Document gEgL6pLKno67BOR4jG2R70wea

Job sflPEiy ^HEALTH U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY ANO HEALTH ADMINISTRATION JANUARY 1975 VOL. 3 NO. 1 Articles 4 "The Best Available Evidence" An overview of OSHA's vinyl chloride standard--where it came from and what will happen when it goes into effect. 13 Dermatitis: Causes and Cures Probably the most common occupational diseases, skio disorders can hurt, cost money, and even jeopardize safety. But they also can be prevented. 18 No Fifth String, Please Some independent workers, like shingle sawyers, are reluctant to accept changes--until one of their own comes up with a better idea. 23 Insuring Safety Labor-managerrfeht cooperation was the spark that fed to improved workers' compensation and fewer accidents in New York City's electrical industry. 27 Vinyl Chloride~The Canary in the Coal Mine Two leading scientists discuss the implications of the vinyl chloride health hazard. Departments 31 Historical Hazards 32 Review Commission 33 Spotlight 34 News from NIOSH 36 Publications BFG38701 23 20I8Oda 3IP `SJ35JJOM SuiATJvJO SU0I}BUIUIBX3 pUB SpJO -oaj jBOipatu ,---i-p--j-B---3--S----3-A- -I-S--U---3-J--X- -3--J--3-J--J--B- Tgiiisnpui sb `spuBjsqns 9|noa|OUJ opuoiqo |Auia aqj--js||!>( pspmuoo Ajmsu v SuiqjBSjq 3]do3d sqi oi SOfe/M Vs i3iinu3A03 oj pue.Xj} ^ )IU33S's3pUOIU36 lAniA^ '`luouiopundnqB ; V- -i IBpipaui p]o 30^ ipnd ssurcu is paip* oqM sXn8.~ iny /2uiqiXuB asjoqo ao U33jg no/ ni i.ussop ii| --[B3J no/ is sqi 3qiB3jq [O mo ]|3q 3 JI3 [pli dsBJ 01 31 spuopp jXt^ lUBjd S.lBO/ pX i\ itoS JrOZ/OZ sXb/ riq3ispi `inq^i inoqB 3uti Bos op 01 qSnons 1J13J3M 3M SS3n2 ]p"J30UBD JO p3ip OS-J IBqi JBsq iqSrai.SM isibi sqiaoai puB 63 jsnf p,X3qx :sn-J6 moaj 01 iq8u UBd?]i nisqi, 33s }tupip ,3/A .iBqi `qSnoqj `jsquist ei sXBq noX '3aiXp 3i3M sfdosd mo jo XtJ . sjbsX msj y^4 WV1!11 jno Pl *AS|| '^iSn't I -SJ33lJOAk 3pl. 'Hdp^lXuiA' 2uooq|||qiB3p buioojbsoiSub isj sq^jq XiSAOosiR^^jqnouuB sjt qiiM Xmnn "I^PH^PPIA SpiAVppOM 3qi jgd| }3S? [josjiqoupoag g `oiqBanoui si j] jp `'u-r.T V/v* ^ BO 1IR' J30OB0 ^40 BinoojBsoiSiii^psdjl;^ 1b sXoidms Xf! v 'U Bid dpudjqo ]Xtr ?IS3jq'.jSgi3Bji AotDri.noR. ?3 ziSdtCfi-.3. tno $&} &$ mrn^Sm>ym ____ 1`^3jo99: Xgy * tikf-:- ' >' W> Y ' \ * `"."S ; - -.v- -r '*i'V ; - *>f. . x 1' xW'*- 'Sc. ' . .V *. * . V V. < - ,v 5^* *?3 0fl0l|ii number of cases stands at 16 in this country are far more clear-cut. There are three basic and 26 world-wide--extraordinarily high fig steps in the production of finished vinyl ures when one considers that just over 100 products. At the first stage vc, or the "mon cases of angiosarcoma of the liver had pre omer," is produced through a closed proc viously been reported in medical literature. ess, usually involving a reaction between All the quoted figures may be too low, in ethylene and chlorine, vc monomer is then fact, since angiosarcoma is so rare that it shipped as a liquified compressed gas to the may often go undiagnosed. Four of the first plants that manufacture pvc resin. There, 10 U.S. cases among vinyl chloride workers batches of vc are "polymerized" by mixing were discovered only upon re-examining with catalysts in giant vats or reactors. After slides of pathologic tissue taken during au drying, the resulting pvc resins are "com topsies. Beyond sheer numbers, though, the pounded"--a process in which stabilizers, deaths have raised disturbing questions lubricants, and plasticizers are added. Be about a whole modem life style that depends fore being bagged for shipment to fabricat so heavily on products derived from syn ing plants, the resins may be converted