Document k62RK6wezxwvBz9bzomQ5qB2D
FILE NAME: WR Grace (WRG)
DATE: January 12, 1959
DOC#: WRG210
DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: 1959 Montana State Board of Health report inspection of Zonolite Company
CTATE DOA/J) (TS Hi'ALH nolor.ii, Mentana
P in sx cc 0:' dir&sb couit,g,
A a' z< W ": u i m:anI'Ot*V'tC') )JL
0? TJU3 ZONQLTE COMPANY
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LIBI, KOIiTAIA
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ikmjani.a i'. Uako In d u s tria l Ky^iona Engineer D ivision of Diaoaeo Control
Dljtirl 1-2-vt ion'" Tl lo ro p o rt io con Cidont la i and iti not fo r d is trib u tio n except to the cana goniont of the iionolito Cooiioixny of v Libby, Montana.
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On )vccmbsr and IV, Ivyb, mi industrial liyglono. etudy was made of tho
onoratlomi of the forolKe Ccapnry at- Libby, Montana, to- dofcaiv.un.i if- any of tho
components --df tho operations uhteh wore found to bo detrimental to tho health of
tho eiaployooa ciarlru/ tho- last study in August, 1956 had boon reduced dr allovjatod
since that tiny, Tho study was mado aft-.r cbtuoroues vrith Mr* l), Loviek, assistant
manager, and In the company .of Mr, R. J, Kuj&wa, chief onginoar at tiro plant.
Thin study vaa, essentially, a follow-up invostiguticn of tho previous
study to determine if tho reebnwandationo outwittod in August, 1956:had 'boon
carried cut auchd.tlmt tho dust concentration; :Sn dry raill, in particular, war.)
lowered ly tho repair of ventilation due:!,, work and othor oparetiona .
All
uvr.. again coll acted nud analyuod in accordance yrith prdO tiara
rocommc-ndocV by tho U.d, I'n'dic Health Borvico 'and other official dgoaqiea.. Ih'iv.3
eputuai camples wore ekacl tud for asbestos bodies, by tho Stats Board of Health staff
end by tho U.S, Pi'V-.'jic health Sorvico, Occupational SLulth fluid Station, Cinaiui.-rti.-.
Ohio* Tho re.- -Ua ..2 i'.c <.zfcAinat lora have not ysfc- bean repox-ta-l andfara not in
eluded in this rcyoi t,
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Doocriptione of Onaratlcna
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A description of. tho qporationa of this company have boon adequately
presented in previous reports and will not bo reviewed h o r o . T h a onlytchange notod
oinco tho August., 1956 study wan at tho transfer point from tho mina tb tho roill
who to ona hannar nill had boon td;on cut, and only.one ooreon rcKalnod. Tho population of the. plant at tho tiao of this study was approxiroatoly 115 witlvtholmtno workii.g
two chi its and tho
worldny thruo shifto.
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It sdoulc \-.i tel it); u i.'Uiy t!..: dry r>d11 was .observed dvu*in| tiilo study
oinco it was found, tiring V:;j provJcue invostlgation-, tint tho hasardo associated
with the dust!-,u.,ns in this
uoro gr-nvor-in- tho dry mill then in any other part
of tho oporations
,
During ths ti c.f this study, rent, of tho ora wao coming from Bin Ho. I
end, eo noted in Tabic, 1 .ad ur.cbr tho sub- heading Concontrationo, tho nill vao in
full opcratic-ii
L r h:..: hu-f- iucUeat--d in tho Samples 9, 10, .11, 12 and 13*
Those latter sc..:.pliuq p-orlcda do not roproeont norml conditions oinco -.tho wot mill
was off tho lino or out of opsrution for that poriod thereby reducing dustiness
considerably,
Concontratlons
A ro-zierw of Table I indicates that tho concontrationo of dust wore sasowhat lewar than thoy wore during th.o prsvioua stud,}' in Auyast, 1956 but that tho concentra tions uoro still significant in view of the concentration of asbestos particles found in each of the onupios. ho concentration of asbestos was estimated by counting tho asbestos particle3 contain:1 in ouch of the 13 oar.plao collected* Tha percentage of air-berna caboatcs v:aa dcloi dncd to bo in a concontration of from 12 to 31 percent with cn avorago being appi'oxiriuitoly 27 percent. The valuea found in tho aoboatoa particles column is based generally on tho average concontration of 27 percent* It should bo notod that this concentration may be loss than that actually present in tho air since tho. particles which had charnctorinticn of aabeston were the only once
counted and those particles that wore oo small that their* rod-Uko;appearance could not bo ebsorvod wore not counted ns asbestos but waro evaluated as'war-all dust level*'
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Saspla Ho.
