Document n6624x3vmgBpvL0k09NR28wG

SURVEY OF THE PITTSBURGH - CORNING PLANT AT PORT ALLEGANY, PENNSYLVANIA SEPTEMBER 16, 1971 Introductions 6 General Comments The plant is located in a town of about 3,000 population, 25 miles from Bradford, Pennsylvania and has at present approximately 400 employees, 325 of which are hourly workers. The plant occupies about 100 acres and consists of approximately 15 buildings with a combined floor space of 440,000 feet square. With the exception of the polyurethane and unibestos finishing operations, the plant works three shifts. The company has a full time Safety Director with no staff. There is no doctor or nurse, but a forty bed hospital is nearby in Port Allegany. There is a corporate medical consultant in Pittsburgh, Dr. Lee Grant, whose services are available. Chest x-rays (70mm) are taken yearly on all production personnel. Beginning this year 14" x 17" plates are to be taken biennially. At present the wearing of respirators is mandatory on a full time basis in the unibestos area. Safety equipment consists principally of gloves, hard hats and heat shields and respirators. Currently the management is working on the introduction of a company sponsored eye protection program, which would involve supplying personnel with piano as well as prescription safety glasses. Ooveralls are issued to men working in scrap bins in the unibestos area and employees in this area ere supplied with aprons. These clothes are not permitted to be taken home by the employee. The plant has four major product lines: Number of Production Employees Plant 1 Plant 245 Plant 6 Plant 8 Glass Blocks Foam Glass Polyurethane Foam Unibestos 53 (Maintenance and o+he 95 service people make 10 rest of hourly rate 36 population.) Pittsburgh - Coming Plant September 23, 1971 Page 2 The glass feed stock, for plant (|) and (2) for the producing of glass block and foam glass, is made in Batch House (I) and (2). Major ingredients of mix for plant (I) are: Silica Sand in addition minor amounts of: NaNOj Soda Ash FI uorspar Dolomite Sodiurn SuIf. Nepheline Syenite Anti my Oxidt Rasorite fl Batch A list of raw materials used in all the plants Is appended. Description of Manufacturing Processes To make glass, the ingredients tabulated above are fused together in a huge batch tank. In plant (I) glass blocks are made by pressing a glob of molten glass. The pressing of the glass is done in a metal form where half of a block is pro duced at a time. Then the two halves are welded together in a subsequent operation to form the completed Dlock which is coated on the edge with ground lime stone in a vinyl resin so as to enable mortar to hold to the glass. Blocks are decorated with spray type enamels in paint spray booths. In plant (2) the foam glass operation starts out with the melting of the glass making ingredients in a batch tank. The molten glass is run from the batch tank like viscous cold molasses to form a tube of glass which is con veyed as a continuous tube all the way from the top of the bulIding to the first floor. Here the tube is crushed and ground up to < 100 mesh powder, mixed with carbon, put in a stainless steel pan which has been dusted with an AI2O3 parting compound and baked in an oven for about an hour, (where it rises like bread) removed from mold and annealed for about II hours. At this point the foamglass blocks are faced, trimmed and in some instances ground to shape in hooded ventilated enclosures. Glass foam blocks are further fabricated to make foam glass boards. This is done by asphalt coat ing glass blocks and wrapping the coated sides with Kraft paper. Plant 6 Polyurethane Foam Polyurethane foam Is manufactured on a semi continuous basis by mixing at 75*F two streams that contain ingredients consisting of TDI, a resin, a catalyst and a fluoro carbon. These chemicals begin to polymerize almost immediately to produce heat which vaporizes the fluoro carbons and the mass rises like a loaf of bread to produce a "bun" approximately 2 feet high by Pittsburgh - Coming Plant September 23, 1971 Page 3 five feet wide which after a curing period Is cut to desired sizes by hot wires under a canopy hood. Some of the material Is further fabricated but most is sold to the customer in huge chunks and in slices of various thickness Plant 8 Unibestos Unibestos, an insulation material, is manufactured principally from amosite asbestos which arrives in Port Allegany via rail, packed in plastic lined burlap bags. Bags are opened in a hooded enclosure which covers the bin and feeding mechanism. In the processing, the