Document XRgEDxky52OKxpQbv4OyjaZow

f Hi'IIMv'' "i SOUTH CHARLESTON PLANT UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS P. O. BOX B004, SOUTH CHARLESTON, W. VA. 25303 February 22, 1974 Technical Task Group on Vinyl Chloride Manufacturing Chemists Association Gentlemen: Attached is a draft of the work practice prepared at our Chicago meeting on February 20, 1974. We plan to discuss this with Mr. Vernon Rose and others of NIOSH on Wednesday, February 27, 1974. RNWJr/ra Attachment Very truly yours R. N. Wheeler, Jr, Chairman Subcommittee on Work Practices ASI 000017134 iJ RAFT tahjjE op courrjito T. licopei ana Application II * Purpose III, Delud Uouy IV, HSiviroiuviental (Workplace Air) a) Conosntra r.i on?, b) Sampling, Calibration and Analysis V. Medioax VI. Luboliny u nd Poyting a) Signs i>) Lauds (or .Monomer Could? tors 0} Waste Resins d) Equipment: Yjj ,, Personal protect;! oo Equipment and CloU'iru; a) Clothing Is) Rnyp i rvHo**y Protectjon X) General 2) Non-Routine Operations ">) Reactor CiOunIuy and Mu nlrn,fmf:t> ViU . Appr it ax of Employees XX. Work JVsekl cf:s o) Eip,OV''('!!<!y P?'0;.'5 'i.Sy}:! :I; h> Engl neeri ng Procedures c) Generai Housekeeping d) Sriftcl a\ lowioifijons e) Reactor and Vessel Entry x. Svinj tat, i rdi a) General b) Showery and Hand Washing c) Clothing AS I 000017135 XI. 'v,nil.*>H rtsj -:) V,'jf';.;i;1 ,-hj;.' Arwit ?>) iVir-f,OnPiX Vil'ii) to fifty XII. Took Car Unloading 1) n h P T OCCUPATIONAL SAFCTY AND HHALTH V)RK PRACTICE STANDARD FOR THH MANUFACTURE OK SYNTHETIC POLYMER CONTAINING VINYL CiiLOKIDK I. Scope end Application This standard ..tpplitir: to li(i' p'-OOO.'o; o f in-iiHi faufu ri n>j .-.ynthfiF i i': polymer containing vinyl chloride (chiorethene, chemical Abstracts Registry No 7501$). ! 5 . Purpose Tile purpose oi this work practice sUoiderb j u to Limit exposure o! workers lo vinyl chloride! monomer in synthetic polymer manufacturin-.j. This work practice standard shall not: apply to synthetic polymer containing 0.1% or less or vinyl chloride monomer. III. Definitions a} `Mieguiateci areas" means an area where entry and exit it restricted - and controlled h) "Waste resin" means any resin or other reaction products removed i i cm vesuri,!,; which contain irociy em.-moti ti:j vinyl chloride monomer. ;.) "Closed container" is any container which is used to prevent the physical contact or waste material conte i ni ng ireuly C'it-m.iti hi) vi nyl chloride monomer I rom eontoet vet th the indi vi dun i, ci) "Contaminated" refers to the preunoeo oi i re.ejy emanat i ntj vinyl chloride monomer which would not m.nw 11 y !>e J ounci or expected and where it could contribute, to employee exposure. e) "Saturated'' refers to clothing oontaminaked with materials containitiij freely emanating vinyl chloride monomer so that the clothing may become a source of exposure. r) "Immediate" means without delay, at coo., g) "Prompt" means within a reasonable time. This refers to SitusUo`<s j era.; urged . h) "Working level" refem to the akimaspheric. concertt.pa1.1 on of a con taminant or material which, in the light of current knowledge and technology, may be achieved. ASI 000017137 2- IV. VHvironiwHldX {Workplace Air) a) Concentrations Vinyl chloride monomer concentrations in the breathing zone of Omp.l. UyOO>; Of,)!,. OxOOOd A Work i i'll) 1Ov'0,1 of cni pjii[* dovornunod ,.<y a time-weighted average CIV.1A) exposure fox' sn eight-houx' work day. b ) yCimpl 1ny, Cal i bra ty on , an<i ftna 1 yo i S Procedures for the collection of environmental samples shell be as provided lor in Appendix I* oi Won work practices standard or by an nnui vainni, method. ftnaiysi a of samp i os shai i on a a provided In Appendix Jl* oi' by any method shown to be equivalent in precision, sensitivity, and Accuracy to the specified method. V. Modioli a) Medical surveillance os suociiiod in this section o.l the work practices standard for* ur;ru)I anturii'iq of polyvinyl oh 1 orior roeins Khali apply to aii employees engaged in this operation. b) Medical serve.)llanoo shall bo enquired or *:.