Document Rp0Q60Qrr4ov5MgzqrnMrddK8
On January*11, 1978, results were reported regarding the potential VCM exposure of personnel handling Conoco's overseas resin shipments above the OSHA exposure limit of 1.0 ppm. In summary, those results indicated the following:
1. Aberdeen personnel are not being exposed to VCM as a conse quence of bagged resin residual VCM.
2. The theoretical potential for exposure by personnel handling bags exists.
3. In actual practice, personnel unloading a truck sealed as typically done for export shipments would not be exposed to VCM above the OSHA action limit of 0.5 ppm.
Recent marketing success have required significant debagging of stored re sin. Aberdeen used this opportunity to measure the VCM content of the breathing zone of personnel debagging 50 lots of resin (A report is at tached.) These results showed that none of these personnel was exposed above 0.1 ppm, a value far below the OSHA limit. These results lead to the following conclusion:
Personnel bagging, loading,unloading, and debagging Conoco resins in a normal fashion with residual VCM contents less than 1.0 ppmw will not be exposed to VCM above permissable level defined by OSHA. There is, in fact, a high probability that exposure will be well below the 1.0 ppm level.
As a result of plant stripping successes and normal bag storage time, all data were taken with resins containing less than 1 ppm. Insuring bag shipments at this level may require a special shipping specification on bagged resin of 1.0 ppm. This specification may also require plant pro cedure changes with regard to inventory procedures (delay) or stripping. It is probable that this specification is unnecessarily stringent and could be raised with further monitoring of higher VCM level resins during future debagging operations. Robert Martin is now determining whether or not our bag inventory contains any high RVCM material. If it does, and the material is satisfactory from a quality standpoint, personnel will be monitored while adding this resin to the dryblend masterbatch system.
It is my view that no VCM exposures in accordance with OSHA regulations will be incurred during bag handling operations with resins below 1.0 ppm. Additional data should allow us to raise this value.
D. V. Porchey elk cc: FK:HRF: DAK: GGD: CLS *RTFjRBM
CCR 000010591
Z'V) P
MAJOR REDUCTIONS IN VCM EXPOSURE ACHIEVED IN 1974
CHANGES MADE
Eliminated manual rinsing of reactors between batches.
Installed enclosure and exhaust system for chem wash screener.
Instituted isolation- and purging of reactors before entry for cleaning.
Enclosed seal for slurry blend tank exhauster.
Improved vent system on slurry screener.
Improved liquid handling system on knock-out pots in the recovery train.
Reduced leaks around VCM receivers in the recovery area.
Relocated vent on unloading compressors
Installed breathing air system for use in high VCM exposure areas.
VCM CONCENTRATION (ppm)
BEFORE CHANGE
CURRENT
10,000
0
10,000
10
10,000
50--100
8,000
10
2,000
10
1,000
5
2,000
10
2,000
1 0
CCR 000010592
AVERAGE CURRENT VCM CONCENTRATIONS MEASURED BY FIXED POINT MONITORS
AREA
VCM Unloading Reactors Recovery Dryer Room. Resin Loading Control Room Warehouse Lab Office
VCM CONCENTRATION <PPm>
/n
AVERAGE
MAXIMUM11
0*3 1 4 5
2 0.3
0.3
0.3 0.3
10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 +
0.7
0.7 0.7 0.8
(1) Current range of fixed point monitors is 0-10 ppm.
CCR 000010593
Plot
?u-ia/
Oklahoma Cjry PVC
T
Lggeno 1 1 HM|
p^or
Px-A^T
Fence R.U_ROrtO Gate teui.flTE> f\dA ________m_
Warehouse .
CetcCR ^ ^As
Room i
1 Office
PDryer
Room
~Q VT
ResW + 1 Stojw&e
C<WT*6t Rysm
CATflcysr 5T0RA&E
i*
Reactor* Recovery I
oo
. oo
1
oo oo
CoOUNO
TokJER5
VC/*1 Stora&e $ Umcoa>/a>&
o
A
MoR.tH
1
CCR 000010594
PROJECTS FOR FURTHER REDUCTION OF VCM EXPOSURE LEVELS
PROJECT
.1 Steam stripping of slurry.
2. Improve VCM unloading system.
3. At least once per month, sur
vey possible points for VCM
leakage and make repairs.
4. Install electropolished in ternals in reactors.
5. Install automatic level gaug ing system on resin silos.
6. Increase height of M-500 dryer exhaust stack.
7. Install pipeline for centri fuge overflow.
8. Improve handling of sifter overflow.
9. Air purification system.
10. Silo aeration. 11. Improve sampling system.
12. Modified "gas holder".
13.
Improve culls handling system.
14.
Inject polymerization inhib itor into recovery system.
BENEFIT
.1 Reduces VCM content in slurry
by 80%.
2. Substantially reduces venting of pure VCM to the atmosphere.
3. Reduces VCM leaks from flanges, valve steams, hoses, etc.
4. Reduces frequency of reactor entries for cleaning.
5. Eliminates exposures caused by .manual gauging.
6. Eliminates venting of exhaust at resin loading platform.
7. Removes effluent from open tren ches in dryer room.
8. Encloses resin recycle system.
9. Provides purified air to builings.
10. Decreases residual VCM in resin
11.
Reduces exposures from reactor and dryer sampling.
12.
Collects and purifies plant ven streams.
13. Encloses culls collection and handling.
14. Reduces fouling and plugging of recovery equipment.
00010595 CCR 0