asbestos is wetted with sodium silicate. Diatomaceous earth is then mixed with it and the material is rolled and dried. The dried rolls of insulation are trimmed and slit with a band saw and the finished roll may be fabricated further, or wrapped in Kraft paper and shipped. All scrap asbestos generated in the trimming process is reintroduced into the processes thru the feeder hoods. General Impression of the Plant Housekeeping: The housekeeping in general was good. The floors are cleaned with a sweeper that has a vacuum pick up which exhausts thru a bag filter which appeared to be doing a good job. Materials were piled so that passage ways were not obstructed. Some congestion was noted in the area where glass blocks were decorated but the management Is aware of this and plans to improve this area. Respirator Protection: Respiratory protection is probably necessary only in the Unibestos plant and here was the only place where respirators were used and here their use was mandatory for a full eight hour day ------ cloth dust masks were worn in and around areas where chemicals were fed into glass pots but these type masks offer no respiratory protection. The type respirator used in the Unibestos plant is made by Mine Safety Appliances and equipped with an ultra filter which is adequate for asbestos. Potential Health Hazard: Based on observation only, there appear to be the following potential health hazards: 1. Free silica from handling sand-and diatomaceous earth 2. Lead from spray painting blocks 3. TDI from the manufacturing of polyurethane foam 4. Amosite asbestos. Pittsburgh - Coming Plant September 23, 1971 Page 4 The only real hazard that exists appears to be from exposure to air borne amosite asbestos in the unibestos operations and this opinion appears to be in agreement with that of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environniental Resources, Occupational Health Division, June 17, 1971. (copy of report appended) Potential Safety Hazards: Though a complete safety survey was not made there were the following items worth mentioning: 1. There exists a hazard in cutting some of the salvage glass blocks with a band saw which could possibly result In the amputation of a finger or hand. Though there is no sure way to guard a band saw, some of the suggestions in the National Safety Council's book, "Accident Prevention Manual For Industrial Operation" Fifth Edition, Page 25 -10 .thru 13 would be applicable. 2. The chain drive on the polymerization step of the polyurethane "bun" production equipment should be guarded. 3. The compressed air outlets should all be removed from the plant so that the men can no longer use compressed air to clean clothes or equipment. Vent!I ation A. General Comments: Ventilation systems running to dust collectors are present in foam glass fabrication (plant #2) and foam glass finishing (plant #5) and also in the unibestos (plant 18). In all there are four bag houses consisting of two 30,000 cfm units in the foam glass operations and two 15,000 cfm units in the unibestos plant. No air is recycled and this is good from the view point of reintro duction of toxic material into the plant. However, since there is no makeup air being supplied, this could cause a deficiency of air in the winter time when the plant is buttoned up and this could interfere with the efficient functioning of the ventilation system during cold weather, since the blowers will be starved for air, and will be pulling cold air by infiltration from the out of doors or from other unheated areas, hence, creating excessive draft)ness. 8. Ventilation on Unibestos Operations: There Is ventlI atI on of some sort on most unibestos operations. A sketch of the ventilation on the feed end as described by Mr. Lemen and Mr. Wallingford is appended. Pittsburgh - Coming Plant September 23, 1971 Page 5 The ventilation at feeder bln hoods was found to be more than adequate with face velocities In which one reading ran as low as 150 ft/min with all others from 200-275 ft/mln. This Indicated that the ventilation design was good and that the ventilation was working property but it does not guarantee that the dust levels will meet current TLV's. Openings on the large scrap bln showed a velocity of 200-275 ft/min which again indicates good ventilation. On the finishing operation ventilation was sorely lacking. There was definite lack of hooding and ventilation associated with these operations. The band saw operation is not hooded. It does have two 6 inch ducts beside the band saw pulling with a face velocity of only 80 