1
2
lo catio n mu! Doner? ption
M `- W w w U >
6th flo o r ~ gnnoi-al flo o r a ran - a l l opora tio n s on - food out of Din 1 12/16/50
5th flo o r ~ area of operator mat n il f t vsov Scraono- 501,02, 19 o-tc. 32/16/50'
Concentration in nppcf'"
16.3
22.9
3
5th p o o r ~ area of ooraons 510, 12, 13
51.6
!.o/ 5 o
h
Uth f i t or * rnt-1 ixt urea of th lu flo o r 12/16/56
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5
3rd flo o r - entire arm- of th la flo o r 12/16/50
2b* 0
6
2nd flo o r - o n tira aroa of th in flo o r
27.2
?
Main o r ground flo o r main dryer oido -
7.5
e le c tric /c h o p to f i r e end ravin d ry er 12/16/60
8
5th flo o r - yanoral ai-ea of whole flo o r - low
18.6
* feed - wot t.U i down 12/17/58
9
6 th flo o r" - e n tire f le e r - low food - wot
Zl*h
a l i i down i;./l? /5 6
10
!ith flo o r - u n tiro flo o r - low food - wot
9.0
i l l down 12/17/58
n
3rd flo o r - e n tire f le e r - lew food v a t
9.6
svill down 12/17/56
12
2nd flo o r - o n tiro flo o r - low feed but
20.3
picking up ~ wot n d ll back in lin o 12/17/58
13
Mai n or ground flo o r - botvaon o lo c tric ohop
23.3
end f i r s end of main dryer 12/17/50
Kaxinoa Allowable Concentration
h'uiv.'.i! .-.:o dust
50
Aoboatoo dust
M illions of p a rtic le s per cubic foot, of a ir .
Concentratlor. Of '.Shootoo particlon in mnncf
13-0 5.1 9.3
!w?
U.5 5.0 1.3
3.1 ' 3.0
1.0
1.7 3.7 i.2
5.0
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in which t' s). fisc 1?) ere i! t'-o ley " ]T
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.vai-':, e per !' ' of c p r a tio n
coivdde' ibiy r a t ev'i) by t`V. i of i-.h-r vet
m ill being out of op ration, ar/l the '..win d ryer, tl::oyM'c*xx>, was not it).iriin.g ai to ri a l
in to v a ria 13 screens
Tt was r b . " d u r i n g tli ,?> e tu ly th a t ih second'. floor. was gam r a l l y tho g re a te s t o.Cfaricbr ro ta tiv o - to dust production although c a rta io lo catio n s on tha '6th and 5th flo o rs a lso c o n tri buiad cenai doratilo q u a n titie s of d u st. Tha concentrations on tha second flo o r, however, vera d is trib u te d evenly ever the o n tir s flo o r, vhox-oau, tha
con--entrati one noted on tho 5th and 6th .floors '.oro o c s o n tla n y from single offender; ra th e r than fror. tha onti.ro onorati one of tha flo o r.
Dust Producers and 'vistcd wxhawsh O m a R v
Sixth '-'leer
1. le v a to r Cl? leaked a t ih.i an.plo of tho diaohargo duct.
2. The main in to which tho duct from top of which ele v ato r 60? discharged
was open a t tho ond c o n trib u tin g to s ig n ific a n t waste of exhaust
capacity. .
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j , Th-j opoui'.)'] above the shaft- to tho head pul'J.y on olovator house 606
and 607 perm itted tho lo ss of consldei'ablo oxhauot cap acity , th is
should b-j closed with a tig h t rubber so u l.
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):> Tho iiilo t to fan 600 hud a ra th e r of holes In i t losing exhaust
capacity.
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F ifth Floor
1. Tho blaoa gate s lo ts and tho exhauster to olovator 525 leaked
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oxlxauet a i r .
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2. y-zvc: >.n 513 had tho Usoh o f f and tho fasdor pipo above tho screen
and access doors woro opon leaking conaidorable amount of 'd u st. I ho hood a lso lo o 'cod and should bo blanked o ff to a few inches above the screen or the heed loxorod and carried thrao-fourtho of tho length of tho screen . This u n it x;as a main offender.
3- Screen 512 ~ b. Inlot to fan
5. Sere or. 510, i a d v e n , i'hio mai a effonder
6. Scroons 512 i
7. Pan 521 n o t i
!. feroon 510 *
? . fereon 503 -
io . fc cnJn- ` Oh -
13.' creati 505 - top nr.ct ho I te r cr.r.nactrrs trck ar.. 12* ioroen 00 Oi'llt.T.ictory.
