Document mpQeX7gMdw87ZgJYd9dpe4RMJ

William R. Bradley and Associates ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CONSULTANTS 18 GREEN STREET NEWARK, N. /. 07102 20 1 62 2 - 4246 January 23, 1967 Sprayed Mineral Fiber Manufacturers Association, Suite 2300 One Wall Street New York, New York 1000S Inc. Attention: Technical Committee Re: ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INVESTIGATION An environmental health study was made for the Sprayed Mineral Fiber Manufacturers Association, Incorporated on January 12, 1967, at the tJhitad States Mineral Products Com pany in Stanhope, Hew Jersey, in quarters provided for this study. Products of four companies were sprayed under con trolled conditions of application during which tests of air samples were collected in the breathing zone area of the spray operator. These air samples were submitted to micro scopic examination and dust count using the approved tech nique for the determination of respirable size particles in the work environment. The dust counts involved particles 5 microns or less in diameter. 2- - The testa vra conducted in a large open area with one side of the building opened directly to the outdoors. The sample collection point was at all times two to three feet of the operators nose. The operator sprayed part of the time on the ceiling and part of the time on the wall during each test. He held the spray nozzle in his hand and applied the products at a distance of three to five feet from the ceiling or wall. A large pedistal fan was turned on to ven tilate the test area between each test. Material applied during one test was removed from the wall between each test. Material applied to the ceiling felled by gravity during the tests which gave representative conditions of application. The same personnel conducted all of the product feed to the blower and performed the spray application. The first twelve tests were conducted for ten minute periods each and the second series of twelve tests were conducted for five minute periods each. During the first twelve tests the UniAir type gun with sixteen holes was used. During the second twelve tests the Uni-Jet, airless type gun was used, with each type of spray gun the four products were spray tested under water flow rates of 7-% pounds per minute, 10 pounds per minute and 12-% pounds per minute. These water flow rates were used with both types of application guns. The fiber feed rate for all teats was designed for ten pounds per minute. Actual fiber feed rates as supplied by the blower hopper operator were as follows: USMP 10 to 11,.4 pounds per minute BEH 7 to 8 pounds per minute S&K 8 to 10 pounds per minute Asb. 13.. 6 to 15 pounds per minute The results of dust samples are as follows: Dust Sample Analysis United States Mineral Products Co. (USMP) Cafco Blaze-Shield Type D saldwin-Ehret-Hill, Inc. (BBS) Pyrospray Type 1 Smith & Kanzler (S&X) Spraycraft 1132 Type s Asbestospray Corporation (Asb.) Asbeatoapray Type T -4- Teat So. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. a. 9. 10. 11. 12. Product USMP BEH S&K Asb. USMP BEH S&K Asb. USMP BEH S&K Asb. Water Plow Rate (lbe./ minute) TYPE GUN Uni-Air Uni-Jet 16 holes Airless 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 *. X X X X 10 X 10 X 10 X 10 X 12.5 12.5 12.5 12.5 X X X X Millions of Particles per Cubic Foot of Ai? 13 18 21 14 11 17 22 12 9 12 14 7 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. USMP BEH S&K Asb. USMP BEH S&K Asb. USMP BEH S&K Asb. 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 10 10 10 10 12.5 12.5 12.5 12.5 X 14 X 19 X 23 X 15 X 13 X 19 X 22 X 14 X 12 X 16 X 21 X 11 -5- Summarv Results of dust studies made on 4 mineral fiber products sprayed under controlled .environmental conditions shows that the spray operator would be exposed to the inhilation of as bestos fibers and other mineral wool dusts that might lead to occupational illness. The threshold limit values for as bestos fiber dusts is 5 million particles per cubic foot of air. It is considered that exposure to asbestos dust in concentration less than 5 million figure will not lead to the formation of asbestosis. Asbestosis is more likely to occur after long continued inhilation of asbestos dusts in high concentration such as may exist in a mining, milling or cutting of asbestos. All test results were determined to be in excess of the 5 million particles per cubic foot threshold limit value. It is apparent that product application was more dusty when using the Uni-Jet (airless) type gun then when using the air supplied gun. It was also apparent that there was less airborn dust as the water flow rate increased. Products labeled USMP and Asb. were found to be about equa-1 in dustiness as applied. It is noted that more Asb. fiber was applied per 6- - rainute than USH application rate. It is noted that S&K fiber is raost dusty with product BEH being slightly less dusty in all cases, but considerably more dusty than USMP and Asb. products. WRB/dm WILLIAM R. BRADLEY '