Document jmka6zZNJE53go1J3oapj4n6N
B.F. Goodrich Chemical Company
Inter-Organization Correspondence
To W. E. McCormic k Location Akron
Date From
April 18, 1968
Rex A. Spurlock Calvert City
Subject
I have been asked a question in regard to the toxicity of fumes from ABS Polypropylene and Polyvinylchloride. We do quite a bit of fabri cating here at the plant of plastic pipe and plate. This is done by welding with hot air, and some fumes are emitted. The only thing I could tell our maintenance people was that it was toxic and their fume hoods should be used. I really do not know the truth of my statement in regard to the degree of toxicity of these materials.
I would appreciate any information that you may be able to send me in regard to these compounds. I would like to relay this information to our maintenance department.
i RAS/mh
Rex A. Spurlodc
S
BCG-15'13
BFG463I6
Rex Spurlock Akron
COMPACT CGJJFI
Calvert City Dept. 0020 - Bldg. 5-B
4/18/68 4/24/68
The volatile decomposition products from ABS polypropylene and poly vinyl chloride vary somewhat, depending upon the type of heating and the temperatures. You are certainly correct, however, in advising that the heating should be performed using process ventilation. Usually, the most obvious decomposition product from PVC at elevated temperatures is hydrogen chloride and although this Is harmful. It Is also quite Irritating, and the Irritant level Is sufficiently low so that harmful quantities of the vapor will not be tolerated. It is possible, under certain conditions of heating, to produce some phosgene as well as carbon monoxide.
W.E. McCormick mj
( i
BFG46317
B.F. Goodrich Chemical Company
Inter-Organization Correspondence
To W, E. McCormick Location Akron
Date From
September 10, 1968 R. W. Edwards
Subject
Physical Examinations and Tests on Calvert City Personnel
We do not quite understand your letter of August 29, 1968, in regard to physical examinations and tests on Calvert City personnel. We believe we are up to date and are performing all examinations as indicated by Dr. Rex Wilson's letters of June 15, 1968, November 27, 1967, and February 6, 1968. In answer to your direct question, we perform the following;
CBC - This test is being performed every two months on personnel in the Acrylic Acid Department and are up to date. Tests on employees working in the wet laboratory are performed every three or four months and are up to date. The latest results were sent to Dr. Wilson on July 23, 1968.
Liver Function - All employees in the Vinyl Chloride Department have been sampled in the past three months with the exception of two new employees.
Kidney Function (BUN) - Employees who are in contact with Catalyst 21 have had their annual examination and blood sampled in the past three months and are up to date. Physical examinations are being handled by Dr. Colburn. The only problem that we have is on several occasions uranium samples have been sent and mercury results have come back.
Mercury Analysis - Dr. Colburn is performing physical examinations on all personnel in the Chlorine Plant. All employees, including maintenance, have had a physical, including chest x-ray and vital capacity, this year. All of these are up to date.
Should you have further questions, please advise.
RWE/mh
cc;
C. L. Woods, Jr. J. L. Nelson G. Pow
7^. U)
R. W. Edwards
*0054092
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BFG46318
LooiiriUsp By
Mr* k*6. CittkltB
Akron D/0020-B/3-1
9/23/64
Snclom4 Is tbs report of Mr. Wilson's rscsnt visit to yoor Float* Ton will nots that bs bos mods several rscn--enristlons, particularly affecting employees handling load compounds. Too will also nots Iron tbs dots oi tbs rsport that quit# high atmospheric eonesatrstloos of lss4 were found st several job ssilgn--nti.