; 13 ccr^cn .307 - top arici bottoni conncctor bro io c. Scroer.:; k\b,} Vi5,
l;l, 1:17, 'IO - th sarai.'
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19* Sereati 501 - b la s t gate s lo t ab th top of th cornactor loaked corteiOsruhlo duot Ilio back \:ay o f f , ' p a r ta lly , and th b o tte r ccunactca* hac! s i i operi o ff.
4r-.,'0, Sc rear. rvyi w l ie ti
cy*
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Screen Z 1
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o Op i
22*
Scroon
t '*> c .;.t)
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o ri y u
2 3 * Screen ni; - stira
2 * Checker p la te ovo bili -* 510 vero broken in eevor a l places p e rn iitin g the lona of conci dorabio oxhnust cap acity .
Kourtli Floor
' 1. Screen h.21 lidian e t cap
O.. < Sere on }2u 3. Fan 1:02 dis h. Q cv n to r [05 not running*
5* S creen !j05 not n in n in e ,
6. Screen blO top, and bottom connectors broken. 7 20033 0 lill - top and bottom ccnnoctora broken. 8* Screen iti2 - Sano
9* Screen [13 - Saw
J.O. The ore feed batvocm screens id 2 and Jd3 was a conaidorablo dust producer, This .should bo onclocod w ith a tig h t fittin g 'r u b b e r necooa door,
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11. Thoro wore many openings in the oro fbod pipes th a t leaked considerable duet.
12* The open end of an axhauat dunt m a r eneitch IjO to tlie sand conveyor push-button sacrificed considerable exhaust capacity.
13 ilio floor, opening to e le v a to rs to perm it d ep o sit of flo o r sweepings
sacrificed coneldorablo exhaust capacity.
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Third fle e r
1 . ic i'ic n .133 not cooralii: -.
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2. 31a t t rjato a-*jo Inin-.; ju n ctio n bo:* to l!o. 0 duct locked rind may bo l o f t
opoo. I t
underUoi! t b i t th is b le a t ato was purposely m aintained
in th is p ssi t.ion so le n t-th e duct, vorlc could bo cleaned- 'out p o rte d ic a lly ;
- -houavorj I t i s ovpoclou th a t fra a tin e to lim e the son may Deavo th is .
b la s t ;:cto op on thereby {.aerUiclR considerable exhaust capacity*
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3 Opening in the exhaust duct u t the point near e le v ato r 325 should bo -i.
closed permanently, This opsnins sa crifice d exhaust capacity.
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L, Exhaust cap acity was boins wasted in the ojchouotina machines th a t wore ` n e t'o p e ra tin g such as screen 33u and o th e r screens enumerated.
5. Screw conveyer housing a t lo ca tio n 337 loakod much dust and was a major ' offender. 'ha uccos a dcor was al30 l o f t open apparently by tho workers and indicated ind ifferen ce to dust control-'-measures provided.
6. Access hollas i:v tho v o r.tn a tio n 'p ip e w oro'.loft open although they wore once
closed. T his loo '.iidicut.'Jd in d iffe ren c e to good tmuntalbanco procedures
and ru s t c o n tro l.
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7. Tho dead end of '.fcha exhaust duct over e le v a to r 325 was opon roduci ng.
considerably, the exhaust capacity over the whole systom.i Tho olo v ato r was a ls o not operating and l o f t open*therefore v aating considerable v e h til& tio
capacity This olo v ato r a lso had a number. o f hulas uWchl-vore s a c rific in g
exhaust capacity,. .
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0. E lev ato r 321 hem in,! wao broken and leaked dust and a i r .
9 . Access Poor to tho top of machine 315 waa badly bant and leaked considerable
exhaust a ir .
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10. Tho feed hopper f e r No. 1 fine (u n it 306) leaked a t the bottom c o n stan tly ns did u n it 307
11. ?lachi no 315 a t top of chute to machine above the motor should bo blanked o ff and nrovidod with on access door to p revent dust production and the
loss of exhaust capacity
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12. Tho follow ing screens had tho top and bottom connectors mlsoing o r broken!
323, 32h, 310, 31?, 320, 321, 322. Tho dischargo a t connectors a t tho
flo o r of 317, 31u, 319, and 320 ware broken and product was going on the
floor.
