Document jy0Dk6E7yRXE1qj4o8gmppjyy

V <r \ 4 PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT TEX-1S4 TNprtsTRiAL hyoieks stium PORT ARTHUR FORKS made by Allan E. Dooley, Industrial Hygiene Engineer Thle rerort presents the results of a surrey of eertaln operations and processes at Port Arthur Works fros the industrial hygiene aspeot. It is not a ooaplete surrey of all operations at that refinery. Other operations will be oorered in future surreys. The report consists of three seetlone: (a) Summary of Findings, (b) Recommendations, and (e) Detailed Findings. Sunaary of Findings 1. Lead burners were exposed to lead in exoesa of the maxIsom allowable oonoentratlon, 2. Unloading clay (Lena bentonite) produced expoauree to dust in exoess of the maximum allowable oonoentratlon. . 3. Dumping of the eontaot filter presses resulted in ex posures (skin ooataet and. inhalation) to a blaok oily sticky dust. The effeets of sueh exposures art not presently known but they ' must be eoncldered as potentially hasardous. b. Eeclaialng insulation and ganlstsr resulted in expeeures to dust in exoess of maximum allovabl# ooncsntrations. 5. Lsad exposures during the sianufaeture of lead naphtbenate were found to be in exoess of the saxinun allowable oonoentratlon. While the exposures were intsrmittsnt so that the overall exposure vas soaewhat loss than indicated by air ssapllng results, tbs operation cannot bo considered non-haxardous. 6. Handling of litharge and litharge druse in the spiking of doctor sweetening solution was done without proper regard for health and eoonoay. ?; The handling and ust of solvents other than additives vas found to be satisfactory from the health standpoint. 6. Additives were, in general, handled In a satisfactory Banner with due regard for their toxicities. In the oast of nitrobenzene spills, the proo*dure for insuring that the affected oaploys received laaediate aedioal attention was not thoroughly worked out. | WA-TEX 003732 tex lone .I \I Industrial Hygisne Surrey ?AW - 19^9 I V* Recommendations , Recommendations based on the surrey are summarised belov. The full recommendations are stated In the detailed findings. Where periodic physical examinations are recommended, it is to be under stood that they are to be compulsory. _ Lead burning 1. Lead burners should be glren periodio physical examinations. 2. Lead burners should wash their hands before eating lunch. . 3. washing facilities should be provided in the lead burning' shop. h. Housekeeping in the lead burning shop should be improved. 5 Consideration should be given to the installation of a local exhaust ventilation system in the lead burning shop, the system to have email hoods on flexible duote so that the lead fumes oan bt rsmoved at ths souroe, . 6. Consideration should be given to the use of a similar portable exhaust system to be used inside vessels. 7. Periodio surveys should be made to determine lead exposures during lead burning. Filter plant operations 1. Employee should wear approved respirators While unloading clay from freight oars. .^ 2. Clay unloaders should be given periodic physical examinations every 18 to 2h months. 3. Consideration should be given to having clay delivered to the refinery in covered hopper oars. h. Employes should wear approved respirators vhen dumping contact filter presses. 5. Employes who dump the oontaot filter presses should b# givsn periodic physioal examinations vlth special reftronoe to the lungs and skin. I WA-TEX 003733 TEX 10119 Industrial Hygiena survey PAW - 19^9 a <5 Handling of solvents No recommendations at this time. Handling of ad^itlvef 1. Employe* who g-ill nitrobenzene on clothing should re move soiled clothing and wash immediately, 2. The foreman should be notified at onee in the event of a nitrobenzene epill. 3. The foreman (should notiry the first aid room immediately in the event of a nitrobenzene spill. If an employe who has epllled nitrobenzene is sent to the flret aid room! he ahouid always be accompanied. 5. The foreman ehould make a record of each' nitrobenzene epill. 6. Before resuming the uee of halowax 101V the Health Division ehould be consulted ae to recommended safe handling. Storehouse handllr^ of, * ^all. 1. A wash basin with hot and cold water, soap and towels should be installed in a readily accessible location In the wax baaement. 2. signs instructing what should he done in case of accl dental exposures to ohemlcale should be posted In all storage looatlons. ....................... 3. Drums and other oontalnere of hazardous chemicals should be so designated. 4. Periodlo inspections should be made to deteot leaky drums and other oontalnere. Car shor- 1. Employes who clean or work on tank cars which have been used for ethylene oxide should avoid skin contact with even dilute solutions of this material.. WA-TEX 003734 TEX 10120 Industrial Hygiene 3urvey 'Atf - 19^9 I 2. Employe* should avoid inhalation of vapors of suoh sub stances as methanol* ethylene dlchloride, aromatic distillate, tol-iidine and other volatile solvents. 