Document V8nZ864E3zVwLyNXkVDo7Lj4
SM-32 (Rev. 9-S7J
/ \*ns * ^
SHELL OIL COMPANY
JUNE 4, 1973
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENIST DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH - HEAD OFFICE
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE WALK-THROUGH SURVEY - HOUSTON REFINERY
This report will summarize the results of the walk-through survey which was conducted by R. K. Jones and D. P. Atwood at the Houston Refinery on February 26-28 and March 9, 1973. We appreciate the courtesies extended to us at that time by J. G. Pratt, B. Baldwin, and D. Urbanek. The general impression of both Mr. Jones and myself during the survey was that the staff employees operating the refinery were very safety conscious as a result of considerable training by refinery personnel. No "imminent danger" situations, were observed during the survey. During the survey it was noted that con siderable air contaminant sampling is now being done by the refinery safety department. Both area and personal (breathing zone) sampling has been done. The sampling program at this time includes benzene, toluene, xylene, ammonia, TEL, phenol, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, mercury, and acetone. Carbon disulfide sampling is done during the sulfiding of the hydrocracker catalyst. Nickel carbonyl sampling is done before entering hydrotreater vessels. Asbestos sampling has been done. Also, it was noted that noise contour diagrams have been posted in the control rooms. Specific recommendations as a result of the survey are given below.
Aromatics Concentration Unit
1. Operators in this unit complained about gases and vapors from the Shell Chemical ground level burner. We understand that this is a long standing problem. Air sampling to determine the nature and amount of these atmospheric contaminants is recommended. In view of the apparent irritation experienced by employees exposed to the gases and vapors, we recommend renewed efforts to control this exposure.
2. Xylene odors were quite apparent in the Para-xylene Unit. We understand that air sampling with detector tubes has shown atmospheric levels.to be below the threshold limit value. We recommend that employee exposure to xylene be well documented as it is obvious that the material is present in the working atmosphere.
Catalytic Cracking Unit
A silica-alumina catalyst is used in this unit. Discussions with refinery personnel have indicated that a certain amount of this catalyst continuously escapes from the unit. We recommend that employee exposure to free silica dust be evaluated by respirable dust sampling.
DPMC-00913
LAM 007423
2
Lubricating Oils Department - Shell Sol 71 Finishing
Bauxite is used as a filtering medium in the finishing operation. This material usually has a silica content ranging from 2-9%. The potential for high dust levels being generated when the bauxite is dumped from hoppers onto an open conveyor belt was noted. We recommend that employee exposure to free silica be evaluated by means of respirable dust sampling. It may be desirable to enclose the dumping-conveying operation to control dust generation.
Catalyst Changeout/Regeneration
Catalysts containing silica, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten, platinum, and copper are used in the refinery. No changeout or regeneration operations involving these materials were noted during the survey. We recommend that the Regional Industrial Hygienist be advised when these operations will take place so that he may evaluate whether air sampling would be desirable.
Automotive Shop Area
"7 1. The operating procedures in the paint spray room were questionable. It
appeared during the survey that the parts being painted were being
placed next to the air intake filters. Such an arrangement would not
allow for the man painting to be upwind of the spray. Also, no rotating
table was noted in the room. A rotating table allows the painter to
rotate the piece being painted and, therefore, always be upwind of the
spray. We recommend that painting procedures in the spray room be reviewed.
&
The adequacy of ventilation in the spray room is also questionable. OSHA standard [Section 1910.94 (c)(6)(i)] calls for a minimum air velocity of 100 feet per minute within the booth.
The
We recommend that the spray booth and drying room be completely
inspected for compliance with Sections 1910.94 and 1910.107 of the OSHA
standards.
__
<0
2. Welding equipment was noted in the automotive shop. Protective eye screens were available, but no local exhaust system was noted. We recommend you review the need for local exhaust ventilation in this area.