ft/min. Such low velocities do little or nothing to pick up asbestos dust or any other level of dust. The drying hoods have at the canopy entrance 100 ft/min ventilation which appears to be low but could be adequate. The adequecy of the ventilation can only be determined by monitoring for air borne asbestos. There is a practice of dropping the finished roll of unibestos from the table onto a "bun" of polyurethane foam and this produces dust (it produced more dust when It was dropped directly on the floor). Probably the roll should be lowered to the floor mechan ically and in addition it should be set on a grating equipped with down draft ventilation for the purpose of preventing loosely held dust from becoming air borne. Summary and Conclusion Though there are potential health hazards in the operations of the Pittsburgh Corning, Port Allegany plant and these include silica, lead and TOI, the only serious health problem is apparently the handling and processing of amosite asbestos in the unibestos plants. The company recognizes their problem but since they plan to be out of the amosite asbestos insulation business In mid 1972, they hesitate to spend near SI00,000. for hooding and ventilation which their engineering study indicates is necessary to control this hazard. As a result they have applied to. the Labor Department for a variance (copy attached). Pittsburgh - Corning Plant September 23, 1971 Page 6 Though the amosite feed end of the process has a well designed ventilation system which pulls air through hood openings at recommended velocities, the finishing end where the unibestos rolls are trinrned and split with a band saw, has for all practical purposes no ventilation at all. The finishing end is operating as a non-control led operation. An heroic attempt has been made to protect personnel from air borne asbestos by making it mandatory to wear respirators in Plant 8 for as long as one is In the area. In most cases this amounts to a workman wearing a respirator for practically his whole 8-hour day, which is not a desirable practice and such practice may not be affording the respiratory protection that it is thought to, since respirators are easily defeated. For example, it was noticed in one instance where only one strap was used on the respirator, in another instance the respirator was repeatedly lifted off face so as to carry on a conversation. Most important of all, respirators are made so that theoretically they fit everyone, but they don't. Some people can not get a good seal with a respirator because their faces don't fit the normal pattern. In addition to the above, respirators are fatiguing due to high breathing resistance and on an 8-hour day basis there is bound to be a tendency in an atmosphere lacking irritant gases as in Plant 8 to wear the respirator in such a way as to defeat it by allowing air to leak in around the face sea Is. In summary, I believe that such use of respirators on an 8-hour basis is no guarantee that the desired respiratory protection is being achieved. A greater confidence in guaranteeing respiratory protection could be achieved with supplied air respirators since the breathing resistance would be practically eliminated and where a positive air flow would prevail. However, no respirator is a substitute for local exhaust ventilation and the best guarantee of adequate respiratory protection would be to install adequate local exhaust ventilation and hooding on the finishing operations. Then TLV's should be approached more closely. Another point that should be considered is that in working with asbestos there could be a potential outplant problem from the women laundering the men's work clothes at home and from asbestos dust taken home on the hair of the workmen. This can be prevented by company furnished work clothes and compulsory showering at the end of each shift. Clothing should be supplied from the skin out and must be laundered on the plant site or at a commercial laundry facility especially set up to wash work clothes con taminated with toxic chemicals. Pittsburgh - Corning Plant September 23, 1971 Page 7 Recormendati ons In view of the fact that there is essentially no local exhaust ventilation or hooding on the finishing operation in the unibestos plant 6 where amoslte asbestos is processed and since the use of 8-hour respiratory protection should not be tolerated over a prolonged period of time, it is recommended that the company be given some reasonable time to install ventilation and hooding on the unibestos operation or else the operation should be terminated. If