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PVC EMPLOYEE BROCHURE
1. Q. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VINYL CHLORIDE AND PVC? A. Vinyl chloride is a gas from which PVC is produced. It is a hazardous (flammable) material which is strictly regulated by EPA, DOT, and OSHA. It is transformed in a chemical reaction to a white granular powder, PVC, which is a nonhazardous material. This is a one way reaction, similar to what happens to a raw egg when fried--once fried it can't be changed back. So, PVC powder cannot revert back to vinyl chloride.
2. Q. WHY IS THERE A VCM WARNING LABEL ON SOME PVC CONTAINERS? A. OSHA requires containers of PVC to have the following warning: "Polyvinyl Chloride - cancer suspect agent." This warning is specified by the OSHA Vinyl Chloride Standard which was put into effect in 1974. It was originally required based on the potential for residual VCM to be present in PVC which could result in employee exposures. As a result of improvements in process technology and stringent EPA regulations, residual VCM levels in PVC are extremely low. However, even with these changes, and the resulting insignificant exposure potential, this portion of the OSHA regulations has not been changed.
4. Q. WHAT ABOUT PVC DUST? IS IT TOXIC?
A. PVC dust is non-toxic and is classed as a nuisance dust. Nuisance dusts have
little effect on the lungs and do not cause disease when workplace exposures
are controlled properly. Long-term exposures to large amounts of nuisance
dusts may result in a physical irritation of the nose or lungs and cause a
physical blocking of the small airways in the lungs. The OSHA permissible
exposure limit for nuisance dust is 15 mg/m3. This is a level
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at which it would probably be difficult to see across a room. Exposures are easily maintained below this level with adequate ventilation.
5. Q. TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADEQUATE AND INADEQUATE VENTILATION.
A. Adequate ventilation is generally accomplished by a combination of "local" exhaust systems (such as hoods), which are placed in specific process areas or workstations that produce dust and vapors, and general room ventilation, which changes the air in an area several times an hour. Good work practice and adequate ventilation should prevent an accumulation of dust and vapors in the airduring working periods.
6. Q. HAVEN'T HIGHER INCIDENCES OF CANCER BEEN REPORTED IN PVC WORKERS?
A. These reports deal with workers in plants that manufacture VCM or convert VCM into PVC through a process called polymerization. No cancer cases attributable to VCM exposure have been reported among workers employed in PVC fabricating plants.
7. Q. I HEAR THAT PVC PRODUCES POISON GAS WHEN IT'S BURNED. ARE THESE GASES PRODUCED IN MY PLANT?
A. Poisonous gases, mostly hydrogen chloride and carbon monoxide, are released when PVC burns. However, at normal processing temperatures and conditions PVC will not release these gases. In an upset processing or equiment fire situation, such as an overheated die face, these gases could be released into the working area.
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8. Q. I HEAR THAT SOME PLASTICIZERS PRESENT IN PVC CAUSE CANCER. IS THAT TRUE?
A. The only solid evidence of carcinogenicity of DEHP comes from a recent rat and mouse study. In this study, the animals were fed food containing high concentrations of DEHP for 103 weeks. The incidence of livertumors, or cancer, was increased in the rats and mice. This effect was seen at very high dose levels. Two animal studies prior to this study, at lower dose levels, were negative. The relevance of these findings to human exposure by a different route, such as breathing, is questionable. Also, air sampling for plasticizers such as DEHP in fabricating areas show very low concentrations.
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DRAFT 11/29/83
1. Q. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VINYL CHLORIDE AND PVC?
A -Vny
(from which PVC is produced^ fs^=*moftemer
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Dolv.vinvl chiVinyl chloride is a gas^ewd c3.frs-svf-id~
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pi a hazardous^nateriaT which is strictly regulated by^OSHA. It is trans
formed in a chemical reaction to a white granular powder, PVC, which is a
nonhazardous material. This is a one way reaction, similar to what
happens to a raw egg when fried; once fried it can't be changed back. So
PVC 'powder cannot revert back to vinyl chloride.
2.