>dr available bo workers covered by this work practices standard no less frequently than every twelve- (1?) months, Tins medical program shall ho considered the practical minimum and these examinations should be reviewed every three (3) years for revisions and supplemental testing where indicated. e) The |>.tei)3aocmont and annual oxamtnations shall consist of; 13 History A. Medical history p,. Comprehensive work history C, specific past exposures to VCM-PVC Ih Cancer background history ) physical Complete physical examination by a physician 3) Kadiological Examination A. 14 x 17 chest x-ray tS, Hands 4) Pulmonary function ft. fVC . r-vx AS I 000017138 *To Be Supplied hater 5) Blood Work ft, Complete blood count (1) rod blood count (/) w}ii to blood count and differential (.';} hemoglobin (4) hosv:VoCr. t H. Platelet count C, l> 1 ood ciieivil s try (1) bilirubin (2) $iiO~T (3) GGP-T (4) alkaline phosphatase (5) LDH (G) BUh (7) total protein (ft) albumi) 6) Urinalysis A, Routine urine chemistries B, Microscopic 7} Other Other tests as ,-uay be indicated based on medical finding-;, history* or state of the art. d) If an employee shows an aimormai test or finding, more frequent ot.niij nations oiia J1 be performed. Vi . iabe.fing and Posting a) Signs 1} Entrances to the regulated areas shall l0 phomi mini:!1/ posted with legible signs bearing the following; CANCER SUSPECT ACHNT AREA AUTHORT/i:n PKKSOMNEb ONLY b) labels for Monomer Containers Vinyl chloride monomer in containers or vessels located outside tin.; regulated area shall be labeled as foil own* AS I 000017139 -4- EIt.- g (JB | csj y b fit a DANGER! EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE LIQUID AND GAS f UNDER PRESSURE ,, HARMFUL IF INHALED MAY POLYMERIZE VIOLENTLY UNDER FIRE CONDITIONS OR LOSS OR REMOVAL OF INHIBITOR i! Keep ciwov from heat, sparks, and open Rome. Keep container closed. Use with adequate ventilation. Avoid breathing vapor. Avoid contact with skirt. Keep cylinder cut of sun and owey from hoot. Container should be grounded when being emptied. Never drop cylinder. FIRST AID: If inhaled, remove to fresh air. If not breathing give arlificioi respiration, preferably mouSMo-mouih. It breathing is difficult, give oxygen, Coll a physician. in cose of i Fire -- Use water spray, dry chemical, or CO.-, Spill or teak -- For small spiils, evacuate area and permit to evaporate, for largo spills or looks, evacuate urea, Dike or flush to gtauna* and let evaporate. Do nol flush to sewer because of explosion hazard. is t i 11 i- .-) Waste Retina W3Rt.fi resins shall b.*- removed from thy regulated area for disposal and shall be pieced in closed com.oi nors having tho following label: WASTE VINYL CHLORIDE RESIN DANGER! HAY CONTAIN VINYL CHLORIDE MONOMER jiXTNr.Mi'.j.y 'ri/iMMABi.n VINYL CHLORIDE IS A CANCER SUSPECT AGENT a) Equipment i jij i rum'a'i i., material and clothing contaminated with vinyl chloride monomer shall not be removed from the regulated area unless it has been decontaminated or placed in closed containers bearing the following i (VjOtirt J DANKER! CONTAKJNATE!) Will! VJRYl. Cm-ORIDi: HONOHHR CANCER SUSPECT AGENT Vii. Personal Protective liqiilpment and Cloth1nu a} Clothing Protective gloves, f Ootwaar vr foot coverings, and protective head covering shall be worn as appropriate. This provision shall 3 also apply to reactor o.vam;>g operations where levels of vinyl chloride in Moms r are below SO ppm within the reactor oil v <' roninOnt, For reactor cleaning opera lions where levels within the reactor environment are in excess of SO ppm, i mporviouA clothing yhall