Document X7Jjb6ed5wggb1pYpQv9qZEJG

\ - P0S5C0 CORPORATION Mt. Braddoek Works Kt. Braddoek. Pennsylvania General Dust, Ventilation and Noiae Survey 1 S Prepared by Paissell A. I-icbbia Technical Consultant The Hartford Insurance Group July 11, 1972 1167 INTRODUCTION A trip vu made to Mt, Braddock, Pennsylvania on June 12, 1972. The _purpo3e_ol._this survey was to conduct teats for free silica, asbestos and total dust within the plant. In addition, a sound survey was taken In areas'where high noise levels were thought to be excessive. Finally, & general walk-through survey was made of the entire plant to review all working operations. METHOD The equipment used during the course of this survey consisted of two portable Mine Safety Appliance Gravii&etric Dust Samplers. One was set up for collecting total dust and the other equipped with a cyclone attachment for measuring respirable dust only. These two pumps were attached to two employees working in areas where the dust exposure is considered potentially high. A Gast pump was also utilized for Gathering a stationary total dust sample in another area of the plant. The instrument used for the sound survey was a Bruel end KJaer Impulse Precision Sound Level Meter Type 2204 equipped with an Octave Band Filter Set and calibrated before and after the survey with a Bruel and Kjaer Piston Phone, Type 4220. RESULTS The sound survey was taken at several different locations within the plant where management considered the noise levels to be high. The type of noise present is "continuous" and all readings were made in decibels on the "A" weighted scale. MACHINE OR AREA Profax-Ralminex HEARING PROTECTION HEEDED - HP________ SOUND LEVEL IK d3A 80 NUMSEP. 0? EMPLOYEES I?' AREA 1 General Aisle Area Near SAM l6pC Operation Kent Machine Outdoor Fin by Hilna Exothermic Building ' HP - 82-86 90-95 97 7 1 0 Jolt Machine HT 106 1 Ter Unit of Time 5 Operators 1168 * HACHIKS OR AREA HEARING PROTECTION HEEDED - K? "Compressor or Area Oreen Building Hydraulic Press Lab Roca Vibrating Machine - SOUND LEVEL IK cBA KUT-BZR OP S-PLOYTZS IS AREA 94 85 105 ^UAlyaia of the three sxilliporc filters showed the following results: SAMPLE NUMBER AREA TYPE TEST HSP ASBESTOS % PRES WEIGHT FIBERS SILiCl (&}... PER (ce) TLV IN MEASURED C0?.wS-ST4TI' VTTHIK PLAI.T V.a/VS 1 Pulping Total Platform Dust 18.17 2 Exothermic Respi Mixing rable Dust Only 0 0 0 5 5.75 0 60 5 Profax Total Packaging Dust 2.95 0 l 7.5 4.7 FEDERAL RSGCTIATICSS Federal regulations on noise are clearly stated in the Occupational Safety and Health Act which has recently been enacted into law by Congress, Tils Act Units the length of tiae an individual cay be exposed to particular levels of sound. A copy of the permissible noise exposures are attached with this report for 7our convenience. This Act also requires that the erployer provide and enforce the proper wearing of adequate ear protection to all employees who are exposed to 90 decibels of sound (A weighted scale) for the normal work period of an eicht hour day, **0 hour weeh. This ear protection should be in tne form cf ear plugs or ear ruffs. However, ear protection is considered acceptable by the Act only after it has been determined that the noise cannot be engineered out of the operation. 1169 FEDERAL REGULATIONS Fibro-G^nlc Dusts Free Silica - Respirable and Hon-resoirable "Threshold Licit Values refer' to airborne concentrations of substances and represent conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed day after day without adverse affects. Because of wide variations and individual susceptibility, however, a small percentage of workers cay experience discomfort from substances and concentrations at or below the threshold limit; a smaller percentage may be effected more seriously by aggravation of a pre-existing condition or by development of an occupational illness. Threshold limit Values refer to time weighted concentrations for seven or eight hour work days and 40 hour work weeks. They should be used as guides in the control of health hazards, end should not be used as fine lines between safe and dangerous concentrations. The American Conference of Govemaental Industrial Hygienists has developed a formula for determining the Threshold Limit Values of both respirable dust and total dust. They are given below: TLV for Respirable Dust (Milligrams per cubic meter) 10 VxA& Respirable Quarts Plus Two TLV for Total Ikjst, Respirable and Non-Respirable 30 Hr/i-P % Quartz Plus Three Nuisance Dusts Excessive concentrations of nuisance dusts in the work room air may seriously reduce visa'oility, mar cause unpleasant deposits in the eyes, ears, and nasal passages or cause injury to the skin or mucous membranes by chemical or mechanical action per se or b7 the ricorous skin cleansing procedures necessary for their removal. CXir Threshold Limit Value for nuisance dusts has been set at 10 with less than 1$ free silica. This value was arrived at by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. This limit, for a normal work day, does not apply to brief exposures at higher concentrations. 