Qb of tbs porposss of Hr* Wilson's visit vu to sssoss tbs vinylldsns cblorids bsssrd iocldsnt to poly elssnsrs* It is our opinion that tbs st* sospheric concsotrstions existing during poly clssolag sro slnilfleant, snd that w should oontioos tbs llv*r function studies an these personnel on s regular basis. Ms do not believe liver function studios need to bo continued on personnel in tbe ethylene dlchlorlde unit on a regalsr basis* Bouever, these examinations should be dons on a pre-assignment basis to tbe personnsl using ethylene dlchlorlde. Abnormalities In liver function should prohibit assignment to tbe use of this cospound*
CC: B.F* KcHstb A. Videos v.v. Bsughnsn
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enclosure
V*E McCormick
T 0 0 fS 0 9 2
ttioxr or miT to Loeiomu rurr
Om period SpUabr 1-5, l#64, an la^ttrUl tha LoalavllU riant of Tba B.F.Goodrich Chanical Panpany. rtcn--anrlitlon# and tba raaalta of this nrtty*
Mmy u aatf* t Follovio| an our
x.
A. laprovt cxhaxaat ventilation at tba Alp hoiat an tha 4" Farrall lino.
B. Inprovo tba work habit* of poraannol mlfhlag plpitau at tha booth la Building I.
C. Eapkaalaa tha nacaaalty of good paroonal byglana ---- g paraiml hand ling tootle notarial* nth aa load and antinomy oonpaonda.
D. Promt aplllaga of vinylldaaa ehlorida la dim hmdllng operation*,
ll. fault*
la erdor to
potantial health hasarda, air aanploe wn taken at
rural oparatlan*. Th* rontlt* fol loot
A. Load
Kg. Load Bur e*.
ftwia.M?t. wi t* nr________ _________________________MU---------------------------
1
0.85
Uorfcnan'a axpom weighing Bigoent 8-1 In
Building 8*
2
0*84
Sana aa #1.
3
0.07
WOtfcnaa** Kpoaara walghiag Blgeant S-10 la
Building 8.
4
0.60
Sana aa #3.
5
0.02
Uaigbnan'a exposure at Ba*cbel Klxer-cxtruder
operation, proeaaalag 8737 Black 289 contain
ing Flgnant S-l.
6
0.02
San* aa #3.
7
1.34
Welghean' aatpoaurn at 4" Penal l, proeeaalng
8737 kbit* 132 containing flgnent S-l.
8
1.12
Snaa aa #7.
9 Over 0.80* Sana aa #7 and 8, proeaaalag 82467 Slat* 260 containing flgnant S-Z7.
+SanpU rAn> with MSA Shiveranl Sanpiar. Baoalt cannot b* axpresaed nor* exactly.
BFG46336
200*8092
Mg. totineny/
MlMffrl
1
0*42
Bothnia's expoearn weighing Coda 706147 Untlneay
Oxide) in Bwilding t.
2
0.36
Sane aa #1.
3
0.01
Bslghnan's exposure at Raaschsl Hixer-extcuder
operation procaicing 6737 tlMk 280 contelalng
708167.
4
0*02
Sana as #3.
5
0.04
Awtineay in tea fra will an extruder Una.
6
0.37
thithunU ntpswra at 4" Farrell, processing
6737 White 132 cantatalng 708167.
7 0.1 Sane aa #4.
Vinyl Chloride Dtrin *71tn1HT
<101Ey-ril ieain)
uaxjL&taife %niti
l ISO Clnwr* Mpom while ending lower third of well* Poly m Charge #2224, Bwilding M.
2 120
sxpecwrs chleellng hardened notorial
fra agitator* Sana location aa #1*
3 120 Cleaner** exposere eeraping bottan of poly. Sana location aa #1*
4
Lose than 30
Cleaner* a exposers shile scraping lower third
of wall, Poly #13, Charga #7047, Bwilding 1.
5
Mono
Sana aa #4.
6
Bene
Sane ae #5, scraping an batten.
7 120 Cleaner's exposers while eeraping lower third of wall. Poly #17, Charga #2245, Bwilding IB.
B 120 Sana aa #7, eeraping half wey op wall.
