Document evRdZjRMnMdpEmwzO8jqoMvQp

\J ^-V'c/pvc . RECOMMENDED OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH STANDARD FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SYNTHETIC POLYMER FROM VINYL CHLORIDE MARCH 11, 1974 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION* AND WELFARE Public Health Service Center for Disease Control National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health see 3-0959 1. SCOPE AND APPLICATION ' : -- :/! This standard regulates the. manufacture of synthetic polymer from vinyl chloride (chlorocthcne, Chemical Abstracts Registry No. 75014), in order to protect the health and safety of workers.. Vinyl chloride also known as vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), chloroethylenc and chlorocthcne, is a colorless sweet smelling gas at ordinary temperature and pressure and has a boiling and melting point at one atmosphere of -13.8*C, and -155.71^0, respectively. Its chemical formula is CH^CHCl and it has a molecular weight of 62.50. Although noncorrosivc at normal atmospheric temperatures, in contact with water and at elevated temperatures it accelerates the corrosion of iron and steel. Of considerable concern is the fact that vinyl chloride is easily ignited and has a lower and upper explosive limit of 5.6% and 26.4%, respectively. 2. DEFINITIONS ' For the purpose of .this standard: a. "Assistant Secretary" means the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor or any person directed by him. b. ."Director" means the Director, National-Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or any person directed by him or the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to act for the Director. c. "Authorized employee" means an employee whose duties require him to be in the regulated area and who has been specifically assigned by the employer. d. "Detectable levels" means the determination that airborne concentrations of vinyl chloride are in excess of the limit of sensitivity of the sampling and analytical method recommended by the Director. e. "Clean change Toom" means a room where employees put on clean clothing; clean change room shall be contiguous to and have an entry from a shower . room, when the shower room facilities are. otherwise required in this standard. f. "Closed container" is any container which is used to prevent the physical contact of employees with material containing vinyl chloride monomer. g. "Closed system" means an operation involving vinyl ^hloride where containment prevents the release of vinyl chloride into regulated areas, nonrcgulntcd areas, or the external environment. h. "Contaminated" refers to detectable levels of vinyl chloride monomer. see 3-0V60 2- - i. "Decontamination" means the inactivation of vinyl chloride to less' than detectable levels or its safe disposal. j. "Disposal" means the safe removal of vinyl chloride from the work environment. k. "Emergency" means an unforeseen circumstance or set of circumstances, such as a ruptured transfer line, resulting in the release of vinyl chloride sufficient to produce acute symptoms among workers exposed or having contact with the vinyl chloride. l. "External environment" means any environment external to regulated and nonregulatcd areas. m. "Regulated area" means an area where entry to and exit from a vinyl chloride workplace is restricted and controlled. n. "Nonregulated area" means any area under the control of the employer where entry and exit is neither restricted nor controlled. o. "Protective clothing" means clothing designed to protect an employee against contact with or exposure to vinyl chloride. p. "Waste resin" means any resin or other vinyl chloride reaction product which has been removed from vessels during clean-up operations, or which has been collected as a result of in-plant housekeeping operations. 3. REQUIREMENTS FOR REGULATED AREAS A regulated area shall be established where synthetic resins containing vinyl chloride are manufactured. These regulated areas shall include but axe not limited to vinyl chloride loading or unloading operations, storage, and transfer facilities; synthetic resin polymerization processes and operations; and resin handling, compounding, packaging and storage areas. Access shall be restricted to authorized employees only. All sucli regulated areas shall be controlled in accordance with the following requirements. . a. Routine Operations '. (i) Initial concentration of vinyl chloride in all regulated areas shall be determined by performing air measurements at kljratcgic sampling points under normal operating conditions. These initial sampling points must be selected by a professional industrial hygienist and will serve as monitoring locations for future environmental measurements. SCC 3-0961 -3- The sampling pattern shall be adequate to represent the environment of the controlled area. (ii) Where detectable levels of vinyl chloride are measured, a Control Plan to reduce such levels shall be developed and implemented. The Plan shall consist not only of establishing goals for reducing vinyl chloride levels by designing and introducing engineering and process controls, but shall also identify plans for developing additional (healthful) work practices. Target dates shall be established for all goals and the Plan must be updated at least on an annual basis. Copies of the Control Plan