Refinery Laboratories
1. A survey of the main refinery laboratory and the unit laboratories showed that toxic materials were generally being handled in exhaust hoods. Air speeds into the laboratory hoods were not checked during the survey. However, we wish to point out that the American Conference of
Governmental Industrial Hygienists recommends a minimum air speed of
DPMC-00914
LAM 007424
3
100 feet per minute at the open face of laboratory hoods. Hoods must often be used with the doors in a lowered position to maintain this air velocity. We recommend that the face velocities of laboratory hoods where toxic materials are handled be periodically checked for proper operation.
2. Two unit laboratories where the adequacy of ventilation was questionable were noted during the survey. These were the unit laboratories in Distilling Unit 2 and the Catalytic Cracking Unit.
3. One area where no local exhaust ventilation was noted was the Crude Assay Room in the main laboratory where benzene is occasionally used in the column chromatograph. We recommend that air sampling for benzene be done when this equipment is being operated. Benzene should always be handled in exhaust hoods unless unusual situations dictate otherwise. In those cases, air sampling should be done.
4. Aniline is handled in the main laboratory and also in the Light Oil Fractionation Unit Laboratory. We recommend that employee exposure to this material be evaluated by air sampling as it is not handled in laboratory hoods. In view of the ease of absorption of this material through the skin, we recommend that protective equipment be used when handling this material. The threshold limit value (5 ppm) for aniline is based on the assumption that there is no skin contact with liquid aniline.
Maintenance Shop
A nui ber of improvements were being made in the shop during the survey. Some >-f these improvements are:
1. Improved lighting through the installation of mercury lamps.
2. Relocation of the lead burning operation to allow the installation of local exhaust ventilation.
3. Installation of local exhaust ventilation on the metallizing lathe.
4. Installation of local exhaust ventilation at the abrasive cutting saw.
5. General housekeeping improvements.
In view of these improvements, the only recommendations we have as a result of the survey are the following:
1. The need for additional exhaust ventilation for the welding operation should be studied. More welding tables
DPMC-00915
LAM 007425
4
than exhaust hoods were noted. Also, no local exhaust ventilation was noted at the workbench where silver soldering is performed. Information on the hazards associated with silver soldering is attached for your reference.
2. The workbench where mercury distillations were once done appeared contaminated with mercury. We recommend that this bench be either decontaminated or discarded.
General Recommendations and Comments
l) We recommend that the refinery sampling program be summarized in a form that would be presentable to an OSHA compliance officer should an inspection take place. Such a summary should show each contaminant sampled, method of sampling, location and frequency of sampling and type of sample (area, process, or breathing zone). The summary should also show method and frequency of calibration of sampling equipment.
2. Sampling at this time is primarily being done with detector tubes. The inherent inaccuracies of such tubes requires that they be used only as screening devices. When the inaccuracies of detector tubes make questionable whether or not employees are being overexposed, more accurate methods of sampling and analysis are recommended. The results of testing four detector tubes (H2S, SO2, CO and Benzene) by NIOSH is attached.
This department is available to assist you with any of the evaluations noted above, or on any aspect of your industrial hygiene program.
Attachments cc - Mr. H. L. Kusnetz
D. P. Atwood
DPMC-00916
LAM 007426
o
B
* J 8?
1o
s so
o
* o
' Io S g 5 *E-Q
vi
X uC_l
D **"
2?
o _ ~Cl <C M-- O
TJ ^ JO=. -oc oX o
c-3
O o
3 *o o 41 JZ *0 X *>
vT 0> _Q EO
o--
o J3 o .
g ai
.. o ~
o
"5 2 4> '
q^
V)
O o c o
3 cr Cl T3
O
k. VI VI
4- C) IE
o oo
-C "a *~
o JZ VI
VI
c r> O
a
o 1
a
M o JC 4-
'> o
Q.
C) V
"O Cl
VI Cl
o VI
oO
"q.
o VI V>I
Cl JC
Ca O Cl
o
c o
c o
V- ^2
oo
Q. CL
a Q) B
o
c o
"VDI *5
*LI o tn
O)
c a >
o
"O Cl
o ocl u <=n S
<
Q.