to thetic chemicals. pvc pellets. The final step--the fabrication Because of its versatility and relative end of the industry--covers a huge range of cheapness, polyvinyl chloride, or pvc, is processes in which the pvc is turned into used in about 55 percent of plastic products. finished products. In the United States, there Chances are you ride to work on a vinyl are 15 monomer plants employing 940 work seat, walk across vinyl-tiled floors on shoe ers, 36 pvc plants with 5,600 workers, and soles of pvc, eat sandwiches wrapped in about 7,500 fabrication plants with approxi pvc film from a vinyl tablecloth, and relax mately 350,000 employees. to the sounds of pvc records. The week-old At each stage of the process, there are infant in his mother's arms is likely to suck certain trouble spots where vc is likely to on a vinyl pacifier. In its early days, during escape into the air. Both monomer and po World War II, vinyl chloride gas (vc) was lymerization plants face the problem of con even used for a brief time as an anesthetic trolling random leaks that occur from pump during surgery. seals, compressors, valves, gaskets, and stor Are these finished PVC products danger age tanks within the vast closed systems. ous? Aerosol propellants using vc gas -- Both must also deal with reducing emissions mainly hair sprays and pesticides -- have that occur in quality control sampling. Dur been banned by various government agen ing loading or unloading of the vc monomer cies, but so far no one has discovered harm for shipment between plants, tank car load ful effects from unreacted vc gas leaching ers may be exposed to as much as 200 parts out of finished pvc products. Researchers per million (ppm) of vc in air. from the Food and Drug Administration, When the commercial process for manu the Environmental Protection Agency, the facturing pvc plastics was first introduced in National Cancer Institute, and the Con the late 1930's, the prime worry was keep sumer Product Safety Commission are fol ing concentrations of the volatile vc gas low lowing the problem closely, however, and enough to avoid explosions and fires. As a the National Institute for Occupational result, production facilities are usually Safety and Health (niosh) is conducting an spread out over plant sites of several acres, experiment in which pvc pellets are placed vc in the air, then, is not confined to a small in closed chambers and monitored for escap area, but low levels often can be found over ing vc. In an interview with cbs News, the entire plant. Most monomer plants, Ralph Harding, president of the Society of which are usually open-air facilities, have the Plastics Industry, remarked about these lower concentrations than polymerization products: "Nothing in these days is totally plants. certain without a great deal of detailed study The highest exposures in the polymeriza N) and there hasn't been time for that, but I tion plants are experienced by the workers Cm H* UT know in our case, we're going right ahead who climb down into the reactors to chip <4S and using all these products with no con cern, no fear, in the case of our own fam out pvc residue, in some plants with a ham mer and chisel, vc concentrations as high as w ily." 1,600 ppm have been reported in the reac O After a year now of intensive study by tors in the past, and exposure levels can 8 individual companies, osha and niosh, and still reach 500 ppm for reactor cleaners. (A union-financed researchers, the problems of Fourteen of the 16 U.S. deaths have occur controlling vc exposures in the workplace red among men who at one time or another 5 U 25153003