3. Employes should avoid skin contact With such substances as caustic soda, sulfuric acid. 4. The medical and safety departments should bb consulted as to proper safeguards if cars containing substances Of unknown toxicity are reoelved. Hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide exposure^ 1. Gas mask canister record cards should be revised so that each card will have small squares each representing 15 minutes of use, the total number of such squares to be deteniihOd by the normal life of the canister. 2. Each employe using a canister should cheek and initial . a square for eaoh use of 15 minutes or less. If the banister is used for a period longer than 15 minutes, the proper number of squares should be checked. 3. Consideration should be given to furnishing a canister to each employe who la assigned a facepiece and making each . employe responsible for replacing his canister when necessary. The revised record card as described above should be used. No re commendations concerning sulfur dioxide are made at this time. ;. Personal hygiene faclUtlM 1. Deficiencies and inadequacies in the personal hygiene facilities dssorlbsd in the March 16, 19*9 report by the PAW Safety Department should be oorreoted. 2. A continuing educational program should be developed to improve personal cleanliness and to aid in keeping facilities neat 'and clean.' ' 3. Frequent inspections should be made to Insure that all personal hygiene facilities are being maintained properly. ! WA-TEX 003735 TEX I 0!2 I uLfc*trial Hygiene mrr*y i- AV.' - 19^9...................... i lr L serflces and facilities. 1. Greater effort* should be made to derelop * desire among a greater number of eaploye* to hare periodic ~hyelcal examination*. 2, Continued effort* should be made toward reducing abssnt6ei*n due to Illness and non-Industrial injury. . j WA-TEX 003736 r Industrial Hygiene survey . PAW - 19^9 I{ Detailed Findings Detailed findings of the various operations and conditions studied during the surrey are given on the following page*. Th*y are arranged so that if desired, the various section* can he dietributed to those conoemed vith the particular operations* 1! WA-TEX 003737 TEX 10123 2 f *1 Industrial Hygiene Surrey PAW - lW 3, k1 i,aad burning - Lead burning at Port Arthur Works was dons both in ths lead burning shop and lnslds certain vessels snd units. Ex posures were determined at both locations. The lead burning shop itself was a building about 19 x 21 feet in else with a large door -about 8 feet vide on the rest wall and a similar one directly opposite it on the east wall. The two other walls had two windows each, and a fifth window was In the west wall. A large work table was placed along the south wall between the doors on the east and west walls. The shop had a rough wood floor. . The doors were kept open except during inclement weather. Housekeeping was fair, the floor being swept occasionally by means of a straw broom. At the time of the surrey, six lead burners were employed, all on the day shift. They ate their lunches either in the shop or direotly outside it. It was observed that several did not wash their hands before eating. No washing facilities were provided in the lead burning shop. . - Samples were collected by means of an electrostatic preolpitator and were analysed for lead content by ths Port Arthur Works laboratory by means of the polarograph. All samples were collected in the breathing senes of the lead burners. In the lead burning shop, con centrat ions ranged from 0.35 milligram per oubio meter of air to 1.56 mg. per cubic meter. Two samples collected in No. 4o separator during a patching Job shored oonosntrations of 0.33 and 0.53 mg. per cu. m, (Details of the individual samples are given In the accom panying table.) All of these concentrations were in excess of the maximum allowable concentration of 0.15 milligram of lead per cubic meter of air. It should be pointed out that the lead burners were not exposed to these concentrations ovsr the entire shift each day. The time required for sueh operations as laying out and setting up work, cleaning bar lead, outting lead sheet, preparing the surfaces and similar activities would result in somewhat lower daily exposures than indicated by the sampling results. However, even making allow ances for these periods, when lead burning was not being done, the exposures of ths lead burners must be considered as being hazardous to health. Accurate and up-to-date information as to the amount of lead absorption ooourring among those employes was not available, considerable time having elapsed slnoe they last had physical ex aminations. (Some of them reported that they had not been examined since the beginning of the war.) Accordingly, the following reoomaendations are made for the purpose of reducing exposures to lsad fun# and dust, and to detect WA-TEX 003738 TEX f 0 1 2 IsL& trial Hygiene Murray PAW - 15*9 ^* tf sign* of increased lead absorption: .1. All lead burners should be given periodic physical, examina tions, the frequency to be determined by.the plant physicians. 