Document e5z3nozQeNJOOaN8anMMdOoyg

FILE NAME: Longview Fibre (LF) DATE: 1973 Jan 18 DOC#: LF004 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo - Handling of Asbestos for Pitch Control LONGVIEW FIBRE COMPANY date January 18, 1973 from J . W. Klein to W. H. Smith copies L.Metzler JFB SUBJECT HANDLING OF ASBESTOS FOR PITCH CONTROL It is my understanding that a few paper mill employees have expressed concern about the health hazards possibly connected with the handling of asbestos for paper machine pitch control. The information below indicates that the exposure is well below the OSHA requirements and should be considered to be safe. Further testing will be done to confirm this. Safe Exposure Limits At. the present time, the maximum safe exposure limit is an 8 hour average concentration of 5 asbestos fibers per cubic centimeter of air. Only those fibers longer than 5 microns are counted. (It takes 5,080 fibers 5 microns long- to make one inch.) Below this concentration no personal protective equipment is required. Air containing concentrations greater than 5 fibers per cubic cen timeter may be worked in for periods shorter than 8 hours without personal protective equipment provided the 8 hour average is not greater than 5 fibers. The maximum exposure at any one time without personal protective equipment is 10 fibers/cc. Beginning July 1, 1976 the maximum safe exposure limit will be reduced from 5 fibers to 2 fibers. Initial Test Data On May 25th, 1972 an industrial hygienist from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries sampled air under a variety of asbestos handling situations in our Longview Mill. Results were reported to us on June 28, 1972. Two of these tests were performed on personnel in the West mill. Samples were taken by attaching portable sampling pumps with membrane filters to employees performing the different tasks. Results were: LF3 000312 J. W. Klein to W. H. Smith, 1/18/73 Page 2 (1) Beaterman adding asbestos floats to #2 Paper Machine beaters; Rate was one sack per beater every 45 minutes. Sample time - 232 minutes. Dust concentration, fibers/cc - 0.6 This is only 30% of the very strict 1976 safe exposure limit. (2) The No. 4 and 5 Broke beaterman adding 2 bags per hour of asbestos to No. 5 repulper; Sample time - 210 minutes Dust concentration, fibers/cc - 0.2 This is only 10% of the 1976 safe exposure limit. The handling of unopened bags of asbestos float as normally introduced into stock systems appears to be safe based on this survey. Further tests will be performed by the Technical Department. The only recommendation made by the hygienist regarding the asbestos float handling was directed toward handling broken bags and cleaning up dust on the surface of the bags. I believe that the paper mill has a requirement for use of respiratory protection when handling broken bags and has provided a vacuum cleaner for pick-up of settled asbestos dust on bags and pallets. All of the above information can be used as you see fit to quiet any employee concern with this particular asbestos handling procedure. I will be glad to answer any further questions on this subject if such occur. JWKras LF3 000313