after the installation of ventilation and hooding, TLV's are not met, then further hygienic measures should be instigated so as to meet current TLV's. ASBESTOS ENVIRONMENTAL DATA PERSONAL SAMPLES PLANT #31 PI TTSB'JRGH-CORN ING CORPORATI ON PORT ALLEGANY, PENNSYLVANIA 10/18/71 PENNSYLVANIA STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT (Ken Wallingford, Assisting) OPERATION AND JOE l-.'izir.g Feeder Operator Feeder Operator Feeder Operator Feeder Operator Feeder Coeraror Feeder Operator Ferrying Foreran Ut i 1 i-! y Operator Builder 6j i1der Uti1itv Operator Builoer Foreman Bui 1der Builder (mineral wool) Builder' BuiIder BuiIder Buiider Bui 1der BuiIder BuiIder Bui 1der Bui 1der SAIJPLE # 006 012 025 Ai < 053 065 . 059 002 003 00* 005 00 S 009 010 01 1 013 016 015 026 027 028 034 035 037 039 CONCENTRATION FIBERS >Sv/cc 44.94 60.06 59.70 34.24 74.21 24.56 4.12 14.97 13.47 18.47 38.23 15.41 2.27 28.66 10.10 25.40 35.59 23.73 42.26 34.76 28.39 44.88 35.61 20.09 AIR VOl'J LITERS 65.3 62.9 78.2 ; 71.4 34. C 95.2 93.5 95.2 56.1 62.9 71 .4 90.! 100.5 62.9 74.9 88.4 69.7 79.9 85.0 81.6 134.3 120.7 130.9 130.9 Pittsburcb-Corning Corpora*:on Plant f3? Personal Samples of 10/!3/71 Page 2 OPERATION Ai:D JOB Forming (continued) Builder (mineral wool) Foreman Bui 1der Builder (mineral wool) Foreman (builder) Bui 1der BuiIder Bui 1der Foreman (office) Bui 1 cier Bui 1der Bui 1der Builder Utility Operator % m Foreman Eand Saw Operator Wrapper Wrapper Saw Oceramor Materiai Handier Material Hardier Uti1ity Operator Materiel Handler Saw Operator Materiel Handler Utility Operator Wrapper Utility Operator Band Saw OseraTor Fork Lift Operator Fork Li ft Operator Inspection end Packing Fork Lift Operator Fork Lift Operator Box Marker Fork Lift Operator Packer SAMPLE * 041 043 051 054 055 056 057 058 059 061 062 056 067 070 015 019. 023 029 0U^3J**0il 033 042 046 047 049 050 052 060 072 078 080 001 007 014 017 020 CONCEUTRATIO'l FIBERS >Sv/cc AIR VOLUME LITERS 7 .*29 14.65 35.69 14.19 65.92 63.10 69.02 25.38 3.34 18.93 13.86 12.35 16.14 10.43 1.05 14.678.16 10.70 24.22 14.56 13.28 15.75 18.14 28.93 17.29 20.64 31.18 16.07 8.01 5.37 6.13 6.29 6.83 3.06 8.24 9.07 117.3 127.5 69.9 66.3 61.2 66.3 66.3 64.6 91.8 56.1 83.3 62.9 34.0 73.1 . se.4 91.8 93.5 129.2 137.7 > 4-. 132.6 132.6 73.2 62.0 6S.0 63.3 66.3 71 .4 76.5 42.5 44.2 98.6 73.1 107.1 100.3 93.5 Pi+tsburgh-Corning Corporation Plant #31 Personal Samples of iC/8/71 Page 3 OPERATION AIW JOB SAMPLE # no Inspection ar.d Packing (continued) Packer 021 Packer 022 Packer 032 Box Maker 040 Box Maker 048 Fork Lift Operator 063 Utility Operator 064 Fork Lift Operator 071 Box Maker 073 Packer 074 Fork Lift Operator 075 Pecker 076 Packer 077 Box Maker 079 750 i-KsovZZ'ji'.eo'je Fork Lift Orerefor (wa refo^se)C24 Fork LifT Operator (wa rehojse)035 * Foreran 038 Fork Lift Operator (wa rshc JSc) 0*- 5 CfS COUCEUTRATIOU FIBERS >5v/cc 19.30 10.23 12.29 6.62 11.15 8.73 29.10 9.49 4.79 37.73 3.61 5.93 10.90 5.43 1.66 3.53 4.30 0.57 3.5? air voiu:.r LITERS 107. 1 100.3 125.8 129.2 69.7 62.9 86.7 90. 1 71.4 68.0 73.1 98.6 51.0 45.9 98.6 64.6 197.2 124.1 ?! .6 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION. AND WEI PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE Health Services and Mental Health Administrati National Institute for Occupational Safety & h 1014 Broadway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 *>. to 01 rector v date.- September 24, 1971 Division of Field Studies & Clinical Investigations from Harry M. Donaldson Research industrial Hygienist subject: Trip Report Place Visited: Purpose of Trip: Persons Contacted: Date of Trip: Pittsburgh - Corning Plant at Port Allegany, Pennsyl' To make a walk thru Industrial Hygiene Survey of the plant. Richard Murray - Personnel Richard Lambden - Plant Engineering George Gregory - Safety Director September 16 - 17, 1971 rUlZVYL Hfir ELIMINATE WAvSsTtEi . cCOrS-T SEDUCTION NOCIAM LTL5WL/ 1 -. RAW MATERIAL COST COMPARISONS Port Allegany, Pa. Works Plant No. 1 Variance to Standard 6-10-71 Vs 12-30-70 RAW MATERIALS Quantity Used 1-1-71 to 6-30-71 Sand 3,562 tons Soda Ash 1,203 tons Limestone 984.6 tons Nephcline Syenite 523.0 tons Salt Cake Nitrate of Soda 38.0 tons 72.0 tons Antimony 8,5<)& Lbs. Vinyl 9,160 gals. Ethyl Alcohol 797 gals. Ethyl Silicate 25 gals. Ind. Limestone 132 bags Red Enamel 240 Lbs. White Enamel 3,350 Lbs. Gray Enamel 150 Lbs. Yellow Enamel 300 Lbs. Black Enamel Blue-Green Enamol 11,050 Lbs. ' Walnut Enamel Ludox 570 Lbs. 4,950 Lbs. White Enamel 1,450 Lbs. Opax 120 Lbs. Current Cain (Present Saving + Current Loss (Present Addlti RAW MATERIAL COST COMPARISONS Port Allegany, Pa. Works Plant No. I Variance to Standard 6-30-71 Vs 12-30-70 Quantity Used 1-1-71 to RAW MATERIALS_______________ 6-30-71 Q-C Flberqlas 9-inch 284 rolls 14-Inch 83 rolls 28-Inch 208 rolls Cartons 400 61 402-3 : 403 .406 407 411 ! " *17 440 115.276 67.314 10,855 1.427 2,652 ! 