shall be posted in all regulated areas and be provided to all authorized employees. (iii) There shall be periodic tests for process or equipment leaks and for emission of vinyl chloride which may result from work practices. The frequency of these tests shall be such as to insure the integrity of equipment, adherence to proper work practices, and to determine achievement of the goals of the Control Plan. Tests shall be performed at each sampling point at least daily or more frequently if concentrations of vinyl chloride are in excess of those established in the Plan. When such levels are exceeded, additional samples to identify sources of contamination shall be taken. Results of all such tests shall be made available to authorized employees in such a manneT as to evaluate achievement of goals contained in the Control Plan. (iv) Until exposures to vinyl chloride are reduced below' detectable levels, employees entering any regulated aTca shall be provided with and required to wear and use a fu31-face, supplied air respirator, of the continuous flow or pressure demand type in accordance with 1910.134. (v) In operations involving loading or unloading vinyl chloride monomer from tank cars, trucks, barges, or other conveyance equipment, each transfer line`and each vapor-equalizing line shall be equipped with vent connections permitting, at the completion of the transfer, pressure to be vented and the hose purged with an inert gas in such a manner to preclude any employee exposure. Specific 3nd detailed transfer procedures shall be developed and provided to involved employees in written form. (vij Employees shall be provided with and required to wear, clean, full-body protective clothing (smocks, coveralls, or long-slccvcd shirt and pants), and gloves prior to entering the regulated area. (vii) Prior to each exit from a regulated area, employees shall be required to remove and leave protective clothing and equipment at the point of exit and at the last exit of the day, to place used clothing and SCC 3-0962 --'-4 equipment in impervious containers at the point of exit for purposes of decontamination or disposal. The contents of such impervious containers shall be identified as required under paragraph e(2)(i) of this standard,- - b. Reactor and Vessel Entry (i) A reactor and vessel entry procedure shall be developed and provided to involved employees in written form. Employees shall be .familiarized with the procedure and shall be tTaincd and rehearsed in the techniques provided for in the procedure. Emphasis shall not only be placed on concern for potential exposure to vinyl chloride but shall also include appropriate precautions for entry into confined spaces. (ii) Techniques shall be developed and applied to minimize to the maximal practicable extent employee exposure to vinyl chloride when opening any closed vessel. Examples of effective methods are the application of heat or suction to the vessel prior to opening, or use of sufficient exhaust ventilation around the vessel. Where operations such as cleaning or maintenance conducted inside an open vessel could result in the liberation of vinyl chloride, suitable procedures such as exhaust ventilation shall be developed and implemented to insure that vinyl chloride is not released into the general work environment. (iii) Exhaust air shall not be discharged"to regulated areas, nonrcgulated areas, or the external environment unless decontaminated. (iv) All piping to and from the vessel shall bo blanked or otherwise isolated prior to entry. (v) Employees entering the reactor or vessel shall be provided with and required to wear and use a full-face, supplied air respirator, of the continuous flow or pressure demand type in accordance with 1910-. 154. (vi) Employees entering the reactor or vessel where levels of vinyl chloride are monitored and ai*e found to not exceed ambient levels external to the vessel shall be provided with and required to wear clean, full body protective clothing (coveralls or long-slccvcd shirt and pants), gloves, footwear or foot coverings, and hen/i'covering. Where vessel levels are in excess of ambient levels, cu^ployces^hall instead be provided with and required to wear* impervious clothing to prevent skin contact of vinyl chloride or other materials containing vinyl chloride. * see 3-0963 (vii) After each exit from the reactor or vessel, employees shall be required to remove and leave protective clothing and equip ment at a designated point in the regulated area, and at the end of each work shift to place used clothing and equipment in impervious but vented containers for the purpose of decontamination or disposal. The contents of such impervious containers shall be identified as required under paragraph e(2)(i) of this standard. (viii) Employees engaged in Teactor cleaning or other operations involving vessel entry shall shower at. the end of the work shift. c. Maintenance and.Decontamination Activities (i) Emphasis shall be placed upon immediate clean up of spills, periodic inspection, prompt repair of equipment and leaks, and proper " handling, storage and disposal or decontamination of materials to prevent airborne contamination and accidental skin contact with vinyl chloride. Because vinyl chloride is a gas at normal temperatures, waste materials, equipment, and other sources of the monomer in closed containers, shall