O0 2
UO
<o -o
^ -Q v,
ci .i: o
co o" VI E
J 11 2
S=
E -o o
*1 E o I
. o jc u
-- > *o uSSs
O * u
o 4-
o
O
S3
4) CL
ci
u o -
o
oo
u = .2
E
-u fx *E
CMO V
*o <
2o
oO
O QJ
ECL Vvkr o --O
JT Cl
.
o Cl v
a z
oc
D2
c
D "O
o
> *>
o o>
o c
c G
o
CD o
Oo
ci T3 JC M 4>
o i: c *-
IIc
o
c C>
5
CO
M-
o
MM^
.2 S
ov o -JS3
5E S-io?o"Ei_
1=
S
o o>
J- | .s2
""8 *o -.S
% IS S
<U O *M
Eo
2 .= S
= E jc
2 "a ~
- *- =
Oo OC
o 1
O'Sti .= X to
s<=
-Q oic
oO tuo
as D *0 >o
O.S r-
cg
*- P "
to
j: *
o s: "C O C:
O)
r-s
X VI I
oX
^oo
c
o
Oo
Vr -Cc>
> 0)
*s wi
Crt
>s jr *+-
o i:
2g-g s
jr *- c
5:gnoat
o o v*-
o oiS^S
c
-jQ
t>o
_
O O
tvo-
-c
to-.
2
r* c s
tc
o t
^v^3>
Gvs. ^CT
a c to o
/>
O
c
' o o
"O
o 40
r= > -a t> vs O " O
D
Ja)
E
v_ 5
tvos <v>-
c
D u.
O
to
E
X O
to
to
c.
>s
O
c - o.
to C to I vsl
^o
c
p
Q. u.
c o j
c to cn
o
u
to
.2
2
s
c <o oO
a
Cl v% o ~o c> c 1B >.
ouc< V) o B
cs <u iu
S s=
.- O _o o
Cl *u
"0 c *- o o o
oDO
D> ? O
& VM
CD O
`SZ
CD c
a
S
3
Co o o O CN
o *-- --
o ? =
--o E
VVCIIl 2 Cl
CO 1 CD
< CQ
OS
o jt
*G QC
.2
CD c
CN1
O cn c o
Cl Cl aVi Cl
o LL.
o
o o
oo
d o*>
o
C> 1/t ~Q -O o
g< Eo -
r, CJ ho M
o a-g rtz o
CL o "D
o !*
a - >. O "flj
o
I
CD
<
4 (*-
o
g1 S qj
&
G>
O
00 v> ^7 "D
o> "o o " C v _0 c
C
o u> O
o> ,< 3
o
_Q H -- O
a g `I
`E -o
oco
<5 '**>D
Q. in jd
--" o
OS c:
K
cn
a; --
fc y T! E -D c_
^o o 40
c -O c
o
"_Gg "5 Cl
.~9C
t; D "O .E
JC Cl
=; VI
* Cl
v>
VI c o B
>* VI
2 _o Id
o c A
V^_ >. o.
CD
CD
c>
;s
Ci 2
*>
>- -a .*- c oo a. c0 aB
"O c o Cul o Q_ v G
4. - c VI
o D. o
c c
o u
a2
*i oO
c O *G
_Ccl & S
t**3
S? jo "O O L
S' g c ^ _
Cl -- ^ O
J^r ^
o> >v
vs
O
c
fi
E
<1)0^
J E F: _G ^
o ? 5^1
CD ^ *c 0 ^
'5 ^ ^5
or4s- V--c
O
j- *o oc
^ C. c.
4 Cl
p a ;
e o ~-j
o4*>
\
. C__
CD o *c o
D
--
e
c O
o
*J
o
M
o
o
&<
toS "D
G N O
JC.
O *c
4.' "O ~ ^ o C5
2
o Q>
. *-
o Cl
o ^r
-o a>
T<>
-Ccl 5
c _o
O .9
C ^
-C
O) c
? .E
3 _Q
c-- Cl O
Cl E w o c o
"5
a
*5
o
jc
.E <y -O
1 _U
T> 01 D
a
Cl ' ^
~G O
-ci
J
c
42
_Q oO
c jc~
a5 c
c Oc?f
Jr VI
voCl
o>
>
Cl o
c C
0 Cl c
2S j*:
CL Cl _Q
i | CD -o > 75
~c
o b
C
o
Cl
*G
/* CD o^
O
^ K* 5 =
o CQ
b* O _Q
O
a *D .Q
> v y, ^
Q. <*5
0*5' 'rs ---r--r. --
t -t*i
-a -Q -- f-
X} T>
o tL
2 1?