443 17.192 Current Cain (Present Savings) + Current Loss (Present Additional Pa  1 t _ RAW material cost comparisons Port Allegany, Pa. Works Plant No. 2 Variance to Standard 6-30-71 Vs 12-30-70 ' RAW MATERIALS Quantity Used 1- 1-71 to 6-30-71 Sand 4,711.4 tons Soda Ash 942 tons Limestone 966 tons Ncpheline Syenite 1,487 tons Salt Cake 143 tons Nitrate of Soda I1 ! Rasorite 97 tons 503 tons Fluorspar 76 tons Carbon 46,850 Lbs. French Pebbles 67 tons Alumina Hydrate 479,600 Lbs. Hydrol 705 17,460 Lbs. * Clay 5,880 Lbs. Dextrine 2,105 Lbs. Kendex 4233 276,830 Lbs. 11-1/2 x 17 Shoksorb 6,960 Lbs. 17-1/2 x 23 Shoksorb 64,030 Lbs 18 x 12 Pads 17-3/4 x 17-3/4 Pads 8,800 Pcs. 21,000 Pcs. 17-3/4 x 20 Pads 50,500 Pcs. Current Gain (Present Savings) Current Loss (Present Addition. RAW MATERIAL COST COMPARISONS Port Allegany, Pa. Works Plant No. 2 Variance to Standard 6-30-71 Vs 12-30"70 Quantity Used I-1-71 to RAW MATERIALS________________6-30-71_______ Cartons clibr 1,882 Pcs. CL20R 42,671 Pcs. LcLl7 LcL2l 21 Pcs. 14,764 Pcs. LcLlB 7,149 Pcs. LcL22 30,030 Pcs. LcL23 12,314 Pcs. LcL20 7,870 Pcs. LcL24 127,055 Pcs. 7-1/2" Taped Tube 20,500 8" Taped Tube 40,529 8-3/4" Taped Tube 4,454 Current Gain (Present Savings) Current Loss (Present Addition;  RAW MATERIAL COST COMPARISONS Port Allegany, Pa, Works Plant Ho. 5 Variance to Standard 6-30-71 Vs 12-30-70 RAW HATERJALS Quantity Used 1-1-71 to 6-30-71 Acoustic White Paint 1,823 gals. 23*1/2" Glasfab 2" Glasfab 2 rolls 28 rnlIs Asphalt RB 2813 5,460 Lbs. Kendex 4233 1,218 Lbs. 3" Pyro-Kure Foil 466 rolIs 18" Stay Ory 21 rolls 24" Pyro-Kure 414 rolls II-1/2 x 17-1/2 Shoksorb 3,000 Lbs. 17-1/2 x 23-1/2 Shoksorb 2,480 Lbs. 18 x 12 Pads 41,960 Pcs. 18 x 18 Pads 9,501 Pcs. 18 x 24 Pads 21,400 Pcs. 18 x 35-3/4 Pads 8,210 Pcs. LeL2l 522 LcLlB 147 Lcl22 54 LcL24 207 I0C6 36 3I9A 99 Current Cain (Present Saving Current Loss (Present Additi i ! | i i 1 RAW MATERIALS i 320 1 321 j 323 | 518E2 | PI 1/4 PI 1/2 PI 1 PI 2 PI 3 359S 358 532U l. RAW MATERIAL COST COMPARISONS Port Allegany, Pa. Works Plant No. 5 Variance to Standard 6-30-71 Vs 12-30-70 Quantity Used 1-1-71 to 6-30-71 2,258 65 48 7,781 49 57 811 53 787 246 4,271 87 Pagt Current Gain (Present Savin + Current Loss (Present Add it a I RAW MATERIALS Niax T-900 Hi ax Polyol BE 375 Niax 0*22 Ucon Il-B Niax 3-CF Prepolymer 6403 AFPI DC-193 L-5340 TMBD DHEA 20" Kraft paper 52" Kraft paper 72" Kraft paper 60" Kraft paper 370 Carton 372 Carton 373 Carton 374 Carton 372-1/2 Carton RAW MATERIAL COST COMPARISONS Port Allegany, Pa. Works Plant No. 6 Variance to Standard 6-TO-71 Vs 12-30-70 Quantity Used 1- 1-71 to 6-30-71 371,005 Lbs. 7,000 Lbs. 252 Lbs. 13,474 3,442 82,142 197,390 4,816 37 347 24 1.781 2,005 5.505 453 43 664 55 68 1,013 Current Cain (Present Sn + Current Loss (Present Ad RAW MATERIAL COST COMPARISONS Port Allegany, Pa. Works Plant No. 8 Variance to Standard 6-30-71 Vs 12-30-70 RAW MATERIALS Sand Tape Cartons. 306U 307U 319U 325U 358U 531U 532U 533U 534U 535U 537U 538U 540U 541U 600U 55&U Quantity Used 4-1-71 to 6-30-71 4.6 tons 176 rolls 3.946 4,264 2,056 3,*28 3,832 7.974 4,887 2,933 4,455 5,915 4,689 4,202 1,101 12 815 117 Current Gain (Present S Current Loss (Present A e RAW MATERIALS Asbestos Fiber Sodium Si 1icate Sno-Br1te Clay Dicalite 185 Scrim Cloth k oz. canvas 6 oz. canvas 8 oz. canvas RAW MATERIAL COST COMPARISONS Port Allegany, Pa. Works Plant No. 8 Variance to Standard 6-30-71 Vs 12-30-70 Quantity Used 1-1-71 to 6-30-71 2,737.110 Lbs. 2.596,910 Lbs. 28.46 tons 13.0 tons 5.289 291 993 Current Gain (Present Savinc Current Loss (Present Additl DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES Occupational Health 996 South Main Street MeadviUe, Pennsylvania 16335 June 17 1971 Pittsburgh Coming Corporation Port Allegany, Pennsylvania 16734 Attention* J. Richard tiurray Manager, Personnel Services Gentlemen* On May 20, 1971* Mr. J. L. Woodring, industrial hygienist, discussed with you dust and toluene di-isocyancto (TDI; levels determined from air samples collected previously end reinspected areas where asbestos materials are handled. As reported, no TDI vapor was detected in the air in Building No. 6. The dust levels determined in Building No. 6 are listed