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Q. WHY IS THERE A VCM WARNING LABEL ON PVC CONTAINERS? ^
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A. -Pfrftc rnr_f_ll-j_LijM.T--Tjg^pPyVcf. hhaavvee ththee fofolllolowwiningg wwaarnrinnign*g-pri-ntod on them "PJc^vinyl
wChloride, - Contains Vinyl Chloride - Vinyl Chloride is a cancer-suspect
agent". This warning is specified by the OSHA Vinyl Chloride Standdaarrd which
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was promulgated in 1974. It was required based on the potential for residual VCM to be present in PVC contalTters that could result in employee
^ v ^exposures. As a result of changes-in process technology and^EPA reaulations
, r r ,/ ^ -deaf fs-fduamTCM-conrentrat-j-ofrs--frv-slurries
ly VV"" v^>A ^A-potential^for^dgni-f-ic-ant 1eve4&~f residual VCM
in PVC pnoduots-
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<yvT C extremely low. j^TTowever, despite these changes the OSHA regulationjaa^' * ^V ^not been changed.
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r J-*' 3. Q. DO I HAVE A POTENTIAL FOR EXPOSURE TO VCM WHILE WORKING IN A PVC (PRODUCT)
FABRICATING PLANT?
r, A. Studies in PVC fabricating plants have shown that measured exposures t
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emoloyees handling PVC is well below the OSHA PEltof 1.0 pom and.generally v .--
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WHAT ABOUT PVC DUST? ----- "
IS IT TOXlt? ~
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A. ^..Exposure to PVC .duct ii t^^4-f--l!>-<i--Conggyn'rwK^n-'-han^j4i4g--the^p'?'oduc^. PVC
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dust Is non-toxic and would be classed as a nuisance dust. Nuisance dusts
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. Long-term exposures to large amounts of^dist could result in
h simple obstructive lung^Tdisease) The OSHA permissible exposure limit for
< xs1-^ , _i nuisance dust is 15 mg/m^. This is a level at which you would probably
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practice and
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housekeeping would maintain exposures far below this level.
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5. Q. TELL ME THE_DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADEQUATE AND INADEQUATE VENTILATION.
A. Tfits-fs"?- di-f'f injul b'questiun Lu aiswet^Hhou-tHcnow4-ng~any--specif-vcs--of: JLtJ;
v/C^\ ipLe^' your-wopk-frTa-ec-.- In-general Ventilation should be designed to control PVC
dust. It should prevent accumulation of dust in the air during a working
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f 'J-period. Both localized (i.e. hoods) and general building ventilation-e-eo-
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^' and creat4^*gir changes per hour in large workinq areas.
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Q. HAVEN'T HIGHER INCIDENCES OF CANCER BEEN REPORTED IN PVC WORKERS? A. t^There is often confusion concerning health effects observed in PVC workers. y"\T
Ib&e-reports^-ceaJ--w-vth''WorkerS'-i n pi ants -tnat-e-i ther-manufac^tHjrfr^VXM-or*-*
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convert V-Gf-< inrir Ptf-rrr.in tfn-nngh-sv--fH^nA^~jia.l_lpil^po1yTnpy-jL7^f-irm. / No \f* VCM;
cancer cases attributable to VCM exposure have been reported among workers) v
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employed in PVC fabricating plants.
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1 7. 0. WHAT^CHEMICALS AM I EXPOSED TO DURING THE PROCESSING OF PVC?
^ e^A. _ItepT?nding en *he uid'UjL *feii PVC juia14--awuwteaMrf Various additives are
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tr4*i' .blended with
resin to give the plastic desired properties. These
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additivesAinclude plasticizers, flame retardents, and-otr stabilizers.
A>\ ^^Dun ng thermal processing, these additives can cause distinctive odors in
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the processing areas. Although you can smell them, "the concentration in the air is very small and in most cases undetectable in air samples taken from the workplace.
8. Q. I HEAR THAT PVC PRODUCES POISON GAS WHEN IT'S BURNED. ARE THESE POISON
GASES PRODUCED IN MY FACTORY?
A. All organic materials can burn. When burned, they release a lengthy list
of chemical by-products. For instance, when wood (a natural organic) is
burned, as many as 175 different fire gases may be produced. Polyvinyl
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vchloride produces numerous by-products when burned -- many of which are
exactly the same as those produced by burning wood. Carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and hydrogen chloride (HCL) account for approximately 97% of the
total volume of gases produced by burning vinyl. The remaining 3% consist
of benzene and an assortment of other gases. Again,'these gases are
producecf^only^when PVC is burned.
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9. q. I HEAR THAT POP AND DEHP CAUSE CANCERS--4lAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME?
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