Document k9gBmEBKQ5z8Y93EORYB185qb

subject Asbestos Evaluation - AT&T Long Lines 440 Hamilton Ave., White Plains, NY, Bldg. C. Case: 48106-3 Bell Laboratories date: February 23, 1981 lrom David Rainer MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD As part of a continuing effort by Long Lines to evaluate employee potential exposure to asbestos, personal monitoring of employees was conducted on October 25, 1980. Various job tasks requiring work above the hung ceiling were monitored. Summary On October 25, 198G, personal sampling was conducted at AT&T Long Lines, 440 Hamilton Ave., White Plains, NY to evaluate employee exposure to asbestos while performing various job tasks above the hung celling. Results of personal air monitoring indicate that employee erprsure to asbestos during various job tasks ranged from .02 fibers/cc to .06 fibers/cc respectively.* The present Occupational Safety and Health Administration (0SHA) Standard for asbestos is 2 fibers/cc. Medical examinations aze mandatory at 0.1 fibers/cc (0SHA program directive 300-16). Recommendations 1. Employees who have occasion to work above the hung ceiling should be informed of the results contained within this report. 2. The practice of wearing respiratory protection and protective clothing should be limited to those job' tasks'where*employees may exceed the OSHA medical monitoring standard of 0.1 fibers/cc. These job tasks include but are not limited to: a. pulling out wires from above the hung celling, and b. any job task requiring that asbestos containing insulations be physically disturbed in any manner including cutting, scrapping, shaking or sawing. 1 The present NIOSH method for asbestos counting does not distinguish between fibrous materials, i.e., all fibers greater than 5 u long seen by phase contrast microscopy are counted. 003982 CONFIDENTIAL -2- Procedure Sampling was conducted by Mr. D. Rainer of tne Bell Laboratories Environ mental Health and Safety Department. Samples were collected on 37 ma open faced Millipore cellulose ester filters with portable battery powered sampling pumps manufactured by MSA. The sampling tr'.ln was calibrated by using a soap bubble flow-meter. The air filters were analyzed by the method recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). All fibers greater than 5 ym long seen by phase contrast microscopy at 400x were ounted. Results See table. Discussion Long Lines has categorized job tasks that require work above the hung ceiling (Appendix I). As part of its programs to assess asbestos exposures associated with these job tasks, personal monitoring of employees was conducted on February 7 and October 25, 1980. On October 2.5, 1980, job tasks sampled included fire damper Inspection and maintenance, replacement of celling tiles, rearrangement of the master heat thermostat and replacement and rearrangement of air lines associated with mixing boxes. On tnis particular day, results of personal monitoring indicated no exposure in excess of the OSHA medical monitoring standard of 0.1 fibers/cc. Protective clothing with hoods and 3M 9910 respirators were worn (Figure 1). On February 7, 1980, job tasks sampled included pulling electrical wires from hung ceilings and maintenance in mixing boxes above the hung ceiling. (V. R. Cohen Memorandum for Pecord 4/1/80). In this instance, results of personal monitoring slightly exceeded the OSHA medical monitoring standard during pulling of electrical wires. For the vast majority of jobs requiring work above the hung ceiling, the actual amount of time spent performing a given task is small. On October 25 the longest sample period was 138 minutes, but probably less than half the time was spent in the hung ceiling. Most of the job tasks also do not require direct contact or manipulation of asbastos containing materials. As "uch 7-8 hour Time Weighted Averages (TWAd are low. Periodic monitoring should continue to assess employee exposures. For the present time use of respiratory protection and protective clothing CONFIDENTIAL 003983 -3 - should be limited to those jobs where it is known that asbestos levels exceed the OSHA medical monitoring level of 0.1 fiber/cc or where asbestos containing insulation is to be handled or disturbed in any manner MH-78691-DR-bla Copy to D. Johnson, M.D. - AT&T LL G. W. Barnard L. Williams N j. DeCapua - AT&T J M. Degen^n^Tr-J R V'. J. Schreibeis G. M. Wilkening David Rainer Industrial Hygienist CONFIDENTIAL 003984 - r* r* c- r* o 9 o oi 9 \D u> ls> Ui 1 00 o PO to os 9 ft 9 73 P ft h- o rr U) K nP fD o O 3 CD c 9 P* 9 9 a. rr P* 9o ao 9 r* O H* 9 1-- CO 9 rr r* o* OS P- 9 9 9 p* O 9 O rr CO C CO rt 3 o 0 ooc r9 rr rr a. rn Co P 9 > t3 P* 9 n CO - a> o M fO 00 00 t-, i-- p 00 9 1 u 2 O9 9 O CO \D 9 M3 9 CD r* P r* Hr* r r* o O o o1 OD ro K> Lft 1 00 o H x 2? 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Us 9 M 19 00 O H H 9 r- *9 9M co to 9 M 9 OP n 9 H H H* 9 OP P* ri 9 CP CD g 73 9 P X 5T 9 rr 6T 0o P* 9 9 rr ft n 9O 9 P 9 9> n p. 9P r* p 9 9 (0 UO 09 cr CO ft 9 n 9 73 Ps ft O P* r o 39 9 CL O rh ......^ . ...-UI u> D B3 r* *i 9 0> C ft ft p* 9o CD 9 ruO 00 u> 1^1 < r- o 00 p> ft e 9g *9 CD +8 hour Time W eighted Average The present OSHA s ta n d a rd is 2 fib e r s /c c w ith M edical exams re q u ire d a t 0-1 fib e r s /c c Oo 00 MriDENTlAl O' KA o u> KJ o ON o K.' oO N> .S' %% us (0 9H 8 8, rt A CL --cn' Oo Jo*' Dn o An Aa n * n nn car H* Oa H* 0=i*0 + c1o-1 -Ce- Ca 7n3 O M> (A i- c X A (- to n S C in H- O nM ?1r Oi-*> O H- a a -a <> 303 3*Q-i a cr o oa <w A t- 5yg prr* ca oa A 03 H- -a n ro h> a a 3 H> HH- 3 3 H- C3 w. a 00 Ml wo H 9 cr > -< H OO O' A H!* H n s*s (8 Q. r* ne aH* ta* a(0 oe o* 2 own ft C K O P* O O' M C n9 Ka. to K>090 O U> CT r- r5f r9r U0 < CO 00 c CD 003985 Figure 1 - Workers wore protective clothing and respirators during work above hung ceiling. AT&T Long Lines Building "C" White Plains, NY October 25, 1980 CONFIDENTIAL 003988