in the attached Table. The threshold limit value for dust containing asbestos is 5 million particl per cubic foot of air, based on exposure for an 8-hour working day. This is cur rently a provision of Article 432, "Regulations Establishing Threshold Limits in Places of Employment"; however, a reduction of this value has boen proposed and is expected to be adopted. In view of the above and information indicating no significant change in operations sinco our latest samples were collected in September of 1970, the following recommendations are made: 1. Continue the periodic medical chest x-ray examination program for employees exposed to dust. Examinations of workers ex posed to asbestos dust should be made once every two years, if you utilize a 14 x 17 inch chest x-ray and annually if you utilize a 70 mm chest x-ray. Report the name and address of the physician in charge of the x-ray program and the results of chest x-ray examinations to this office. 2. Reduce workers' asbestos dust exposures to safe levels. This may be effected by* Pittsburgh Corning Corporation Port Allegany, Pennsylvania 16734 -2- June 17, 1971 j A* Instituting and maintaining a good housekeeping program, P' especially at the feeding and fluffing machines in the Forming Department. Maintaining the exhaust ventilation duets and dust col lectors in good repair and operating condition. c. Providing air-tight seals in the duets in the pressurized part of the ventilation system in the Forming Department. D. Inproving the ventilation control provided at the sewing operation in the Finishing Department through more effec tive enclosure end increased ventilating capacity. Precleaning cut pieces before packaging or provide exhaust ventilation controls during packaging in the Finishing Department. 3* Enforce the use of respirators approved by the U. S. Bureau of Mines for protection against toxic dusts until other effective controls are provided. Respirators should be maintained in accordance with the provisions of Section 4, paragraph C of Article 432. Please notify this office within 60 days of the steps taken to comply v. above recommendations. Enclosed for your information ore copies of our Hygienic Information Cu entitled "Asbestos", "Personal Respiratory Protective Equipment" and "Toluen 2,4 Diisocyanato", and a copy of Article 432, as amended. KJSiJLl7:ilp enclosures .1 H. 'J. Suroviec Regional Industrial Hygienist COMMONWEALTH of PENNSYLVANIA department of environmental resources OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH Dust Concentrations Pittsburgh Coming Corporation Port Allegany, Pennsylvania MaaMnaantiMa*NMMMNMHMamuNasBuraBwaaaraMaaBUvBuMNaaBiat Location Concentrations* Remarks (millions of particles per cubic foot of air) Forming Department Between feeder 1.7 2.2 () 2.6 Worker's breathing zone, loading feeding machines, respirator worn Same as above, clean out d< on conveyor accidentally It open General air No. 2 Building Machine No. 1 Building Machine 1.2 Worker's breathing zone 1.2 0.7 General air 0.8 0.5 Finishing Department . By scrap grinder 2.8 2.9 dS) 4.1 4.6 1.4 <M> 5.0 3-3 3-0 _____________ hi_______ Worker's breathing zone, f ing material to intermedia Worker's breathing zone, r ing and packing material I intermediate saw Worker's breathing zone, I material to small saw Worker's breathing zone, r ing and packing material i small saw Worker's exposure feeding . __ .transferring material on 3 saw Worker's breathing rone, t ferring and packaging matt from lrrre civi General air, only interne sow in operation Location Shipping Department Concentrations* (millions of particles per cubic foot of air) 1.3 3-7 Remarks Worker's breathing zone, weighing and sealing boxe Threshold limit value (TLV), 5 million particles per cubic foot of air, based on exposure for an 8-hour working doy Survey byt John Pierro W. G. Reiser Industrial Hygienists Hi:i:d Smith Shaw tc McClay Union Timiht Uuiloinci INtthiioiioii. Pa. n^'.'lO CA*LC AOOACa* wnrrcNi oimcct dial mummcm (ii2> 2fio-:u:u August 'i, V.'VJ washinotom ornct UITI a.M klbltON AUltt wtwkOliln u c luai tn ix jv..o. iiTiOt Mr. Geovre On.<',ory Pittsburgh 'Jornin" Corporation P. 0. box ?.7 Port Allegany, Pennsylvania li*>7'l3 Dear Grc~: Please find a copy of the Application for Variance fi! with th* Department of Labor on behalf of Pli.t:*!