Document o0gXVd1Og7yBK00nwBONLmBX

( :,?ORT OF SUrtVEY OF SOIL::ASnEoVUft COxPAiiY Coarlovto, N. C. three 21-23, 1944 Vr V' *v> # " *** ** **" *^L # it' **" *>h -v vh or An environmental survey of this plans was evade to evaluate the concentration of potential industrial health cotviamirants in the workroom atmosphere. Several of the recent surveys conducted at this plant were made during those periods of the ycar'v.-hen tr.e natural ventilation resulting through open doers and windows of the forking areas vas good. It was felt that a survey cade at a tine wnen the doors and windows of the areas were essentially closed, might'assist in a better explanation of sons of the medical findings which have recently been observed in approximately 25-307, of the plant's employees. In nearly all cases, the samples were taken during this survey with the doors an windows closed. . I. RESULTS OF SURVEY ' ' ' : i `' . ' '' A. Asbestos Dust. - \ ' . ; . . Samnei No. 22 89 . 'Location ' . :1 .Last Cone. ' . (i'irrtr) , . - : ' ' _ i Picker i-lixer charging. " - " ; ' . 7.5 ' Period of S--.rv.ciir-; - (minuses) " ' 30 _ Remarks Operator's exposure 2290 ' Aisle of stock bin dur . .. .. 5.9 . ing truck loading. "' ".. . :'* 20 1 General atmosphere . sample. 2291 2292 ; Small card rocm, aisle between 7f21 and if22. cards. ' ' 3.9 Small card room, aisle between #23, #29, #34.. and #35 cards. '' ' ; .7- .. 10.3 ' . ' . 30. ; General atmosphere sample. '; ' 30 - ' General atmosphere ScliTipJL * 2293 Large card room, aisle . ' ' 8.4 ' . ; 30 near #2 and #3 cards. - ' General atmosphere sample. 2294 Large card room, aisle near #16 and #17 cards. ; / *' '* , \ v` ' .i % 2.7; ' ' 30 General atmosphere sample. 5 PLAINTIFFS I|s EXHIBIT. f-.vr-lo to. Lo?'it i on Lu Core. ( ?C}dod cf gimil;inr_ (minutes) f*osr*.n 229? Mule spinning, between . `' machines if7 1 ,98. 5.4 ' . 30 General atmosphere s-iLfiipxo * * 2296 2297 229S 2299 Ring spinning, at mnclino f;l,ii2 4y3. - . ' ' 2.0 ' . ' '. '"'i. .. 30 Operator's exposure. `. Snoolir.g, west side of , machine 7;2. ' , . . ` . 15.1- - : ... ' . ! ' Scooiing, west side of 4 . . . *% - ` . . IT" ;*J- ' * ' ;... .5.9 v; ; 20 20 . Operators1 exposure. , ... Operators' exposure. ' 1 Twisting, between ,7'12 V i / . ' 1 ,?13 machines. ' '7 8.0. , * ; ** * * 2 . .... ' Operators ' exposui'e. 2300 ' ' . Twisting, between #2 .' 1 f`3 machines. / ' . - 6.6 . ' \ / . 7- *' :.v\ 20 - Operators' exposure. 2301 . Riliower charging ' operation, machine 775. ; V' . 9.9 '' 3 ; .20 ; - * " . .. - p. ' ' ; Ope rator's expo sure while charging 100^ asbestos stock. 2302 , ' '' ' Dry weaving, machine 3 - . 7. ' ' : ' . . ';` . - 510 2303 . . Dry' weaving, -machine 7/4-' " . 30.1 ." ' s , v. 10" , Operator's exposureoverhead humidifiers . i .' . . ` . . operating. 10.. ' Operator's exposure; .\. overhead humidifiers ... operating. , , ' B. Toluene Vanors. ' ' Toluene is used as the solvent for tr.e halcwox yam impregnating compound. Tne results of four atmospheric samples collected for toluene vapor concentrations in she workroom atmosphere follow: ' . '-\ dr"." .. . . . golo No. Locr.ticn . - Toluene Cone. . .. (p.p.m.) .. v Remarks : , . 'f 23C North end of impregnating room. . ' 70 General atmosphere sample. 2305 Center of impregnating room. : - . ; ' - . - General atmosphere sample. South end of impregnating room. ' ' ' -rk 00- General atmosphere sample.' 2307 Bucket filling operation in outer shed. . 482 Operator's exposure while filling buckets from drum. ( J.J. * Uj,w'^/lv.Oiv;i _. ' Uniy three of the above samples wrier. were collected for duct concentration showed values below the currently accepted permissible limit of 5-0 MPFCF (million particles per cubic foot of air.)* .. ' Vue excessive dust concentrations observed at both the picker mixer charging and viliover charging operations were largely due to careless handling of the stock by operating personnel. More careful Handling of the stock by these employees will very pro bnbly reduce the dust to safe working concentrations. If this cannot be accomplished, either more satisfactory local exhaust-ventilation or the wearing of U. S. Bureau of Mines approved mechanical filter respirators by personnel at these operations will be necessary for adequate control. Tne practice of using the compressed air hose by employees in this and the carding department for'removing dust and dirt from their skin and ciotning should be discontinued in the workroom area, '^his practice disseminates unnecessary' quantities cf dust into the general work room atmosphere. . If it is necessary' that employees use-"" .'