9 ISO Sane ae #7, eeraping batten*
VinylUana Chlorlda baring Folywnrlssr Cleaning After Chargaa of Typa 221 PtlMllM Ui---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PP"-
s--oia *. ngrUfoa* gMiwiei ----------------Muirt,---------------------
i 25 Claanar#a exposure too niantoa after clean ing started, scraping inner half of nail. Poly #15, Charge #3411*
BFG46337
3
D. (Continued) PpM
SsnaU Mo. TlmrllThge rtilorlds^
2 25 ions as #1, too minutes later*
3 10 SlatUr to #1 4 2, roly #14, Charge #54U.
A 15 lone as #3*
5 10 Stellar to #1 A 2. foly #18, Charge #5423.
* le Seas as #5.
*TbMi canseatrsiloes asy ilw lsclcdt mm cl 11l-dlehlorosttiylMt, hut cAlenttd m vteyll4M chiortdi. It ewl4 not te Mpttt4 by the u lytkil technique m4.
III.
A* FippMtt to lead it tbe weigh booth to Building I muU; ncudid the presently acceptable nasiawn ltnt of 0.2 Mg. per cubic actor of dr by a wide aergla* Thio condition appears to bo catud primarily by poor week hcblto telch reduce the sffeetlveaoas of the vuatiUtlea system. Load coapOMBdo an habitually spilled onto the seal# plctforai la the proeoso of openlag paper bogs to bo filled. It woo eotod that one corVacn created a clood of load dost which enveloped bia sad tbs srea to bis roar* This iacrssosd tbe exposure of all parsesaol la tbs riciaity.
Tbs vs1gtinon` exposure to load st tbs skip boist of tbe 4" Ferrell salt woo far shore tbe presently Acceptable asdaaa level. Airborne dost is gsasroted shea tbs hoist dnapa into tbs stair* dot all of it is captured by tbe exhaust feo. Seas dost is ao doubt scattered over a large area ef tbe dll rasa.
The ni|)m*i exposure to load at the Hsasshsl Rtatr-ortndir eperetisa M veil below tbe presently eceeptable trlua iml.
B. Exposure to aattweay at all Xscat tens cbedked via below the presently acceptable novIssue level of 0*5 ag. per cubic aster ef dr. Exposure at the skip hoist oBBtioaod shove dll bo reduced substantially shea the aecsssary stops bars boss taboo to eoatrol airborne load.
C. Good poreood hygloaa is iaportset ia proveatlca of absorption ef toxic aateride such ao load and astlneay. Thorough wading of tbe heads prior to eating aad snoblug la particularly important*
0. Exposure to vinyl chloride vapors during polyasriser cleaning was well below tbs presently acceptable xlxan level ef 500 parts per aillica parts ef dr la tbe dree polyaerisers ia which ssaplos vers takes*
. Vinylideue chloride nay produce organic Injury to tbe liver end kidaeyo upas repented exposure. At the preeoat tins there is no established
BFG46338
*00*8092
LoaiivllU, ty
Hr. l.G. Cnn
Akron D/0020-B/5-I
9/23/64
Enclosed la the report of Mr. VIImb'i recent visit to yotr Plant. Tou will note that bo baa aorta several iblr--amUtlone, particularly affoetlng employees handling load compounds. Too will alao nota fron tha data of tbo report that quite high atmospheric concentrations of land warn found at several job assignuents.
One of the purposss of Hr. tfllsan's visit waa to aaaoaa the vlnylldena
Florida basard Incident to poly elaanare. It la ear opinion that tba at-
nospberic concentrations existing during poly cleaning an significant, and
that r thouId continue tha llnr faction studies on thane parnamel on a
regular baala.
do not belien liver function atudlea need to be continued
on peraonnel In tha ethylene dlchlorlde unit on a regular baala. However,
theae exanlnatloua should be dona on a pre-asalgnmsot baala to tha personnel
using ethylene dlchlorlde. Abnormalities in liver function should prohibit
assignment to tba uaa of this conpound.
CCi H.P. HcMath A. Vlikne V.V. Baughman
tEM/Js Eaeloetm
tf.S. HcCoxmlcfc
26085001
BFG46339