>mr;h 'Jornlri", Corporation on August 3* 1971. If you recall, according to the re -ulsi.lnn.:. it. ir in :i bent upon you to supply to the employees of Pori. A11--an/ a of the Application for Variance, information to Vse effect Mmi. they have v rlf,ht to petition the Assistant :>oroi.ary of Tabor i a hearing on such nppl iention, and Informal, ion a.; to where th> y review actual copies of raid application. Tf you hove any problem concernin'; the above, please contact me. but I am sure you realize that ynuv duty under Sect! 1905.10 (V) must be fulfilled with reasonable dispatch. Yours truly IVilom. Knc insure." "i I ,v;irthn Assistant Secretary For Occupation.'1! ."arecy end Health, U. S. Bepurtwent of Labor Washington, D. C. 20210 Re: Application of Pittsburgh Coming Corporation For a Variance From Occupational Safety and Health Standards Gentlemen: * Pittsburgh Corning Corporation (the "Applicant") hereby wakes application for a variance from the provisions of the Vlillians-Sticgor Occupational-Safety and Health Act of 1970 pursuant to the rules of practice of Subpart B 190310 under Section 6(b)(6)(a) of such Act. The Applicant's principal office is located at One Gatcvrny Center Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222 and hereby applies for a variance from Part 50-20M of the Safety and Health Standards for Federal Supply Contracts, Subpart 1) Section 50-20U.50 as it applies to the Applicant's facilities at the following locations; Port Allegany Works 1`ai.n Street T. 0. Hux 37 Port Allegany, Pennsylvania 167^3 Tyler Verbs Ovrcntov;n Industrial Pir.trict P. 0. Box 3037 Tyler, Texas 75703 The Applicant* at Port Allegany, Pennsylvania and Tyler, Texas, manufactures an insulation material known commercially os UHIBKST08 which is composed primarily of asbestos. In some arcus of Applicant's Port Allegany VForks and Tyler Works,/during the production process, the Threshold Limit Value for asbestos required by Section 50-205.50 is exceeded. To protect its employees at the aforementioned locations, the Applicant has; (1) Supplied, and will continue to supply, respirators approved by the Bureau of Mines and require the use of said respirators; (J?) Provided and will continue to provide dust collection and ventilation apparatus; (3) Provided end will continue to provide health educati programs that fully explain to Its employees the health hazards associated with asbestos exposure and how they can protect themselves; (h) Expanded the periodic medical examination program for employees to include not only X-rays but also, on all employees with more than five years exposure an extensive medie.nl history and physical examinatr end pulmonary function tests performed biennially; f (5) Purchased and is experimentInc with the use of new and approved respirators with ultra filters; and (6) Improved housekeeping procedures by the more frequent use of industrial vaccuum cleaners. The Applicant has been unable to attain the Threshold Limit Value required for asbestos at its Port Allegany and Tyler Vorks because of the unavaliability of effective ventilation equipment. The ineffectiveness of such equipment hoc become particularly significant since the reduction of the TLV for asbestos from twelve to five fibers per milliliter greater than five microns in length. This drastic reduction has rendered previously used equipment inadequate and any replacement equipment only experimental. The Applicant, as of June, 1971, has spent nearly $200,000 in the research ahd development of a mineral wool substance to replace asbestos. Presently, the applicant is examining the production feasibility of the new product according to the following schedule: -Mineral wool to be utilized in production, in place of asbestos, by one shift per day during the first two weeks of August, 1971. . -Mineral wool to be utilized, in place of asbestos, by three shifts per day during the litst two weeks of August, 3971. -3- -A decision concerning complete conversion to th'e use of mineral wool in the production process beginning in September, 1971. The Applicant is optimistic v/ith the results of research nnd development thus far and hopes to completely substitute mineral wool for asbestos at both the Tyler Works and Port Allegany Works by mid 1972. The employees at Port Allegany and Tyler have been informcc of this Application for Variance nnd of their right to petition the Assistant Secretary for a hearing byj U) Delivery of a copy of the Application to both Mr. Charles Croop, President of the American Flint Glass Workers Union of Worth America, the employee representative at the Port Allegany Works, and Mr. Herman L. Yandlc, Chairman, Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Local JJ202, the employee representative at the Tyler Works. (2) Tosting a summary of the application; including notice that the employees have o right to petition the Assistant Secretary of labor for Occupational Safety nnd Health, on the in-plant employee bulletin board at both Port Allegany and Tyler. Therefore, the applicant requests that it be evented a variance Vron Section of the Safety and Health Standards for Federal Supply Contracts for o period of one year. Respectfully submitted, PITTSBURGH CORKIKG C0RP0RATI01I Paul I'ortha Reed f-r.ith Shew & !'cC3ay Attorneys For Applicant *#/ xioA-""""" "*^--"**** ( Vic/e President \ Tcphnolocy end 1'onufncturinc Assistant Secretary For Occv.'