Document o9e9J73eBOQG6e1XqDdqp81zo

FILE NAME: Ford (FD) DATE: 1975-1983 DOC#: FD148 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: 1983 Report - Industrial Hygiene Audit of Ohio Truck Plant with 1975 Lib M Cover Letter [Refer to FD089] 2ft. - LIBERTY MUTUAL , 21040 Gmcnfirld n(|. H,troll, Michigan 48237 Tei. (313) 000-2325 Cooler Development D 1ci chip Presidents December 29, ]975 fj'r ' to Arhestos Dust l1r1: ..s* r~tls and clutch assemblies arc n.lo nf oshostns wMrh h-,c . .-..V,. 0 u tc rlil prc^cf.,9 a f : J .0 5 11" ` Y 11 CKCi'C2^va `--'r.ts over n It';;q p-rind of time. Luring th-1 la r t ) 1;*-`" vcr. altcnUcn lir.s h::;i in n i- d m, ti.: ('.-.vclor.ment of corccv- ( f t .j li-i jr crul oilier body areas follcwlng c;.| u-.iiro to acl.rslos dust Hn e.lcrc cnr.rcrnlng the potential health karenl for persons exposed to asbestos ( <-li.] 1. 1 servicing of rale-.- vehicle h v l c I rlmr.l, assemblies was issued 1 - I.-1i. . .a1 Ii.s 11tu 1e for Dcctir'aUr.n-l 'v ni.i liralUi on August 0, 1975. i * u i iV .r eases of rei\-r.i.nll;:l ir.l ( " {il 'ns ilio were empiuyed h. i' ' , ' J ' - v1 ^ '`a >i'e!c_scrvic1un. Ib is i,n. . i.r (..i.f...r.n..i...e.e.r Imn tuhlBe Cr.i;-:.,.;LL|aa,.iiec ` 1 ><n_ci sto ....eli Ct iis.e 1 in lf)rh n i - 11;3 in the general norulo"' ' u ' " 2 c; `r lQS K-.+ers h.-.:l tiri- .1? (1 ,,ut 0? 2 0 ) had died of alCG c-t'fre Inno m ire r; and an asbestos worker i. ..j S...W..LS is 50 tire s more lik e ly to get. Itiirj cancer. i.>. fu ll Client of asbestos-related disease In birbe servicing personnel 1s not f V. Y ! : f `.l1s crc;,f1 lK^ ncvn' b=fo>- l r ' " fVtlr.TaUcally studied. Excessive .-i. c--- c..cations r.sasurcd at operai 1r.ir-, r" 'li rs l)1:::-cut r.f cnte-cbllo circa ...... asce, lie s , griming of used true I: hrnln linings, bevelling of nei truck' .. .1 n..1i/;> cud arcing of new auto Lir.be lin in g :, together ulti) ir.ssjtlrl l'ai f -1-cns so employed, affirms the necessity for effectively controlling f'VU5n5 v;` d0 not havo cc:nn',G^c Information on linv/ much exposure, 1f any, can li , : Qnds? 1t 1s important to eliminate exposures whenever possible and., r.iin u u c those uni eli camicie be elim inated. ' ttcuunmciiiJcd practices are listed belc.v. I'r.vr resp irator: During brake servicing, an a ir purifying respirator, either slnnle use or with r^piuccal.lo particulate f lH c r s ( s ) , as app. "v.d .by the national' lust liuto for Cccupal t m l Safely and Health hlObll should I 0 r; i n .luring oil r.rnccd 1. es st:il.1i.:i with Ibe if,.oval of Hie i.brels ; i.l lulurllr.g rcas::..lily. Ir.irir.g can- u.l clnli h servicing, sur.h a r..-spliatnr :l.<nli| la din lug r.inval ard clrsUi.g of tlia clutch, pressure: plebe ard i-Mir,lug .ifsrcrbly ar.d during in- -jtuiiQiiUti of tha new clulcli assembly. IM*; shuuld also Includo ouy arcing or riveting operations. 002809 uotrt-n mutual insurance company udehty M|,T,lHM T.V ri r-M ,A !!.\.nMH, r * N 'f * ` " ` K" TY UF E EQUAL OPruKXUN TY EM1MJIV LI13 )Q COMPANY OP BOSTu. PRODUCED B Y FORD The sticky note shown below was written by Barry Castleman and attached to the page immediately following this one along the right margin at the spot marked on the next page with an INDUSTRIAL HIGIENE AUDIT OF OHIO TRUCK PLANT 6 - 8 June I983 An i n d u s t r i a l h ygien e a u d it was conducted a t Ohio Truck P la n t on June 6-8 , 1983. The purpose o f t h i s a u d it was to e v a lu a te environm ental c o n d itio n s , work p r a c t ic e s , and p ro cesses in the p la n t th a t could a d v e rse ly a ff e c t employee h ealth or con tr ib u te to worker d isco m fo rt. Mrs. Nancy L u tz, P lant S a fe ty E ngineer, very co o p era tiv ely a s s is te d during th is a u d it. Elem ents o f the a u d it included a p p ra isa l o f gen eral p la n t and process v e n tila tio n , chem ical handling p ra c tic e s, a ir q u a lity , hearing conservation, resp ira to ry p ro te ctio n , co rro sive chemical v is io n conservation p ra c tic e s, illu m in atio n , skin p ro tectio n p r a c tic e s , sa n ita tio n , and heat stre ss p ro tectio n . O v e ra ll, the p la n t 's in d u s tria l hygiene programs are e x c e lle n t. Noteworthy are the lo c a l exhau st v e n tila tio n system s and c o n tro l o f employee exposures to a i r borne contam inants. Exposures to o versp ray m ist and so lv e n t vapors in pain t b o o th s were c o n t r o lle d a s was exp osure t o f in e - w ir e w eld in g fume and g a s e s . D e f ic ie n c ie s in some i n d u s t r ia l h yg ien e programs were n o te d , how ever, and should receive atten tion . V entilation Whereas o v e r a ll p la n t v e n tila tio n i s e x c e lle n t, a s lig h t n eg a tive pressure c o n d itio n e x i s t s . W hile i n s i g n i f i c a n t d u rin g warm months when la r g e doors are open, t h i s c o u ld be a problem d u rin g w in te r le a d in g to b r e a th in g zone a i r q u a li t y p roblem s. P la n t e n g in e e r in g sh ould a s s u r e p r o v is io n o f s u f f i c i e n t makeup a i r to balance a l l supply and exhaust system s to w ith in ten p ercen t o f each o th er. Sodium h yd ro x id e m is t was e x tre m e ly i r r i t a t i n g to e y es and r e s p i r a t o r y t r a c t on the catw alk in the C a u stic B u ild in g . The two sid e d r a ft l o c a l exhaust systems were in o p e ra tiv e a t the ly e tan k . These should be re p a ire d and the c a u stic tank en closu re im m ediately d esignated a r e s p ir a to r y p ro te ctio n a re a . A ll employees in t h i s e n c lo su r e must wear r e s p i r a t o r s approved f o r a lk a l i n e m ists and must be in clu ded in a comprehensive r e s p ir a to r y p ro te ctio n program in compliance w ith OSHA sta n d a rd s and Company g u i d e li n e s . The e n c lo su re must be a p p r o p r ia te ly p o ste d . A sbestos/Silica Sand b la s t i n g o f b rake drums a t the T r a i l e r Maintenance B u ild in g p re se n ts p o t e n t ia l exposures to airborne asb esto s fib e r and re s p ira b le s i l i c a d u st. S te e l shot or g la s s beads should be considered as s u b s titu te s fo r s i li c a to elim inate r is k o f s i l i c o s i s . An a ir - s u p p lie d a b r a s iv e b la s t i n g helm et must be p rovid ed to c o n tr o l CXpOSUre to abu; s to a f i b e r and d u s t. A vacuum sweeper approved f o r a sb e s to s f i b e r should be purchased to remove r e s id u a l a sb e sto s from tru c k t r a i l e r brake drums b e fo r e new b rake shoes a re i n s t a l l e d . T h is vacuum sweeper should be made a v a i la b le t o m aintenance p erso n n el who r e p a i r and i n s t a l l new brakes in th e h i - l o and fo rk tru c k v e h ic le maintenance a re a . Employees must be in s tru c te d not to use compressed a i r wands to blow r e s id u a l a sb esto s dust and f ib e r o f f brake shoes and drums. Wet methods, vacuuming, r e s p ir a t o r y p r o te c t io n , and v e n t ila t io n must be used to c o n tro l exposure to a s b e s to s . Brake maintenance employees should be on the a sb e sto s m edical s u r v e illa n c e program. Illum ination Illu m in a tio n was m a rg in a lly a cce p ta b le in s e v e r a l a reas in the north end o f the p la n t . Much daytim e illu m in a tio n in t h i s a re a comes from s k y li g h t s . Illu m in a tio n i s c o n sid e ra b ly l e s s on the n ig h t s h i f t . Steps should be i n i t i a t e d to clean and m aintain e x is tin g lig h tin g fix tu r e s and to consider in s ta lla t io n o f a d d itio n a l Luminaire a . - PRODUCED BY FORD 012741 Ohio Truck Plant - 2- 6-8 June 1983 The a re a b eh in d th e ly e ta n k s in th e C a u s tic B u ild in g was p o o r ly illu m in a te d , bince th