Document Rjv3kG85BOqnR8GzDDyVVkMGv

FILE NAME Rogers Corporation ROG DATE 1976 DOC ROG047 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Sampling Report - Rogers Corp Molding Materials Division Asbestos Dust Survey ROGERS CORPORATION MOLDING MATERIALS DIVISION , MANCHESTER CONNECTICUT ASBESTOS DUST SURVEY Prepared by Ralph G. Noyes Industrial Hygienist and Elisabeth Bodnar RN Sr. Health Consultant Loss Prevention Dept. Rogers 00318 ROGERS CORPORATION MOLDING MATERIALS DIVISION MANCHESTER CONNECTICUT ASBESTOS DUST SURVEY On January 20 1976 in the company of Mr. Ed Sweeney and Mr. Paul Grenier Loss Prevention Representative air samples were collected around several operations within the plant in order to determine the concentrations of . asbestos dust and in turn to appraise the health hazard to the employees Conclusions and recommendations in this report are based on the results of the sampling and on personal observations CONCLUSIONS Based on this sampling it appears that the provision of an exhaust ventilation hood on the beater in the Beater Room has not reduced the concentration of borne asbestos below the present ceiling value of 10 fibers c.c. while asbestos fibers are being added The concentration of asbestos dust in the breathing zone of the operator in 735RX Extruding Room remains above the newly proposed value of 0.5 fibers for an hour weighted average for industrial exposure The present ceiling threshold limit value of 10 fibers was reached in the breathing zone of one Kneader operator while the concentration in the breathing zone of the other kneader operator reached the present standard of 2 fibers for an hour time weighted average exposure The newly proposed hour weighted average concentration of 0.5 fibers was reached in the breathing zone of the dryer operator 5. Based on this sampling additional engineering controls are indi- cated for the extruders the beater and in 735 RX Extruding Room Until engineering controls prove effective a respiratory maintenance program should be implemented in the above areas in accordance with ANSI Standard 288.2-1969 7. A modified program of medical control is in operation as administered through medical consultant service Elisabeth M. Bodnar R.N. Sr. Health Consultant Loss Prevention Dept. AGN th Ralph G. Noyes Industrial Hygienist Loss Prevention Dept. b) Rogers 00319 RECOMMENDATIONS The exhaust ventilation systems at the kneader feed openings and in 735 Extruding should be evaluated for adequacy 2. The exhaust ventilation hood for the beater should be evaluated for adequacy 3. If possible attempts should be made to provide exhaust ventilation at the discharge from the kneaders where drums are filled 4. Adequate make air should be provided for all exhaust systems in the plant so that these systems will function properly 5. The exhaust ventilation systems should be maintained on a regular basis so that any malfunctions can be detected before they become a major 6. All structural and machine surfaces in the plant should be maintained free of accummulations of containing dust 7. The cleaning and removal of dust would best be accomplished by vacuum cleaning rather than sweeping Sweeping may generate hazardous dust concentrations Until engineering controls prove effective respirators approved by the Bureau of Mines under Schedule 21B will have to be worn in areas where dust concentrations exceed the Threshold Limit Value A respirator maintenance program should be instituted in accordance with ANSI Z88-1969 In areas where concentrations of asbestos fibers exceed 10 fibers protective clothing is required This protective clothing should consist of coverallsand head covering Respirators are also needed in these areas Contaminated clothing must be placed in sealed containers for transfer and * these containers must be marked with the asbestos warning sign The laundry facility must be notified if the clothing is contaminated with asbestos dust . Employees who work in asbestos dust concentrations in excess of 10 fibers must be provided with separate lockers for street and work clothes These lockers should be so arranged that street clothes do not become contaminated with asbestos dust Warning signs designed in conformance with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health should be posted throughout the plant where concentrations of asbestos dust exceed the Threshold Limit Value Rogers 00320  3 15. All new employees and those transferred to areas exposed to any airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers should come under the requirements of the medical control program namely~- a placement physical examination within 30 days of the individual's first employment in an occupation exposed to airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers b 14 x 17 chest ray c Respiratory system questionnaire d Pulmonary function tests to include forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second It should be noted that any individual who indicates a history of respiratory disease such as asthma bronchitis or emphysema should be carefully medically evaluated before job placement in an asbestos exposure area 16. Physical examinations on exposed employees must be provided on a yearly basis with the Chest ray and spirometry supplementals 17. The physical assessment of each individual should include the determination of medical suitability to wear negative or positive pressure respiratory protective apparatus 18. Termination physical examinations must also be provided 30 days before or after termination of employment and should include all of the requirements of the medical control program Rabi A ~reaatttaseiblncneet sity Rogers 00321 DISCUSSION As you may know from published reports the original goal of the asbestos standard was to reduce the weighted average concentration to which employees may be exposed to 2 fibers longer than 5 micrometers per cubic centimeter of air fibers by July 1 1976. In addition no employee was to be exposed at any time to borne concentrations in excess of 10 fibers Recently it has been proposed that these values be reduced to 0.5 fibers and 5 fibers respectively If possible employee exposure should be maintained below specified levels VENTILATION Although hoods connected to an exhaust ventilation system have been provided behind each floor opening where the kneaders are charged the results of the air sampling indicate that these are not adequate to reduce the concentration of airborne asbestos dust at all times If possible these openings should be surrounded by walls or barriers on both sides and the back and the top forming what amounts to an front booth This should improve the velocity of air moving into the face of the booth and provide better capture and removal of particulates Although exhaust ventilation has been provided for the Witte screen in the 735 Extruding Area previous experience with this unit indicates that there may be some leakage of dust back into the room at times Possibly the system is not properly balanced and the amount of air