Document Z8nQZX2nGVYn5a53erkpxkQg8

z 4? mcv ] II utuutMtmu E. du Pont de Nemours & Company INC040QMATKD Wilmington, Delaware 19898 POLYMER PRODUCTS DEPARTMENT J . h . hrti.'tti H. . SERENBETZ J. T. SMITH May 17, 1984 TO: FROM: ASBESTOS MONITORING This memo is in response to R. L. Richards' inquiry to you concerning asbestos monitoring. The bulk of PPD asbestos sampling centers around moni toring the occasional asbestos repair/removal jobs done by Du Pont employees. Results run <0.1 fibers/cc (present limit is 0.5 fibers/cc). Most of our asbestos work is done by outside contractors. A very small amount of moni toring has been done in Maintenance or Stores areas where asbestos gaskets and sheeting are stored and dispensed, and around the perimeter of contractor asbestos removal jobs. Results run in the <.01 and <.05 fibers/cc range. Recent Corporate concern prompted the Industrial Hygiene Comnittee, of which I am a member, to take a look at what air monitoring data were available on "background" asbestos levels. Results are summarized in the attached memo, JRM to J6P, 4/18/84. We (E&EA) conclude no further work is necessary or warranted at this time. Additional background information is contained in the attached memo, HAS to JTS, 3/22/84. HAS/is Attachment DUP 0962323 Better Things For Better Living...from Du Pont DU 041768 CC: I). C. Windsor, FRD K. C. Cooley, ERJ) L. V. Thatcher, GSD 7) J April 18, 1984 TO: J. G. PAGE, JR. FROM: J. R. MARTIN^ .YYlavC^^ "V Here is some information you requested recently: Background Asbestos Air Monitoring Departmental industrial hygiene coordinators for several departments were contacted to determine what airborne asbestos monitoring has been done in plant process areas where undisturbed asbestos is present. The most extensive study was done at Chambers Works. Several hundred samples were taken across the plant on all shifts. All results were below 0.05 fiber/mL; most were below 0.03 fiber/mL, the sensitivity, of the monitoring method. This data is available if needed. Victoria performed similar sampling in 1978. Forty-two samples were taken-in laboratories, office buildings and process areas. Thirty-eight results were reported as nondetected (less than 0.01 fiber/mL). Five were in the range of 0.01 to 0.l^J^iber/mL. Three samples were taken in an area where transite was present in 1982~.-,^The highest result was 0.01 fiber/mL. * Savannah River Plant has taken several asbestos background samples. They were all reported as nondetected (less chan 0.05 fiber/mL). Several other sites including Cape Fear and Old Hickory have monitored around the perimeter of asbestos removal operations and have obtained results below 0.1 fiber/mL, some below 0.01 fiber/mL. Office Buildings Monitoring is performed routinely under normal conditions in Brandywine, Montchanln, Bank of Delaware and Girard Bank buildings. Since 1981, 309 samples have been taken. One sample was reported as 0.02 fiber/mL. No asbestos fibers were detected in any other samples. Sensitivity of the method is 0.01 fiber/mL. Monitoring is performed when large areas of ceiling tiles are removed. This is done at night and results have been low (less than 0.05 fiber/mL). Monitoring is not done when only a few tiles are removed. This involves puch a short time period that the air sample would be coo small to get reasonable sensitivity. DUP 0962324 DU 041769 ev i. i iPj) E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company Wilmington. Delaware 19898 POLYMER PRODUCTS DEPARTMENT CC: H. E. SERE.'ISE' J. W. RAINES March 22, 1984 TO: J. T. SMITH FROM: H. O^ ASBESTOS UPDATE / The Fifth Circuit Federal Appeals Court (New Orleans) struck down OSHA's Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for asbestos, stating OSHA failed to present sufficient evidence that an ETS was "necessary to alleviate a grave risk of worker deaths during a six-month term". Du Pont continues to comply with the exposure limit of 0.5 fibers/cc 8-hour TWA which has also been established as the Du Pont limit by the AEL Committee. PPD has no problems meeting the exposure limits, but asbestos must remain a prime concern. We must give constant attention to handling of asbestos sheet, cutting of asbestos gaskets, removal of asbestos gaskets, and working with (sawing, drilling, grinding, removal) asbestos materials such as siding, old vinyl asbestos tiles, and asbestos concrete mixtures. Storage of asbestos-containing materials must be controlled and the area vacuumed at some frequency. Employees must be aware of what materials contain asbestos, and where these materials are used, or problems can arise when subse quent work is done or the material is removed. A major concern I have centers around the soon to be issued (?) Corporate Guidelines for working with contractors. The bulk of our real asbestos work (removal) is now done by contractors. In addition to OSHA's activities, EPA has published proposed rules con---- cerning the abatement of friable asbestos-containing materials in elementary and secondary schools, and in public and commercial buildings. Where this will lead remains to be seen. HAS/is Attachment DUP 0962325 Setter Things For Better Living... from Ou Pont DU 041770