2. As a part of the program of increased personal cleanliness among all employes* the lead burners should be required to . vaeh their hands before eating lunch. It is realised that lead intake by ingestion is only a minor faotor In industrial lead poisoning* however* the practice of washing hands before eating is an essential part of good personal hygiene. 3. Washing facilities to include hot and oold running water and soap should be provided in the lead burning shop. ' 4. The housekeeping of the lead shop should be improved. Dry sweeping normally produoes more dust than vacuum or wet methods of cleaning* and if dry sweeping of the shop is to be done* it should be done when a minimum number of employes are in the shop, ' 5. Consideration should be given to the installation of a local exhaust ventilation and fume oolleotor system in the lead shop* the syetem to hawe small hoods attached to flexible metsl ducts so that the hood can be plaoed close to the point of generation of the lead fumes. 6. Consideration should also be given to the use of a portable exhaust system with a hood and flexible metal - duct for use when lead burning is done inside vessels. ' 7. Periodio industrial hygiene surveys should be made to determine lead exposures during lead burning. !I WA-TEX 003739 TEX 10125 Result* o f determination* o f load duat and fume concentration* during lead burning Port A rth u r Work* - June, 19^9 Note: Maximum allowable concentration fo r lead - 0.15 a illig ra m * per cubic meter of a ir. L A >Hf<t E H* ,22 #c Hhteo 'o 4f*t H843_ M 0*3l J3 4J oo 4 O tf5<ge *1< s. <ouoo IopB. oa* * 8 a o _o_ 8 2g._ .85 h **4 rC Osi's0 s3 t*i V> Io* 81 *o oe *sc 5 0 il Ha'40*. |ftCtehekWc>o8| ton ch o M) Vr 1C nv O' rn\ oe o4 <3 * S _i's.*sss_ O' 2 >o vo> aa aof v\\r OPl'j H0 8 oc H H oe t '8. g & <e e * .s?AtvC 4t oc * 5 4* S3O' H OH C* *1 e*i H OH a II Ii*s*1 S' HH Et 1m nol hm ftO+ 0.0 H1 8he2ft *2 HjoeO3r 1o5. pi HO 5ft o*as WA-TEX 003740 TEX 10 t 26 Bygientf* lurvey A %* PAK - 19^9 .............................. ............................ Filter plant operation! - Dust exposures were etraincd for everal operation* in connection with the handling of clays. : Ssmplee were oolleoted in the breathing tones of the employes by means of ;i midget laplnger using distilled water m a eolioeting medium. Duet oounta wore made at a magnification of 100 diametere, using the ; standard light-field technique. - . - ; v*'-.' . . During tha unloading of Una .olc from a freight oar, the twb - employes were exposed to a concentration of 282.5 jeillion partiple*..... per oubio foot of air. Unloading of a car required about 3f hour*. Resplratore were provided for these employee but it was noted that . they were not being worn. Lena clay, according to an earlier analysis by Washington University, St. Louie, contained about 12 to 13 per cent of fre* silica. Similar analyaie showed that the Riversida fuller's earth contained abhut 7 per cent of free silica. The maximum allowable concentration of dusts containing 5 to 5a pervcent''.-of,freaaiiiba?; : has been set at 20 million particles per oublc foot of air. It is ; ' reooamendsd that: - ; ' ;U'' 1. Employes should wear respirators while unloading clay from freight oarsi 2. Clay unloaders should be given periodic physical examinations at 18 to 24 month intervals. 3. Consideration should be given to the plan of having the clay shipped to the refinery in covered hopper oars. This would reduce time required for unloading and radixoe dust exposures. On the third . 2l *hs general air in tha area oft elevators and the conveyors contained 145.8 million partIdas per oubio foot of air normally no one worked fbr long perlode in this area* An inspection of the 1122* fit 3&TXUteC .frBifrUng ** *? but no samples vert oolleoted because construction and repair, work was in progress. However, the amounts of dust which had settled on equipment, beams, etc. showed that high dust concentrations demurred daring normal operations. The ^taslQ& 1 aaiilt resulted in exposures to a black oily, sticky.dust. Eaeh press was duapad at interval* of about 4o minutes, saoh dumping requiring about 5 minutss. A sample collected while Ro, 2 press (PGR-55] end Ho, 6 prats (Wax diet. 10) were dumped showed a concentration of 65.3 million particles per cubic foot of air. The presses were dumped by swinging the bottom part of the shell downward and to on# side so that tha blaok oily spent clay would fall through an opening into care beneath the prese floor. Clay whioh adhered to the filter platea was dislodged by means of scrapsrs. During the operation, in addition to inhaling ! WA-TEX 003741 TEX 10127 Inaa*trial Hygiene Barray PAW - 1949 thC dust, the employes' work clothing and expossd body surfaces became rather heavily soiled vith the spent day. It was reported that under certain wind conditions, dust concentrations were higher than at the time of the ssapling beoause up-drafts through the floor openings caused greater dispersal of the dust. While there is no information available on the effects of in halation of, or of prolonged skin contact with this erCnt day dust, the presenoe of the heavy black oily a&terials does not permit this dust to be classed as a aere nuisance dust. Therefore, it la recoaaended that: 1. Exposed euployes should be required to wear approved type respirators,. 