be worn to prevent skin contact of vinyl chloride monomer or other materials containing vinyl chloride monomer, ii) Respiratory Protection I) General i When the limits of exposure prescribed In Section & (a) cannot be met by limiting the concentration of vinyl chloride monomer in the work environment through feasible engineering means, an employer must establish and en fierce a program of reap i r.:> Cory protection detailing the required protection of each worker exposed. Respiratory protection as defined below shsi! be provided and used when a variance which allows the* use of respirators as a means of controlling exposure for routine operations has been grantee or while action on an application for a variance is pending. ' -r' ; v ; ,;p V.. i .. "f| asi ooooin ** ,S| ::*s v) Won-Routine Operations The roquiro.'noncs sat forth in this section snail apply ror MoH-jxjni.ino operations such as brief exposure to concentrations in excess of the working level os n result oi maintenance or repair uolivi lies , emoj'grncy situations, or other short-time non standard work routines. A respiratory protection program meeting the generai requirements outlined in Section 3,1 of the hmotdoan National Standard Practices for Roy pi ra lory Protection 3t'.fif5.?-iv6Gshull bo established and enforced by the employer'. 'This program shall include instructions on the selection, fitting, use, lusting for leakage, cleaning, and maintenance of Uu'j rospiratory protec tive devices. i) Reactor Cleaning and Maintenance Where employees arc engaged in cleaning and maintenance opera tions inside polymer!'/avion roaoU>rs at; a concentration mu intoinod belov? SO ppm, respiratory protect!on shall be made available .in case of excursion a Isoan this limit or as may bo needed for 05rape front the rh-iotor, Where employees arc engaged in cleaning and ma}ntonance operations inside polymer i?,al:ion reactors at concentret:10ns in excess of 1*0 ppm, they shall he provided with and vi:-} ; an ox.r-su.ppj iod respirator. The type or respiratory protcction to be used shall be of an air-supplied typo, self-contained, or by air linos. Sources of air for the respiratory protection shall be free of contaminants. Vi .11. Apprise! of Employees Mach employee exposed to vinyl chloride monomer shall be apprised of all hazards, the cofisoqyonccs of overexposure, expropriate emergency procedures, proper conditions for safe use, and precautions to minimize exposeto. IX. Work Practices a) Emergency Procedures Specific emergency procedures shall be prescribed. The procedures shall be readily available, in writing, to the employees. The employees shall bo f.-imi lisriRed with these procedures, and trained and rehearsed in their application, b) Engineering Procedures Engineering precede cos shall be established to rednor exposure of employees to vinyl chloride monomer vapors in polymer manufacturing. Where local exhaust ventilation if; used, it shall be designed and maintained to prevent the accumulation of or recirculation of vinyl chloride monomer vapor into the work area. 00001^42 AS l >:A \ "'5'W ft'.; = 7 e) Genei'-a 1 Housekeeping I) Emphasis shall be placed upon immediate clean up of spills , periodic inypyyvlon, prompt repair of equipment and leaks, and proper storage and disposal of iiviiterialG to prevent airborne contamination and accidental skin contact with vinyl chloride monomer, >') There siwll bo periodic tests for leaks and for cmissjon of vinyl chloride monomer which nwy result from work practices. Tun frequency of these tests shall bo yuch uu to insure the integrity of equipment and adherence to proper4 work practices. Tests shall bo performed at least daily or more frequently if ambient work atmospheric oouoentralions of vinyl chloride monomer arc in excess of the workiiiy level. i) Poe waste m:* venial and contaminated