.tt'/r?.*.i .*o; y -.no Health, U. R*. Department of labor . Y'ashin^ton, D. C. Re: Application of T*lttcb\irr:h Corning Corporation For An Inlerun Order Pen din.3 Final Disposition Of Its Application For Variance. Ccntlcir.cn: Pittsburgh Corning Corporation hereby inches application for an Interim Order pursuant to Section '6(b)(6)(a) of the Occupational safety and Health Act of 1970 requesting relief from the enforcement of the Safety and Health Standards for . Federal Supply Contracts, Subpart D, Section 50-?Q*l.50 pomllns the final disposition of its Application for a variance from said standard. * Pittsburgh Corning is unable to reach immediate conpliaj with the aforementioned standard for the reasons stated in the Application for Variance attached hereto. Therefore, Pittsbur. Corninjj is epplyinj for the appropriate interlocutory relief co as to avoid the imposition of unwarranted civil and/or criminal liability. ............ - Respectfully submitted, PITTSnURGH CORUIXG CORPORATIOn Paul Martha Kcetl Smith Shaw h McClay Attorneys For Applicant * V- . . ,.4,. i. WrTidTi.'.an Vict;s Tryr.ident Tecliifolci*^ end Manufacturin^ C0MM01nJEAI.TII OF PENNSYLVANIA COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY ' S3: ] Before me, the undersigned authority, a Notary Public in and for sc id Commonwealth and County, personally appeared E. VI. Holman, v;ho, beinc duly sworn according to law, deposes and soys that he is Vice President, Technology and Manufacturing for Pittsburgh Corninc Corporntionj that he has knowledce of the matters set forth in the foregoing application for an interim order and application for variance; that the some are true to the best of his UnowUcdce information and belief; and that he is authorized os Vice President, Technology and Manufacturing, of applicant to make, si^n, verify and file said applications. My-Commienion Expires: IVAPA |. P>i>. tfnTory.Public f; {.,y JVJ* I:ny Ci.un!y, Pa. / C0KK0HWEAL7H 0? PENNSYLVANIA COUNTY OF ALIEGHEirY \ ss Before no, the undersigned authority, a Notary Public in and for said Commonwealth and County, personally appeared Horton Corn, ril.D., who, being duly sworn according to law, deposes and says that he is Engineering Consultant to Pittsburgh Corning Corporation; that he has knowledge of the natters set forth in the foregoing application for variance, so far as said application pertains to the inability of the applicant to presently attain the revised Threshold Limit Val\ie for asbestos of five fiber per milliliter greater than five microns in length with existing dust collection systems in some areas of its Port Allegany Works and Tyler Works; that the same are true to the best of his knowledge, information.and belief; and that he is authorized as Engineering Consultant to applicant to make, sign, verify and file said representation. ^ 8worn to and subscribed before me this '' x / day of 1971 // C<#MONWEAL?II OF PENNSYLVANIA COUNTY OF ALLEGrIZNY SSi Before me, the undersigned authority, a Notary Public in and for said Commonwealth and County, personally appeared Lee B. Grant, M.D., who, being duly r.worn according to law, deposes and says that he is Medical Director, for PrG Industries and Consultant to Pittsburgh Corning Corporation; that he has knowledge of the matters set forth in the foregoing application for Variance, so far as said application states that the applicant has provided for Its employees health education programs that explain to said employees the health hazards associated with asbestos exposure and how they can protect themselves; that the same ore true to the best of hi3 knowledge, information and belief and that he is authorized as Medical Consultant to applicant to make, sign, verify end file said representation. /mI /? 'fa if/zy Sworn to and subscribed before me this day of /_________ , 1971. 7 /. o // "Mo u. ry "PulTl'ie - ; My Commission Expires! x.v.v, j. r-:. >{.:: v-,v l*i.! t .!, A`. '-:ry C.-inly, Pj, //y C*p:i Ocl.14,1974