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA. formerly Mining En forcement and Safety Administration) and by NIOSH should be used. Remember! Air-purifying respirators will not protect from oxygen-deficient atmospheres. BIBLIOGRAPHY American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists: 7X14 Threshold Limit 1blues and Biologicai Ex posure Indices for 1987-88. Cincinnati, 1987. American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists: "Vinyl Chloride." Documentation of the Threshold Limit Wtlues and Biological Exposure Indices (5th ed.), Cincinnati. 1986. American Industrial Hygiene Association: "Vinyl Chlor ide" (rev, 1978), Hygienic Guide Series. Detroit, 1978. American Lung Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties: "Taking the Occupational History," Annals of In ternal Medicine. 99:641-651. November 1983. Amoore. J.E.. and Hautala. E.: "Odor as an Aid to Chem ical Safety: Odor Thresholds Compared with Threshold Limit Values and Volatilities for 214 Industrial Chemicals in Air and Water Dilution." Journal of Applied Toxicology, 3:272-290. 1983. Baskin. A.D. (ed.): Handling Guide for Potentially Hazardous Materials. Material Management and Safety. Inc.. Niles. Illinois. 1975. Brethcrick. L.: Handbook ofReactive Chemical Hazards, Butterworth. London. 1979. Clayton. G.D., and Clayton. F.E. (eds.): Toxicology Vol. IIB of Patty 's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology (3rd rev, ed.), John Wiley & Sons. Inc.. New York. 1981. Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 29 CVR 1910.134. 1910.10P. OSHA 2206. revised July I. 1986 Code of Federal Regulations. U.S. Department ot TimispormiiOH -t^r'FP. 172.101. Tiw'.si's'rj.ion ievtxi- Or o- ber t. 1982. Goldman. R.H. and Peters. J.M.: "The-Ocairomonui iwi Environmental Heaitn History. Joumat at the Amer or Medical Association. 246:2831 2836. 1981 Ratcliffe. j.. rtuzier. wiisjr b <.k;r. S.P.. and Shuhe. P.A.. "Medical Screening in me Workplace: Proposed Principles. ' Journal ot Occupational Mrmane, 28(81:547-552. 1986. 4 Vinyl Chloride 1988 SL 07A619 '* Hample, C.A., and Hawley, G.G. (eds.): The Encyclopedia of Chemistry (3rd ed.), Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1973. Hankinson, J.L.: "Pulmonary Function Testing in the Screening of Workers: Guidelines for instrumentation. Per formance, and Interpretation," Journal ofOccupational Medi cine. 28(10):1081-1092, 1986. Hawley, G.G.: The Condensed Chemical Dictionary (10th ed.), Litton Educational Publishing, lnc,, New York, 1981. International Agency for Research on Cancer: IARC Mono graphs ofthe Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risk of Chemicals to Humans--Some Monomers, Plastics and Synthetic Elastomers, and Acrolein, Vol. 19, Lyon, France, 1979. Langauer-Lewwicka, H., Kurzbauer, H-. Byczkowska, Z., and Wocka-Marek. T.: "Vinyl Chloride Disease: Neurolog ical Disturbances," International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 52:151-158, 1983. Levy, B.S.. and Wegman, D.H. (eds.): Occupational Health: Recognizing and Preventing Hbrk-ReUued Disease. Little, Brown and Company, Boston. 1983. National Fire Protection Association: National Fire Coder (Vol. 13). Quincy, Massachusetts. 1983. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Heaith Service. Centers for Disease Control: NIOSH Manual ofAna lytical Methods (3rd ed.. Vol. 2), EUer, P.M. (ed.). DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 84-100, Cincinnati. 1984 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, Registry of Toxic Ef fects of Chemical Substances (Microfiche Edition), Sweet. D.V., and Lewis, R.J., (eds.), Cincinnati, April 1985. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. U.S. Department of Health. Education, and Wfellare, Public Health Service, Center for Disease Control: Criteria for a Recommended Standard.., .Occupational Exposure to Vinyl -Halides. Cincinnati, April 1979. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. U.S. Department of Health. Education, and Wfelfaie, Public Health Service, Center for Disease Control: Current Intelligence Bulletin 28--Vinyl Halides Carcinogenicity, DHEW (NIOSH) Publication No. 79-102, Cincinnati, 1978. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Public Health Service, Center for Disease Control: Engineering Control Technology Assessment for the Plastics and Resin Industry. DHEW (NIOSH) Publication No. 78-159, 1978. Nicholson, W., Henneberger, P., and Seidman, H.: "Oc cupational Hazards in the Vinyl Chloride/Polyvinyl Chloride Industry," Progress in Clinical and Biological Research, 141:155-175, 1984. Proctor, N.H., and Hughes. J.P.: Chemical Hazards ofthe Vbrkplace. J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia. 1978. Rom, W.N. (ed.): Environmental and Occupational Medi cine, Little, Brown and Company, Boston. 1983. Rothstein, M.A.: Medical Screening of Wbrkers, Bureau of National Affairs, Washington. DC. 1984. Rutstein. D.D.. Mullan. R.J.. Frazier. T.M.. Halperin. W.E., Melius, J.M., and Sestito, J.P.: "Sentinel Health Events (Occupational): A Basis for Physician Recognition and Pub lic Health Surveillance." American Journal of Public Health. 73:1054-1062. 1983. Sax, N.I. (ed.): Dangerous Properties of Industrial Ma terials (6th ed.). Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. New York. 1984. Scientific Assembly on Environmental and Occupational Health: "Evaluation of Impairmem/Disability Secondary to Respiratory Disease." American Review of Respiratory Dis eases, 126:945-951. 1982. Scientific Assembly on Environmental and Occupational Health: "Surveillance for Respiratory Hazards in the Occupa tional Setting," American Review of Respiratory Diseases. 126:952-956, 1982. Storetvedt. H., Langard. S.. and Andersen, A.: "Incidence of Cancer Among Vinyl Chloride and Polyvinyl Chloride Workers." British Journal of Industrial Medicine. 41:25-30. 1984. 1988 SL 074620 Vinyl Chloride 5 Table 3.--Respiratory protection for vinyl chloride Condition Minimum respiratory protection* Any detectable concentration Any self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece and operated in a pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode Any supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece and operated in a pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus operated in a pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode Planned or emergency entry into environments containing unknown or any detectable concentration Any self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece and operated in a pressuredemand or other positive pressure mode Any supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece and operated in a pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing apparatus operated in pressure-demand or other positive pressure mode Firefighting Any self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece and operated in pressuredemand or other positive pressure mode Escape only Any air-purifying full facepiece respirator (gas mask) with a chin-style or front- or back-mounted canister providing protection against the compound of concern Any appropriate escape-type self-contained breathing apparatus * Only NIOSH/MSHA-approved equipment should be used. 6 Vinyl Chloride PRICI NG 0 f I l '* t ]RR-5'1B-159/B1I>0A SL 074621 1988