e r e a re tr ip p in g hazards here and em ployees must p e r io d ic a lly en ter t h i s a re a o f c o r r o s iv e and s lip p e r y c h e m ic a ls , b e t t e r illu m in a tio n i s in d ic a te d S a n ita tio n O v e r a ll p la n t s a n it a t io n and h ygien e i s e x c e l l e n t . No d e f i c i e n c i e s o th er than minor housekeeping were noted in c a f e t e r ia s , food p rep a ra tio n a re a s , canteens, lo c k e r rooms, and w a s h r o o m s / to ile ts . The n u isa n ce odor c o n d itio n a s s o c ia te d Wlt ^ g a r e t t e b u tts , food, w aste, and o i l d iscard ed in to tren ch es around p rod u ction equipment should be addressed by a p e rio d ic maintenance clean in g sch e d u le . At the l e a s t , t h i s c o n d itio n i s v i s u a l l y u n a e sth e tic and i s an employee concern a s e x p re sse d by the UAV H ealth and S a fe t y R e p r e s e n ta tiv e . The food s to r a g e r e f r i g e r a t o r in the Power House should be r e lo c a t e d away from the chem ical sto rage a re a . F ree-sta n d in g w ater in the T r a ile r Maintenance u il d i n g sh ould be c o n tr o lle d to e lim in a te a s lip p in g h azard and harborage fo r m osquito and in s e c t la r v a e . F ly in g in s e c ts in the p la n t were n ot a problem, and we see no co m p ellin g need f o r i n s t a l l a t i o n o f more e l e c t r o n i c bug k i l l e r s . H earing Conservation There was in c o n s is te n t use o f h earin g p r o te c to rs in d esign ated h earin g conserva tio n a re a s . A ll employees must c o n s is te n tly wear approved m uffs or plugs a t th e s e l o c a t i o n s . A v a r i e t y o f p r o t e c t o r s sh ould be made a v a i la b le in c lu d in g an approved ea rm u ff and a t l e a s t two ty p e s o f e a r p lu g s . The Power House g en erato r area should be d esign ated a h earin g co n servatio n area and a p p ro p ria te ly posted. Some m etal f i n i s h e r s a t F -26 , f o r exam ple, were n o t w earin g p r o t e c t io n . They must c o n s t a n t ly use h e a rin g p r o t e c t io n equipm ent. The p a in t p o t b lo c k house must be made a m andatory h e a rin g c o n s e r v a tio n a re a and so p o s te d . Although exposures are b r ie f in th is a re a , the n o ise in t e n s it y i s extreme and poses a r is k of noise-induced hearing lo s s . G enerally, hearing conservation areas sh ould be more c l e a r l y p o sted and d e s ig n a te d . R espiratory Protection Employees use ap p rop riate and approved r e s p ir a to r s fo r a ir contam inants to which th e y a re exp o sed ; how ever, a s e r io u s d e f i c i e n c y e x i s t s because many do n o t use b o th s tr a p s on the h a l f mask r e s p i r a t o r s . T h is p re v e n ts an e f f e c t i v e f a c e - t o - mask s e a l . T h is should be c o rre c te d by management enforcem ent and ed u cation and t r a in in g s e s s io n s . The p a in t r e s id u e rem oval a re a a t th e C a u s tic B u ild in g ly e tanks must be design ated as "R esp irato ry P ro tectio n R equired". W ritten programs must be e s ta b lis h e d f o r a l l r e s p ir a t o r y p r o te c tio n a re a s in compliance w ith OSHA s ta n d a r d s . P a in t s p ra y e rs le a v e t h e i r r e s p i r a t o r s on work s u r fa c e s a d ja c e n t to th e b o o th s. T h is must be c o r re c te d by p ro v id in g an h y g ie n ic storage area fo r each p a in te r's respirator-. - -- - --* -- V ision Conservation Employees use in a p p ro p ria te eye p r o te c t io n when h an d lin g or w orking near co rro s iv e c h e m ica ls. Eye p r o te c tio n o f ch o ice i s th e chem ical sp la sh goggle which i s s u p e r io r to a fa c e s h ie ld f o r v i s i o n c o n s e r v a tio n . Employees must be in s tru c te d to wear goggles where sp la sh in g o f co rro