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3, '',r!y ,i|] tho cop end t o t U o c o n n ec to rs to tho K' .screens wor; r < i w or !*3'ny .loai-wj.i constcunehje oust *rul aari-i flood exhaust cvr'ac ty*
faccnd floor
1. forson ?.?h - too war. o ff and leaked dust badly. This ve.n a major offor.dor. The back aloe bib not l i t tig h tly ,
2. The holo In tho onel c-curo to the tra n s fe r point oi tho bo!) t near
a: yea to r jb l leaked eou.xbJ.orc.bIo aii* .Widuciir* t!r. o Tibet ivono:;o <. ? . _ the exlrmc.1:. avatam.
3. Tho CJ.noa c o lle c tio n box .Cron sc re e n s 29it, and 203 3aafcad d u c t badly.. 'fa rev. pl;'.iO discharged ore to th in cor.
iu Yho unv.cod pipe from tho tr a n s fe r point to the b o lt near e le v ato r 321 p^m ittod tho introduction of unnecessary oxhauct a ir thereby reducing the capacity of tho exhaust system considerably.
5. H ilt leading under croon 'Oh produced considerable duet a t a l l tir.oa* I f tho v e n tilatio n . wore unproved ahead of th is point th is area on?.d lik e ly bo ackqvxtoiy exhausted and no dust por.rdtted to ascapo.
6 The diechar \ j nips fre e aereon 206 leaked considerable dust through
or -a rope:;'.' ten hole ICc. T1o inopsotiou hole bale-.; th is point a? so
leaked :*. a t c.. .cunt of d u el.
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V. The ju n ctio n box ab-ova rrjchine 1:15 and botween e lev ato rs 603 a.nd 60q leaked dust badly, th in was a ro io r offender. I t is suggested th at exhaust cap acity o ff the top o f tho p u lley fo r machine 215 bo put into tho ju n ctio n box i f th in appears to bo advisable a f t e r a n a ly sis of tho exhaust ch aracteristics of these u n its .
6. There was a largo holo in th3 exhaust duct work above and batveon screens 213 and 21h j u s t above tho b e lt .
9. T ransfer point o f b e lt 21?A to tho hopper b o lt 21913 created conoidsruble dust. This is a major offender.
10, The tra n s fe r p o in t a t the b o lt above sipn 21?/. was too f a r from tho b o lt c re a tin e a dusty condition and nloo s a c rific in g exhaust capacity .
11. The exhauster above tho sign fo r b o lt 219 a ls o was too high above tho b e lt and was not c o lle c tin g tho cfuofc and s a c rific in g exhaust c ap acity .
12, IT:a tr a n s fe r p o in t to b o lt 219 should-bo b e tte r enclosed and tho exhaust capacity increased i f naco3sary.
13. The b e lt loading boxen fo r b o lt 219 both croatod a considerable amount of c u n t. The exhauster wan too f a r from tho b o lt, was net enclosed s u f f ic ie n tly , and may a lso bo too s tia ll. Thio was a major offender.
llj. The ju n ctio n box ro ar the f i r s t b o lt loading s ta tio n on b o lt near b e lt 219A leaks much d u st. This should bo enclosed adequately or exhausted. I t
van a major offondor.
};>. l'ii-j y u te ',,.Ha lux J.i;;:h:ir;'u * rm no '.the b o lt \>.\ Uv> dtr >iv c-va-.t!.*.'? vcunJ dori1')' .Just. '
]'S.
i jj'i.L le a d in g bo;-.y;. loiHi'ry;; b e l t 21 e ro o tc d acch
17 Th<j oacond flo o r of tho dry n u ll was 'm ajor offender and
needed coni'.i 3ra b id ' atten tio n *
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Moin Floor
I . Junction box ju s t above flo o r of tho eoeond flo o r and ac'.jacynt to e le v a to r '713 lo a fe d dorr, b a d ly .
J. The exhaust duct to bln 113 craw conveyor had' a very large hole In i t s a c rific in g a largo volume of oxhau3t capacity.
3 ito hi,;;k grads t a i l in g loading b o lt near olovatoi* 13 created r.ud) clust.
Ji. Holt loading point of fin e s screen on second flo o r to main ta ilin g b o lt lenkod duot badly* A ll o f;th ese flnac loading location:) looked considerable duot. Tho o;:hau3t enclosures provided fo r those junctions p o in ts nor3 too f a r from the b o lt.