equipment handling, see Section VI (c) and VI ( d) on Labeling <imj Pouting. d) Special Precautions Vinyl tin inri do monomer is a gas at a ate lent temperatures. Thorofore, waste m-Horiais, r.qu i ;;;nenv. at id other sources of the monomer in closed containers shall not be placed in areas of excessive temperature or sunlight since build up ot internal pressure may result in rupture or the container, fire or explosion. e) Reactor and Vessel r,n!,ry h reactor and vessel entry procedure shall he developed, ilmduyci", -shall he fami .1 iai'j-/.ed with the procedure in writing, and shall be train ed and rehearsed in trie techniques provided for in Uid procedure. ftlmoaphemo within the vessel shall be purged to where vinyl chloride monomer contained fhersin in noicw hi! ppm and the oxygon content contained therein is sufficient for supporting life. Whom cither the; vinyl chloride monomer concentration cannot be reduced below SO ppm ox' where there is insufficient oxygen or- whom other toxic nutoriuls may be present in concentrations dangerous to life, an aimsupplied respirator system arid protective clothing, as stated in Section ViJ$5B, or this work practice standard shall ho provided by the empiovor and used by the employee. All piping to and from the vessel shall ho blanked or otherwise isolated prior to entry. ii- , 4 -8 X. Sanitation ( '( . .1) General fjtrorscfe or consumption of food, storage or uyo oi containers of bovoivniey , utoeage or appl 1 ca tion of cosmetics, &/noking , storage' of Sinking , tobacco products or other products (or chewing, or the chewing of such products, aPC peohi hi fed in regulated areas* b) Showery and Hand VM$ii i ng Foci i 11 i os .Showers, hand washing facilities, and soup onri wot or shall he available to all VCM-PVC workers. !>np.ioyes engaged in reactor cleaning or other operations requiring vessel entry shall shower at the end of the work shift. c) Clothing Clothing saturated with vinyl chloride monomer or with other process streams oyni.aini ng vinyl chloride monomer shall be promptly removed and replaced with uncontainino.tod clothing. Xi , Monitoring and Roootxi-Keoping Raqul remants a) Workplace Areas X) Concentrations of vinyl, chloride monomer in the work room area Shull, be monitored at strategic sampling points. Adequate records of these concentrations shu.; i ho Maintained and held available for iMppor.tlon for a period of twenty (?U) years. 2) Sampling frequency and patterns shall be adequate to represent the work room area environment and to demonstrate the integrity of the equipment and work practices. h) Personnel Monitoring Arter the inii lei derer-iination, sampling Ms,-i.ll bo of such frequency pa t.*sa as to represent with, .iooicocy i'.ho .levels of exposure of o-hployees. I?i no ease shall the sampling bo done .at jntv.rv.-jis tmvfter than six (G) months, Records shall be maintained fo>* twenty (20) years for all sample schedules to include the sampling data, anaiytieaj methods, type or respiratory protection in use (if applicable), and the concontrationy of vinyl chloride monomer. Records shall be maintained so that they inay be classified by employee. F. r ; a ! y, 77 ( ;` i j = J ' i * |i > ' ' I Isoh worker shall have access to his sample results as they pertain to occupational exposure. Reactor or other vessel environments shall be periodically monitored at frequent intervals for vinyl chloride monomer concentrations curing the times they arc occupied by an employee. Records of these measure-fiiunts shall be liiSini.ia ined as hereinbefore provided. XI1. Tank Car Unloading FVipnloadii'ii} line and each vapor equalising line shall be equipped with vent connections permitting, at the completion of unload i rig , prnssijrO to bo vented, and the hose purged with an inert gas to a point remote from employees* workplace.