_Q O
a o o :.i o o
a a. v
O)
O 0
1 o s P4 Q
LAM 007427
_oc
ow c o<J o
.? fic
o o
o
J3
O o
Uo
"O 9
Oc
-C
a)
13o>
o--
s1--
o
ac a -c
_Xo o *D -oo
o o3
o
c N D
Cl _a
-C
o
CWl -oc
"5 c>i _oicn
n
-CO
O
o c;
JXV o
o _Q oJ_ xO:
jZ o
o
oo
c
*O-
VJ Cl
O
aD aO 0 JZ
o
m O *"+D"
E
*
c o
"D Oo
o
S d oCl o
o
n
c
JQ o
-CCl cc 5< o cr
O c o
au c
o
s
CO JS
VrJuC. cO Q.
TJ _> O *lj OO
a SB
"D DO
E "O
a Q.
cO
u
on
c
)
E o
q=
rl
O
jr u
O
o it
<u _c
X o
*_C>l
vC>l o
o
m o
c o o D-
o G
a c
o c
*9
Si o
o -O o 5
CL Ci 4-- o .
Cl JO
"O Cl > o E oi_
a a
"O oo
_o c
~G
Cl c c
o "o.
o jC
o -C
a. Cl as 3
T3 o Z>
o -Cm
iA Oi
p
J
z> E D o u
.O
o in
oX
O
O
M O
o
_c . O'
c
o *N
Jn2
u Cl
Cl
~u E _~ .2
5
Cl o P "o O
E Si E u
. S _kD-
o M~ d
o <L> ^
-o __CJ O *o o
Vo>* _o)
~D o
U
<J
o>C-L OV>I-.
Zr o
c> a>
5 -o
o
*Jn cn c o s
O *> => o s ?
O 5
C2
C& O >
pec
C */*2S
&
* o >3 cn -
.-* D S TJ
Cl 5
^c 3 O Cl >* c
aL-Q
0 c wo D
M r3 o
w Sj
O
*
"O c D in a "ci
JO < c o VI C s _o
cn c "c o
"O o Cl O'
CN
m C o a i*>n C
*a> s o
c Ho*u c o in Cl X D d
O > 'd *J o o a -o c o
o
_6
Cl Cl
* o"
o Cl CL s
CCll
>. s
*+o- "V
"O Cl
c a
*5 cr
o Cl
X
Cl in
O
0
o
Cf> c X
CO LI
`o <cn>
o
in
O 4> o
*c
o D c o >
o
c
O
't
-
S o * o -C
>k JD "O Cl *5 cr o
in G <n O O
*a Cl t~ T3 C> "a a 3
4>
o X u Cl
o c ij G % E om O _Q -J *o- 5a> --o Pc Cl . *-C ^1
&? <K
o lO JD
i_ o
O Cl E tCnl C _Q Cl JC i. Cl -C *ci
a a JC c> > o *o c o o
'O
rui ci
JD d oc> 'Gn _o JoC
ai
.
*5 c o
JC
Cl k+o
in
^o
f1
o^ O J1 "B <
in *cc -g o -C0 <<X1A1
JOvC>
^ G>
* -H o
n! _q
DPMC-00918
LAM 007428
&
Gas CO
S02
CH 66
DETECTOR TUBE EVALUATIONS
Manufacturer MSA Bacharach Drager Drager MSA Drager Unicc-Kitagawa Unico-Kitagawa MSA Drager Unico-Kitagawa
Ty.P
47134 19-0195 256 289 92625 CK-317 103-C 103-D 93074 CH-248 11S-A
Accuracy 25% at 95% C.L.
rt if ii
- 25% at 95% C.L.
If II II
- 50% at 95% C.L.
II If
Date Approved Feb. 1971
If Jl II
June 1969
II II If
June 1971
II ft
DPMC-00919
LAM 007429