blowing through the screen is greater than the exhaust capacity over the screen although adjustments have been made since earlier survey Consideration might also be given to more fully enclosing the conveyors in the 735 Extruding Area and possibly providing exhaust ventilation to these enclosures Transfer points where the mix is dumped might also be enclosed and provided with exhaust ventilation Previous discussions have indicated that it is not possible to use pulpable bags of asbestos in the beaters Under these conditions it was decided that the asbestos fibers generated by opening and emptying the bags into the beater would be captured and removed before they could enter the workroom atmosphere Attempts were made to accomplish this by the installation of a suspended hood connected to an exhaust ventilation system This sampling indicates that a high concentration of borne asbestos is generated during the dumping of asbestos fibers and it would be well to inspect this system to make sure it is still functioning within its designed specifications Consideration might also be given to providing exhaust ventilation at the waste container into which empty bags are thrown Previous experience has indicated that there are times when significen dust concentrations are generated by the employee hoeing the mixes from the kneaders into the drums If it is not possible to design this operation so that it can be done mechanically perhaps by the use of enclosed conveyors it appears that local exhaust ventilation should be applied at the tray above the drums This may have to consist of some type of overhead canopy hood Rogers 00322 with barriers at both sides to better channel the flow of air For the greatest effectiveness the hood should be as close as possible to the source of the contaminant Changes in existing exhaust ventilation systems and the provision of additional exhaust ventilation may well make the provision of make air critical Certainly no exhaust system will function at its maximum capacity unless adequate make air is provided In this regard a company specializing in exhaust ventilation should be consulted about any alterations and additions to the systems Exhaust ventilation systems should be monitored on a regular basis so that malfunctions can be detected and corrections made promptly HOUSEKEEPING AND FLOOR CARE The presence of dust and dirt on equipment machines and floors indicates that greater attention should be given to housekeeping particularly in those areas where asbestos fibers are used or where materials containing asbestos fibers are processed It appeared from observation that it was the practice of employees to use brooms to sweep up containing scrap and waste Vacuum cleaners or a central vacuum should be substituted for brooms to help avoid the unnecessary generation of dust into the work atmosphere The cleaning of machines equipment and structural parts of the buildings should also be done by vacuuming for the same reason Another source of dust can be the portable vacuum cleaner itself if the exhaust port is not provided with an absolute filter Unfortunately the small respirable fibers can pass through a vacuum cleaner while the visible dust is trapped The only way to insure that the vacuum cleaner is not itself presenting a hazard to the health of your employees is to have an absolute filter in the exhaust port Needless to say this filter needs to be replaced periodically RESPIRATORY PROTECTION All employees exposed to asbestos dust concentrations in excess of 2 fibers should wear approved respiratory protective devices Employees should be instructed to replace their respirators whenever they become dirty They should also be instructed not to leave respirators and other personal protective equipment in areas where they can become dirty from airborne dust The use of plastic bags for protective equipment when it is not in use is an acceptable practice When the use of permanently assigned respiratory protective devices is instituted each employee should be issued his own device and instructed in its care Each employee should also have a clean place in which to store his equipment 288.2-1969and this device should be maintained in accordance with ANSI Rogers 00323 Only respratory protective devices approved by NIOSH should be the employees and such devices should offer protection against asbestos dust concentrations to which the employee is exposed with the standard provided to the borne in accordance PROTECTIVE CLOTHING In areas where concentrations of asbestos exceed 10 fibers protective clothing is required The most important requirements are coveralls and head covering which should be provided for each employee Visitors and other personnel who enter areas where concentrations exceed 10 fibers should also be wearing protective clothing and head covering A disposable smock would appear to be sufficient for transient personnel LAUNDRY The laundry who washes the protective clothing must be notified in writing that the clothing is contaminated with asbestos The laundering of contaminated clothing shall be done in such a manner as to prevent release of fibers into the atmosphere Soiled clothing for the laundry should be placed in plastic bags and sealed and labeled as containing asbestos The appropiate warning signs should be prominently displayed LOCKER ROOMS It is the employer's responsibility to provide separate lockers for street and work clothes for all employees exposed to concentrations above the Threshold Limit Value These lockers should be so arranged that street clothes are not contaminated with asbestos Signs used to warn against the hazards of asbestos should include the one recommended by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health This type of warning sign should also be on the waste containers raw materials and laundry bags Rogers 00324 ROGERS CORPORATION MOLDED PRODUCTS DIVISION MANCHESTER CONNECTICUT DATA Samp oflSaimpnlig ng ~ Personal vacuum pumps and Millipore type M filters Method of Analysis ~ Counted using contrast mioroscope Sample Sample Volume Number Location Liters Fibers cv 1 Breathing zone of kneader operator L 258.2 2 2 Breathing zone of kneader operator J. 174.6 10 3 Breathing zone of mix operator D. 244.0 less than 0.4 4 Breathing zone of mill operator C. 220.4 less than 0.4 5 Breathing zone of grinder operator M. 212.5 less than 0.4 6 Breathing sons of utility man H. 200.8 less than 0.4 7 Breathing zone of blender operator L. 155.7 less than 0.5 8 9 10 11 Breathing zone of beater engineer B adding asbestos fibers to beater Breathing zone of extruder operator D operating 725 system using RX 466 mix Breathing zone of dryer operator K. Breathing sons of scale man F. 30.2 298.1 399.4 216.6 18 0.4 0.5 less than 0.4 12 Breathing zone of slitter operator F 188.7 less than 0.5 13 Breathing zone of extruder operator Fo operating 735 system 156.2 3 SY Fibers = Number of asbestos fibers greater than 5 microns in length per cubic centimeter of air Palos 1 oth taste wwwwwwwww wwwwwwwww see Rogers 00325