.f this cleaning method, it should be done in a place isolated from the general working .. ' environment. _ . . '' The wearing cf the above type of respirator should bo required of all employees while loading stock within the stock bin area. It was observed that one or more employees were frequently inside a stock bin while the bin was being filled with mixed stock. Ibis very obviously exposes the individual-to very excessive concentrations of dust (see previc 'report). It appears that some alternate operating procedure could be evolved, whereby this practice would be unnecessary, but if not, tho wearing of the above recommended type of respirator by the Closed employee should be required.' ' . . At the time of this survey' the management expressed the intention of modifying several of the machines in the preparation department, and believed that such modification would ` greatly' aid in the reduction of dust in the carding spiraling, and weaving- departments due to the increased removal of fines in Lne early'.stages cf preparation. Tnis may satisfactoriiy decrease tho'dust concentrations observed in uhe card room to safe limits. ( The spooling and twisting operations or' Lao chief producers of atmospheric do:;!, in tno spinning department. . If, after tno installation cf the above equipment in the pre paration department, the dust concentrations at those operations are still excessive, the installation cf local exhaust ventilation at the spooling and twisting machines . should be considered, Yno dust concentrations found at the dry weaving operations were quite excessive. Ync installation cf local exhaust ventilation is the only satisfactory method cf controlling tr.is atmospheric contamination. Tne management expressed the intention of doing tills as soon as satisfactory arrangements for obtaining tne necessary space at the looms could'bo accomplished. . . . > . The established maximum permissible, limit for toluene is 200 p.p.n. (parts of toluene) vapor per million parts of air). Sample #2307, representing the operator's exposure while filling buckets with the toluene solution from the stock drum, in, tire outer shed, was con siderably in excess of this. . One bucket is filled approximately every 15 minutes; with p approximately evo minutes required fer the filling operation. On this basis his weighted average daily exposure would be about 150 p.p.n. of toluene. (Assuming an exposure of iO'00t _o.n_ .n. for the remaining 13 minutes of the two minute cycle.' This is more probably ' above than below his actual exposure during this time.) Under those conditions no industrial health hacard should exist at this operation. However, in order to forego any execs'are of the endorse to higher concentrations of moluens tear, were found am tne time of this survey, it is suggested that be wear a chemical.cartridge type of respirator, pro . viaing protection against organic vapors, .while filling the buckets. . .. . '; : . .. III. SUrdAKl Ok lECOM'-SiDATI013 /! ' c'i `. l. Eliminate as much as possible careless handling of the stock at the maxing and . ; ' yiilowing operations in the preparation department. .... y . . ' 2. Kequire the wearing of II. S. Bureau of Hines unproved mechanical filter type ; resoirators by all employees engaged in.truck loading operations in the stock bins. ' 1 L>vu vi`- i'ix n. L>o*'t ( Cu.j -`v.\y j i 1 J.> .xV* ,> -- ~ ( 3. Eliminate, if possible, t:ic nocessiuy of employees remaining inside u stock bin during tne fiij.ir.-j of rhe bin vita nixed stock. If this is impossible, require the veering, by th9 employee, of a U. S. bureau of Mines approved mechanical filter type respirator. ' . ' . 1 ' . ' ' L. Eliminate the use of the compressed air hose in the general workroom areas of the preparation and card rooms for removing dust and dirt from the employees' clotnes ar.d skin. . . ' - 5. Supply local exnaust ventilation to the dry-weaving looms. . . ' c. ho-evaluate the dust exposures in the plant after the installation of the new equipment in the preparation room. ' ' . . . 7. Require the wearing of a chemical cartridge -type;respirator, during the ' ' 1 , filling of the buckets.from_tne stock .drum,'by the operator attending the haiovbx ; impregnating tanks.' ; ' ' . , .. - CG:- Mr. E. Erico . . Mr. L. ?. Sorrell Mr. J. F,, Fletcher. ' .4/25/44 DlVlSiC'ii Or Ir;DUSTr_AL a 101EKE N.. C. STATE BOARD Or HEALTH