1170 C0NCLPSI0N5 The results of tie noise survey show that there ere possibly two areas within the plant where employees are being exposed to the level -of_noise_that_is__higber than the main mum permissible level stated in the Occupational Safety and Health Act.' " The operator of the Kent Kaehine receives between 90-95 dA. for roughly 5 hours per day. The marirmn permissible level for a 4 hour exposure is 95 dBA. The Jolt' Machine operator receives the other high exposure which is 106 dBA. There are other sources of high noise within the plant, but none produce a hazardous exposure because there are no employees working in these areas for any length of time. Storage of highly flammable magnesium along with exothermic agents inside the green building produce potentially dangerous conditions that could lead to fire. The mill bake operation also located in the green building emits hydrogen gas which is highly flammable. The gas emission is the result of magnesium powder reacting with*water moisture within the sand mold. It is management's desire to remove part of the overhead sprinkler system located above the stored magnesium powder. Of the tests that were made to determine the level of dust at three locations within the plant, the results show that on the pulping platform position, the detectable level of free silica is well above the Threshold limit Value for that substance. The measured concentration was 60 'Lj/l-P while ths TLV was calculated to be 5*75 rig/T-P. This is an exposure that is approj&mateiy 16 times the above maximum permissible licit. The dust sample was taken over a 3 hour time period. The quantity of dust collected was so high that it was equal to 5 times the maximum allowable limit for nuisance dust vetch is 10 l-JgAP. The other total dust sample collected was in the Profax packaging area. Here the measured concentration of 4.7 Kg/l-P was obtained. The calculate '.IV was equal to 7.5 Kg/rP. Since the measured concentration is approximately only one-half of the TLV, there does not appear to bs a problem in the area at the present time. The semplc was collected over 3j hour time period at a rate of 3 liters per minute. The third sample was taken in the Sxothermic miring operation and the test was made only for respirable dust. The niilipore filter did not pick up any detectable amount of dust during the entire sampling operation. This would indicate that at the time of tne samnlirg there was very little if any exposure to the employees working in the area. As a result, uo corrective action will be required at this time. The test for asbestos fibers in both fetal dur.t scsples proved negative. In the areas tested, there does not appear to be any problem relating to these fibers. 1171 RECCTCSHDATIOT.'S It is suggested that management supply tbs operators of both the Kent Machine and tbe Jolt Machine with hearing protection. Zar cuffs will offer a greater degree of protection to a worker than would ear plugs; It'is also~aznggeaeatl-s duty-to-enforee-the-prooer-wearina-of----all hearing protection b7 their employees. Again, cuffs have an advantage over plugs because they are such easier to see and their use can be core readily enforced. One 'final suggestion to be sadc in this area is that a hearing conservation prograa be adopted whereby all eaployees exposed to high quantities of noise be given audiometric examinations once as part of a pre-employment physical and then once or twice a year thereafter.' The information obtained from these examinations can be used to determine if any hearing loss nas occurred, prior to employment or during any length of time after the start of worn with the company. If hearing loss is detected, this can lead to one of three conclusions. 'Zither that the individual is more susceptible to hearing damage, that the ear protection program is ineffective, or that the ear protection furnished is not being properly used. Once this has been determined, appropriate action can be taken. It is reeccsended that the magnesium powder be moved out of the green building and stored in a detached fire-resistant building, protected from moisture, chemicals such as chlorine, bromine, iodine, acids and all possible sources of ignition. It is suggested that the overhead water sprinkler system within the green building remain intact. If water snrav falls onto a magueci-un fire it will not put the fire out, but will cool the surrounding areas and will also tend to confine the fire to a general locality. Direct high nozzle water application should be strictly avoided when putting out a magnesium fire. The Exothermic materials located within the building should be kept .-.t a safe distance from the sill bake operation in order to keep any accidental fire from starting. The entire green building has inadequate ventilation and should be equipped with a make-up air system. Such a system would provide an ample supply of outside air into the in-plant envlroirsent while at the same tine exhausting out the contaminated air. The need for such a system would be apparent during the winter months when the doors to the building are closed and no air circulation is present. Finally, it is strongly recommended that, the operator(s) working at the pulping platform location be equipped with u Bureau of Mines Approved Rcspirator(s). The level of dust is very high in this area and =?.nsgeceat should strictly enforce the proper use of the respirators. It would be va.se also to place uaming signs in this area to remind all workers that respiratory equipment is required. 1172 * 1 I.. S l! *M! TJi nmf Tt iN' 1173