Document RaJNowQ0y6qaXBwaoqy2X715X

FILE NAME Corning OC DATE 1969 Oct 30 DOC OC418 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Unpublished Report of Inspection OWENS CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION BERNEL W JI ERSN EY October 30 1969 PURPOSE This visit was made to conduct our annual industrial hygiene survey to evaluate potential occupational health exposures in this plant CONCLUSIONS A very definite exposure to quction areas of this plant Free silica present but not in amounts high enough to asbestos exists throughout the prewhich is responsible for silicosis is be significant CONTACTS The following persons were contacted P. Scheuerle Plant Manager A. Courtier Personnel Supervisor and Safety Coordinator R. Grimis Production Manager D. Atkinson Plant Engineer and Miss F. Chift R.N. Plant Nurse Mr. W. Mckinney Manager of the Engineering Department of our Haddonfield New Jersey Office accompanied Mr. S. Wheeler and the writer on this survey PROCEDURES Air samples for dust vere collected by drawing air at the rate of 0.1 cubic feet per mumite through midget impingers using distilled water as a collecting medium The dust was counted on a light field as outlined in the United States Public Health Service method for dust counting Samples of ledge -- dust were collected in the area of the air samples to determine the presence ( of asbestos and free silica The presence of asbestos was demonstrated micro- scopically using polarized light The presence of free silica was determined by phase contrast microscopy RESULTS The results of our air samples are listed in Appendix A. CRITERIA In evaluating the results of air samples we use as guides threshold Dimit values which have been adopted by the American Conference of Governmental y Industrial Hygienists The threshold limit values refer to airborne concen- trations of substances and represent conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers my be repeatedly exposed day after day without adverse effects Because of wide variation of individual susceptibility exposure of an occasional individual at or even below the threshold limit value may not prevent discomfort aggravation of a preexisting condition or occupational illness Threshold Minit values should be used as guides in the control of health hazards and should not be regarded as fine lines between safe and dangerous conditions Threshold Minits are based on the best available information from industr,, ai experience fron experimental human and ammal studies and when possible from a compiration of the three We feel that the threshold limit values are the best guidance for the control of health exposures Of course when local state or Federal regulations set limits other than those of the threshold limit values then the strictest Huits will have to is applied ( 42 007 0021 2575 PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT  fi 2- The current threshold Hait value for dust containing asbestos is five million particles per cubic foot The limit is set on the total amount of dust present if it contains asbestos regardless of the amount of asbestos present The 1969 g ba 7 revision of the threshold limit values has posted in its list of intended changes the threshold limit value for asbestos containing dust of two million particles per cubic foot When a change is contemplated in the threshold limit value a notice of that change is published for two years After that time if there is no information to indicate that the revision should not take place then the revised threshold limit value becomes the permanent one Both of the Haits cited above are based upon the standard impinger light field count technique which was used in part to cross the boundary between the current and the revised standard An additional proposed threshold limit value is twelve fibers per milliliter greater than five microns in length as determined by the sembrane filter method at 430 times phase contrast magnification This technique was not used during this survey The threshold limit value for free silica is determined by dividing 250 by the sum of the percentage of free silica present plus five The threshold limit value than will vary for each sample depending upon the percentage of free silica present The threshold limit value for free silica for the samples which we collected is listed with that sample in Appendix A. DISCUSSION Due to the low amount of free silica present in our samples the threshold limit value with respect to free silica is considerably above the results of our samples and above the threshold limit value for asbestos con- taining dust Maiting concentration on dust exposures will be based on the ( threshold Unit value for asbestos dust of the twelve samples taken eight are above the current threshold limit value and all are above the proposed threshold limt value We conclude therefore that there is a generalized exposure to asbestos dust throughout the production areas of this plant with the possibility of asbestosis cases arising always present Employees should be monitored medically To reduce the possibility of asbestosis arising in employees it would be best to control the environment in which they work This of course could be done by eliminating asbestos in the product itself We realize however that the nature of the product my require the presence of asbestos so the decision on eliminating it will have to be made on the basis of product evaluation and is beyond the scope of our survey The second environmental control is to reduce the dust exposures in the air This can be done by the installation of exhaust ventilation designed in accordance with good industrial ventilation practice Good housekeeping is also essential in reducing the amount of dust During the survey it was observed that the sweeping machine was being operated in a manner which did not allow for the maximum pickup of acemmilated dust Part of the dust exposure occurs from the movement of traffic over dusty floors RECOMMENDATIONS : A. The exhaust ventilation system should be gone over to be sure that 2576 42 007 0022 . | 9 -3- it is operating at peak capacity Tv B. General housekeeping should be improved to decrease the airborne dust caused by vehicle traffic amount of -- ---------- -- --1--5. Edward B. Engel "mat 42 007 0023 2577 APPENDIX A OWENS CORNING FIBERGLAS CORPORATION BERLIN NEW JERSEY October 30 1969 Dust in Air Location Asbestos Asbestos 1. Mold Cleaning entrance of roto blast b exit of roto blast present present 1 Free Silica Batch House Operator prosent 3. Flatware Finishing A. Food end b Between sandera 1 & 2 c Packing present present present 16.0 16.0 16.0 4 Saw 2578 Saw Special Assembly a Saw 120h b Saw 4547 none present present present none none Form Stripping Line 2 present Form Stripping Line 3 present Free Silica T~"V Dust Count 26 mppcf 26 mppcf 13 mppcf 12 mppcf 12 mppcf 12 mppof 25 mppcf 25 mppcf 23 mppcf 23 mppcf 5.3 mppcf 2.1 mppcf 3.7 mppct 10.9 mppof 5.0 mppcf 22.1 mppcf 5.0 mppcf 6.8 mppcf 3.0 mppcf 9.1 appcf 4.8 mppcf 12.2 mppct TLV - Threshold Limit Value see criteria paragraph of report mppcf - millions of particles per cubic meter of air All samples except Jb taken in breathing zone of worker in area 42 007 0024