not be placed in areas of excessive temperature or sunlight since build-up of internal pressure may result in rupture of the container, fixe or explosion. (ii) Waste resins or other materials contaminated with vinyl chloride shall be placed in closed containers identified as required . under paragraphs e(2)(i) or (ii) of this standard. (iii) Appropriate procedures shall be developed and implemented for the decontamination and/or dispoal of all such waste material. (iv) In clean-up .of leaks or spills, maintenance or repair operations on contaminated systems or equipment, or any operation involving work where direct contact with vinyl chloride monomer could result, each authorized employee involved in such operations shall be provided with and required to wear clean, impervious garments, including gloves, boots and continuous air supplied hoods in accoi*dancc with 51910.134, be decontaminated before removing the protective garments and hood; and be required to shower upon removing the protective garments and hood. d. General Regulated Area Requirements 1. 'Employee identification. ^ A daily roster of employees entering regulated areas shall be see 3-0964 I i.: ....... . :6- .. - established and maintained. The rosters or a summary of the roster shall be retained for a minimum period of 20 years by the employer or successors thereto. The rosters and/oT summaries shall be provided upon request to authorized representatives of the Assistant Secretary and the Director. In the event that the employer ceases business without a successor, rosters shall be forwarded'by registered mail to the Director. 2. Emergencies. In an emergency, immediate measures including but not limited to the requirements o subdivisions (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) of this subparagraph shall be implemented. * (i) The potentially affected area shall be evacuated as soon as the existence of the emergency has been determined. (ii) Hazardous conditions created by the emergency shall be eliminated and the potentially affected area shall be decontaminated prior to the resumption of normal operations. (iii) Special medical surveillance by a physician shall be instituted within 24-hours for employees present in the potentially affected area at the time of the emergency. A report of the medical surveillance and any treatment shall .be included in the incident report, in accordance with paragraph (g)(3) of this standard. (iv) Where an employee has a known contact with liquid vinyl chloride such employee shall be required to shower as soon as possible, unless contraindicated by physical injuries. (v) /.n incident report on the emergency shall be reported as provided in paragraph (g)(3) of this standard. 3. Hygiene facilities and practices. (i) Storage or consumption of food, storage or use of containers of beverages, storage or application of cosmetics, smoking, storage of smoking materials, tobacco products or other products for chewing, or the chewing of such products, are prohibited in regulated areas. |j (ii) Where employees wear protective clothing and equipment clean change rooms shall be provided, in accordance with 51910.141(e)(5). see 3-0965 - i-: - (iii) IVhcrc employees arc required by this.standard to wash, washing facilities shall be provided in accordance with 51910.141(d) (1) and (2) (ii) through (vii). (iv) IVhcrc employees arc required by this standard to shower, shower facilities shall be provided in accordance with 51910.141(d)(3). 4. Contamination control. (i) Regulated areas, except for outdoor systems, shall be maintained under negative pressure with respect to nonregulated areas. Local exhaust ventilation may be used to satisfy this requirement. Clean tempered makeup air shall replace air removed. Exhaust air shall not be discharged to regulated areas, nonregulated areas, or the external environment unless decontaminated. (ii) Any equipment, material, or other item taken into or removed from a regulated area shall be done so in a manner that does not cause contamination in nonregulated areas or the external environment. (iii) Decontamination procedures shall be established and implemented to remove vinyl chloride from the surfaces of materials, equipment and the decontamination facility, e. Signs, Information, and Training _ ... 1. Signs. (i) Entrances to regulated areas shall be posted with signs *. bearing the legend. CANCER-SUSPECT AGENT AREA AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY ` (ii) Entrances to regulated areas containing operations covered in paragraph 3(c) of this standard shall be posted with signs bearing the legend: CANCER-SUSPECT AGENT IN THIS AREA. IMPERVIOUS SUIT INCLUDING GLOVES, BOOTS, AND AIR-SUPPLIED HOOD REQUIRED AT ALL TIMES. AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. - s see 3-0966 8 ' 2. Container contents identification. (i) Containers of waste or other materials contaminated with vinyl chloride shall be labelled as follows. ` , ^ --V VINYL CHLORIDE CONTAMINATED MATERIAL _. ` -CANCER SUSPECT AGENT . r.