AH of the ?.ccat.ionn unumorated .wore those th a t wore apparent as major offender:) in e ith e r production of duot or in the sa c rific o of exhaust c ap acity which pq.rr.1ttod duet to- to generated a t poin ts th a t should have boon c o n tro lled no designed. 3ho p o in ts enumerated-'uaro not a l l of the lo catio n s uharo dust van produced nor were thoy a l l of circumstance:;' th a t p e rv ftl ai the 03cap*) c ' d u st, '/any of tho oro carriag e ducts uprs a lso bi-okon in dozens of pianos thereby perm itti n;$ dust to escapo and a lso per m it tin g valuable exhaust a i r to be wasted. roas hv'--ben cut lu to the pipas fren time- to timo to pexsnit cleanout but havo not been replaced* Tliesa osongo wore, too numerous to mention and verb so frequent th a t they could not be- nuv'bsrsd.
Toxiclt v
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fame as on pago 3 of the Zonolito Co. re p o rt of August, 195^
According to -flb e a r/ \ ''In h a la tio n of aobosto3 dust must ba expected sooner or la te r to produce pulmonary fib ro s is , depending upon (a) langtx o f exposure and (b) nat-uro and concentration of the duot. Pulmonary asbootosis, once e stab lish ed , is a progressiva disease with- a bad prognosis; i t s 'tvoataont can onl.v be orno toral VaC Tuberculosis risfcfitr aobohtoalo ..must nlso;ho reckoned vi th.
Kaxinux Allowable Concentration
It
i-- ...-- -- . .......- i.
,\i
The dlsoussion of maximum allowable) concentration has boon adequately pro son ted in tho August, 195) re p o rt and, w ill not bo repeated hero.
(1) Elisian, P h ilip , "Pulm onar A sbestosis", -THE EO'JRhAL 0? INDUSTRIAL faiENS,
Vol. XVj 1.63 (Ju ly .1933)
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Cone' vision? ' ns1 '*u-.< nda t 5on.*}
An ijici'.onfod by lb*) Undines of tho study t would.appear thus
progress
bad .eon rude ' dm::!'..-!; duct concentrations in Uu) dry m ill but t i n t such
concentrations l a.1, or. y e t, not been reduced vO u c a d afactory lo v e! cvoi a l l . i cr.a
vot*; had W^nvc'-orv) to -p-wrov*: tho era carrying and vonc,.ilucida g/otaro ;v.;ch th a t
Dioy. tjculd porfor. i no o rig in a lly douJ n o d ,.but un otHifi-oraLocl utxiar tics iu b -lm d i r:j
wDust Producers11, tho d ry M i l t i l l inquired a con.* iderabla. amount of work to reduce
tho dust in t h 5.s or-i,*'. `-0 an acceptable lq v s i. in s following u r o s e v e r a l cecoTo.cudutlons
eoncorui ng Uvo o:.haunt nyatoi': nn :m ) X a tho ora carrying and; tre a t!n g system
3., '.T int a l l tho holes in thq oxhauni uyatuin to ropairod such th a t no ' exhaust capscl ty is vested at any location .
2 That count ant vAVlntonavice bo provided fo r tho bottre: and top cor!a.?ot.ora
cn a l l of tho v ib ra tin g screens and th a t tho bank on a l l the screens bo .v o ;.O .r.w ith tight- fin tin g covorn nod r.-aintabriad. in rood cond'f \e.uCora of tho machines woro provided with lubber fla p s vhich;-. no ctcuwt,
ir.prcvud the eidutunt chavnctoricticu conaidorab'iy. over thaao 'u n its j
her,.'ever; they a t i l l looked badly and s a c rific e d a .groat d e a l'o f exhaust c:;r\ic th a t could bo u tiliz e d a t ath o r lo c a tio n s.
3. h in t n i l oh tho holes In tho ore convoying pipes .bo permanently closed
or o t'.unvica rrovidud with tig h t f i t t i n g , romovabls accoss doors ouch that,
dust dean not load Iron those areas and such th at oxhauat canaoitv
w ill r e t bo sucri.fAcod a t tho so p o in ts, Thoro woro so nony holos in
tho cr-i carrying p o rtic o of the dry m ill uyatern th a t they could not
b'j cr.x.x*iv; coci.
1:.,. Vi;.::.c- n il of tho tr a n s f e r points fo r oro being deposited to open' container:) bo adequately unclosed arid provided with exhaust' vent i 3a tier-.
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, H i t mat:* 1 ouch time as r e p a ir and nainbeuanco of both this exhaust
-"and tho oro conveying uystorso has been completed, a l l tho men in tho
cb.y :.:ir bo prcv'.cod with and bo required to wear an adequate re s p ira to r
.i, all times' '
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6, Tillt the- conclusions and reconwendationa of the August, 19$6.rep o rt bo
reviewed fo r dust c o n tro l measures since many of the rocorsmondations
presented a t th a t time s t i l l apply.
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