2. periodic physical examinations should be made on this 'group of employes with special reference to the lungs and skin, . Time did not perait an appraisal of other operations involving exposures to clay and fuller's earth dust. Beoause of the faot that these dusts are capable of producing pneumoconiosis, it is recommended that t 1. Periodic physical examinations every 18 to 2b months should be made of all employes exposed ko dusts in the filter building. i WA-TEX 003742 TEX 10128 IttcLlr trial Hygiene*"1 Jurroy PAW - 19^9 Reclaiming insulation. and maniater - One employe on the flay shift vaa exposed to high oonoent rations of dust during the roc lega tion of insulation and ganistor. These two material* were fed into a hammer mill and the crushed materials were'discharged into a oloeed bin. At interval*, when the bin was filled, the material was removed and bagged. The bin was fitted with a natural-draft stack which ex tended to abore the root of tho Quonset building which housed the operation, . , -. The operator fed pieces of insulation into the hammer mill by hand. The action of the mill caused dust and fragments of Insulation to be dlsoharged through the feed hole. The operator held a piece of burlap orer this opening to reduce the amount of dust emitted into his breathing tone. This was not an effective meant because a cample collected while the employe was feeding insulation ihto; the mill showed a concentration of 175.7 million partlole* per cubic foot of air. The crushed insulation was shoreled into an upright drum mounted on trunnions, an empty bag plaoed over the top of the drum and the whole thing upended so that the material dropped into the bag. ' A dust sample taken during this work showed a dust concentration of 165.1 million particles per cubic foot of air. The insulation handled was known as 85 per cent magnesia insulation. This material oontalned 85 per oent of magnesia and 15 per cent asbeetoe. Asbestos dust, if inhaled in sufficient amounts and for a prolonged period, will cause s lung fibrosis termsd "aabostosis*. Tbs maximum allowable oonoentratlon of asbestos dust in the breathing zone of vorkere has been set at 5 million par* tides per oubio foot of air. naturally, the percentage of asbestos in the dust to whloh the employe was exposed during crushing and bagging of insulation would be low beoause of the high magnesia content of the materiel. Sven so, assuming that ths dust oontalned 15 per oent of asbestos, the exposures during ths crushing And bagging of insulation were in exoess of the maximum allowable eon* oentratIon. .* Dust exposures during ths rsclsmation of ganlstsr vers not determined beoause this material was not being processed during ths survey. However, because the seme equipment was used and the fact that ths ganlstsr is such harder, It is reasonable to assume that its processing would also produos high dust concentrations. Ths percentage of free ellloa in ganlstsr was not determined but it is essentially a refractory clay. Most clays have been considered as relatively harmless when inhaled but reoent reports have indicated that some of them arc oapable of producing disabling lung pathology. WA-TEX 003743 I.i Ustrial RyglenS feurvsy '] PAV - 19^9 The respirator which the ennloye had beep using for many years was one whioh has newer received ap-rroval under the standards established by the U. 3. Bureau of Mines. It consisted of a white rubber faoepieoe containing snail sponge which was subposed to be kept moistened with water to remove dusts. It did not fit the employe*s faoe properly because he had stuffed a handkerchief around the edges,. The ineffectiveness of this resDiratbr was explained to the operator by the area safety engineer and, while the employe insisted that the white rubber type wee the only satisfactory res pirator, he agreed to try an approved respirator for one week. After a week's trial he reported the new reepirator was so superior to the old ont that he wondered how he had gotten along for so many years and requested that his thank* be conveyed to the area safety engineer. The reelsmatlon of insulation and ganister was a steady opera tion and the employe was exposed to high dust concentrations over the entire shift. Respirators are normally reoommended only for exposures which are intermittent and of relatively short duration. For exposures occuring over the whole shift day after day, control of the dust at its point of generation - is the preferred method. Therefore, It is reoommended that: . 1. Looal exhaust ventilation and duet oolleeting system should bo installed for the insulation and ganister reclamation operation, 2. Until such time as this dust control system is installed, employes should bs required to wear respirators approved for protection against pneumoooniosis-producing dusts. 3. Periodic physical examinations should be made of employes engaged in crushing and bagging-ganister and insulation at intervals of 18 to 2k months. WA-TEX 003744