- DISPOSE OF OR DECONTAMINATE USING v- APPROVED PROCEDURES * - ' ' (ii) Containers of synthetic polymers made from vinyl chloride -shall be labelled as follows. SYNTHETIC VINYL CHLORIDE POLYMER VINYL CHLORIDE IS A CANCER SUSPECT AGENT POLYMER CONTAINS __ *% BY WEIGHT UNREACTED VINYL CHLORIDE . *(To be analytically determined by manufacturer and appropriate value entered on labels.) see -0967 -'9 (iii) Containers of vinyl chloride shall be labelled as follows. DANGER! V I N'Y L C H .L O R I D E EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE LIQUID AND GAS'UNDER PRESSURE CANCER SUSPECT AGENT HARMFUL IF INliALED '' MAY POLYMERIZE VIOLENTLY UNDER FIRE. CONDITIONS OR LOSS OR REMOVAL OF INHIBITOR Keep away-from heat, sparks, and open flame. Keep container closed. Use with adequate ventilation. Avoid breathins vapor. " . Avoid contact with skin. Keep cylinder.out of sun and away from heat. Container should be grounded when being emptied. Never drop cylinder. . - . FIRST AID: If inhaled, remove to fresh air. If not breathing give artificial respiration, preferably mouth-to-mouth. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Call a physician. In case of: Fixe - Use water spray, dry chemical, ot CO2* Spill or Leak - For small spills, evacuate area and permit to evaporate. For large spills of leaks, evaepate area. Dike or flush to ground and let evaporate. Do not flush to sewer because of explosion hazard. see 3-0968 3. Training and indoctrination. (i) . Each employee, ^ prior to being .'authorized to enter a . ' regulated area, shall receive a trainings and indoctrination program including,-.but hot necessarily-limited to: .v . (a) The nature of the carcinogenic hazards of vinyl chloride monomer, including local and systemic toxicity; (b) The specific nature of the operation involving' .. vinyl chloride monomer which could result in exposure; . - (c) The purpose for and application of the medical surveillance program; (d) The purpose for and application of decontamination practices and purposes; (e) The purpose for and significance of emergency practices and procedures; (f) The employee's specific role under normal operating or emergency conditions; (g) Specific information to aid the employee in . recognition and evaluation of conditions and situations which may result in the release of vinyl chloride monomer; (h) The purpose for and application of specific first aid procedures and practices; (i) A review of this standard at the employee's first training and indoctrination program and annually thereafter. (ii) Specific emergency procedures shall be prescribed, and posted, and employees shall be familiarized with their terms, and rehearsed in their application-. (iii) All materials relating to the program shall be provided upon request to authorized representatives of the Assistant Secretary and the Director. f. Environmental Monitoring and Recordkeeping (i) Environmental concentrations of vinyl chloride shall be determined through the use of methods for sampling and analysis see 3-0969 recommended by the Director or by methods of at least equal sensitivity. . .'7; . -(ii) Employees or-their representatives shall be provided with the opportunity to observe environmental monitoring activities and.shall have access to the results. .(iii) .Complete.and accurate, records of all environmental measurements shall be maintained for at least 20 years by the employer or:successors thereto and shall be provided upon request to authorized representatives of the Assistant Secretary or the Director. ...... .. . g. Reports 1. Operations. Within 60 days the following information shall be reported in writing to the appropriate Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSKA) Area Director. Any change in such information shall be similarily reported within 15 calendar days of such change. (i) A brief description and in-plant location of the area(s) regulated and the address of each regulated area. (ii) The number of employees in each regulated area, during normal operations, including maintenance activity. (iii) A copy of the Control Plan as developed under paragraph 3(a)(ii). (2) Environmental Measurements. On a semi-annual basis the results of measurements taken at strategic sampling points, presented in such a manner as to identify achievement of goals established in the Control Plan, shall be reported in writing to the appropriate OSHA Area Director. (3) Incidents. Incidents which result in the release of vinyl chloi'ide monomer into any area where employees may be potentially'exposed shall be reported in accordance with this subparagraph. ** see -0970 r<* 12 -; (i) A report of the occurrence of the imeident and the facts obtainable at that time including a report on an-y medical treatment of affected employees shall be made within 24 houirs- to the appropriate - OSHA Area Director. . . y v : : .C-;_ (ii) - A v/ritten-report shall; be filed witth the appropriate OSHA Area Director within 15 calendar days thereafter and shall include: - r' , . / ....... (a) .A specification of the. amounrt of material .IV:'V.. 'released, the amount of time' involved, and an explanation of the ... procedure used in determining this figure; . .. i t (b) .A description of. the area imvolved,' and the . -extent of known and possible employee exposure antd area contamination; (c) A report of any medical treatment of affected employees, and any medical surveillance program implemented; and (d) . An analysis of the circumstamces of the incident, . - . and measures taken or to be taken, with specific ccompletion dates, to avoid further similar releases. h. Medical Surveillance (To be provided by NIOSH as soon as possible.). . ft see 3-0971