siv e chem icals could occur. These a r e a s should be so d e s ig n a te d . The ch em ical eyewash fo u n ta in and shower i n th e C a u s tic B u ild in g must be r e lo c a t e d on th e c a tw a lk midway between both ly e ta n k s . C o n sid era tio n should be g iv en to i n s t a l l i n g an emergency eyewash fo u n ta in n e a r BB-2 1 , A-2 2 o r A -2 1 . I t must be em phasized t h a t eyewash fo u n ta in s are secondary to co n sisten t use o f splash goggles in v isio n conservation areas. Employees who handle s tro n g a c i d s , a l k a l i e s , o x i d i z e r s , c o r r o s io n i n h i b i t o r s , m ic r o b io c id e s , and s c a le rem overs must w ear s p la s h g o g g le s . We see l i t t l e need f o r fa c e s h ie ld s in chem ical h an d lin g a re a s a t Ohio Truck P la n t. PRODUCED BY FORD 012742 Ohio Truck Plaut - 3- 6-8 June 1983 A ir Q uality O ther t han c a u s t i c m is t a t th e l y e t a n k s , no o b vio u s a i r q u a l i t y problems were n o tic e d . I t i s a d v is a b le , however, to document exposures to so lven t vapors in the p a in t k it c h e n . Arrangem ents w i l l be made to have p la n t p erso n n el conduct t h i s m o n ito rin g t h i s w in te r when doors a re c lo s e d . A ir sam p ling i s a ls o recom mended to document s o lv e n t vap or ex p o su re s o f m aintenance em ployees who clea n p a in t sludge f i l t e r s in the basement a t C-37* Skin P ro tectio n . There i s no evid en ce o f e x c e s s iv e d e r m a titis a t Ohio Truck P la n t in s p ite o f p o te n t ia l co n ta c t w ith a wide v a r ie t y o f derm al i r r i t a n t s and s e n s it iz e r s . S e ve ra l p a in t sp rayers complained, however, th a t even two p a ir s o f green gloves do not p re v e n t p a in t from p e n e tra tin g through to t h e ir s k in . As a r e s u lt , they wash t h e ir hands w ith p a in t th in n er a t the end o f the s h i f t . They b e lie v e th at w hite c o tto n g lo v e s which had been p ro vid ed to them p r e v io u s ly are su p erio r to th e p r e s e n t g lo v e s . The p la n t sh ou ld s e l e c t a g lo v e to a s s u r e th a t p a in te r s do n o t have t o r e s o r t to the use o f s o lv e n ts to c le a n t h e i r h an ds. N o n -silico n e based b a r r i e r creams should a ls o be c o n sid e re d . A lthough th e s o lv e n t th ey use i s not a p p r e c ia b ly sk in absorbed, i t can d is s o lv e p r o te c t iv e o i l s and lip id s from th e s k in and pave th e way f o r an i n d u s t r i a l d e r m a to s is . Chemical Storage G reater a tt e n t io n b y means o f e d u c a tin g and t r a in in g l i f t tr u c k o p erato rs i s requ ired to assure th a t incom patible chem icals are not sto red to geth er. For exam ple, drums o f co n c e n tra te d s u l f u r i c a c id were s to r e d n e x t t o drums o f aqueous ammonia. Drums o f sodium n i t r i t e , a s tro n g o x i d i z e r , were s to r e d n e x t to r e a d ily o x id iz a b le m a t e r ia ls . In a d v e rte n t drum ru p tu re a s m ight o c c u r du rin g a f i r e or from im paling by or dropping from a fo rk tru c k could produce a chem ical em ission em ergency. E rgonom ics The BAO ergonom ics ta s k fo r c e sh ou ld c o n s id e r th e p o t e n t i a l f o r ch ro n ic hand/ w r is t m u scu lo sk eleta l and n e u r o lo g ic a l trauma in s e a le r a p p lic a tio n employees. Heat S tre ss No s i g n i f i c a n t h e a t s t r e s s f u l work en v iro n m en tal c o n d itio n s were ob served . The I n d u s t r i a l Hygiene S e r v ic e s S e c tio n w i l l , a s r e q u e s te d , a s s i s t in implementing th ese recommended in d u s t r ia l h ygien e programs a t Ohio Truck P la n t. I n d u s t r ia l Hygiene & T o x ico lo g y Department Employee H ealth S e r v ic e s jb PRODUCED BY FORD 012743