Document rpL12m1LEd3vkVkdg7a1y10qq

April 4, 1980 DOW CHEMICAL U.S.A. MICHIGAN DIVISION MIDLAND. MICHIGAN 46640 To: Members of the Vinyl Chloride Safety Association AGENDA AND TOPICS OF INTEREST Following is the agenda and possible topics of interest for the 1980 meeting of the Vinyl Chloride Safety Association to be held on October 23 & 24* There will be three sessions including: SESSION I - VCM PRODUCTION, TRANSPORTATION & STORAGE SESSION II - PVC UNIT OPERATIONS SESSION III - REGULATIONS & TRUE CONFESSIONS Certainly, the old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" applies to safety when handling vinyl chloride. Thus, a key objective of the discussions is to explore ideas that can measurably improve the safety of operations involved in the manufacture and use of vinyl chloride monomers. Actions taken to correct or prevent problems will be of interest to others. The intent of this letter is to ascertain the interests of members with regards to specific topics of presentation and discussion. Therefore, suggested major topics have been listed below. This list is not intended to be the final agenda or to exclude other topics of interest. Please "indicate which topics are of interest and if you and your company can lead* a discussion area. The meeting will be structured around your comments. SESSION I - VCM PRODUCTION, TRANSPORTATION & STORAGE (CHECK LINES PROVIDED) Transportation Tankcar Modifications . Vent relief . Improved valves . Improved couplings . Construction material improvements . Gasket materials . Sampling systems . "Leakproof" valves & fittings Topic of Interest x. X x_ _X X. X. X, Willing to Present AN OPERATING UNIT OP THB DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY Tankcar Filling . Piping system improvements . Level control devices . Remote, operations . Automatic shut-off devices . Overfill protection system . Instrumentation & redundancy Tankcar Cleaning & Repair . Tankcar preparation . Polymer problems . Peroxide problems . Undercarriage improvements Tankcars in Transit . Safer routing .. Rail bed conditions . Derailment cleanup . Weight problems Water Transportation . Vessel design improvements . Materials of const. . Valves & fittings . Spill containment . Piping system improvements . Level control devices . Vent systems . Remote operations . Automatic shutoff devices . Overfill protection system . Instrumentation & redundancy . Vessel preparation & cleaning . Polymer problems . Routing problems Storage . Vent relief systems . Remote operation . Evacuation plans & training . Emission control systems . Preparation for vessel entry & cleaning . Hi pressure cleaning system . Respiratory protection X JL X. x_ JL X X OCC Storage . Solids disposal . Computer control . Gasket materials . Materials of const. . Valve improvement . GC monitoring . Mechanical seals improve ment on pumps and compressors . Level control systems . Improved loading systems Topic of Interest X JL JL X. JL X. JL 2L y VCM Production . Vent relief systems . Improved valves . Evacuation plans & training . Vessel entry prepara tion & cleaning . Emission control system . Hi pressure cleaning systems . Improved materials of const. . Remote operation . Burner system . Standby power . Corrections to emergency releases . Respiratory protection . Mechanical seals Compressors Pumps . Computer redundancy . Gasket materials . GC precision & accuracy . Stacks-design improvements . Plant boundary monitoring . Current state of employee health . Outdoor vs. indoor plants . Solids disposal . Polymerization problems . Emission control system redundancy X x *Willing to Present occ 2984 SESSION II - PVC UNIT OPERATIONS & FINAL CONTROL DEVICES Unit Ops. & Final Control Devices Topics of Interest . Vent relief systems Type Design Construction . Remote operations . Evacuation plans . Emission control . Burner systems . Standby power . Catalyst handling . Follow-up to emerg. releases . GC precision & accuracy . Storage tank cleaning & preparation . Hi pressure cleaning system . Piping & vessel entry prepara tion & cleaning . Respiratory protection . Solids disposal . Follow-up to major accidents . Follow-up to safety related operations problem . Recovery compressor improvements . Computer redundancy . Mechanical seal compressors pumps reactors . Alternate reactor cooling sources . Redundant instrumentation on vent systems . Plant boundary monitoring . Improvements in safety training or techniques . Data control & retention . Carbon absorption . Hazards analysis . Computerization & safety . Other topics of interest 4 X X x JL X *Willinq to Present OCC 2985 SESSION III - REGULATIONS & TRUE CONFESSIONS Toxicology . Females in work area . Progress at C.I.I.T. . Toxicology studies summary Topic of Interest JC t *Willing to Present Regulations & Regulators . OSHA - Current law - Regional differences - Citations - Excursion letters - Variances - Respiratory protection requirements - Plant boundary monitoring - Inspections - Employee letters . EPA - Current law - Regional differences - Citations - Excursion letters - Variances - Inspections - Monitoring systems . Regulations Outside U.S. - Current law - Citations - Variances - Respiratory protection requirements - Monitoring systems - Inspections -X JL id x_ x_ JL True Confessions - Spills - Leaks - Fires " Near misses (Important area - "ounce of prevention...") - Excursion letters - Accidents - Citations - Emissions - Runaway reactions - Set up reactions ___ S _______ ___ X ___ X - --K---------- ___ * occ 2986 True Confessions (Con't) Topic of Interest - Material of construction failure - Vent relief system failures - Operational errors . Inadequate supervision . Inadequate training . Attitude problems - Mechanical seal failures - Gasket failures - Railcar derailments _V JL A. JL JL X. ^Willing to Present Please return your responses by May 29, 1980 to one of the members listed below. Thank you. CO Qjr/is^ QjbxftJk Warren Clark Vice Chairman Vinyl Chloride Safety Assoc. Dow Chemical U.S.A. Michigan Division Bldg. 564 Midland, Michigan 48640 517-636-1353 Vinyl Chloride Safety Assoc. Diamond Shamrock Corporation 1100 Superior Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44114 216-694-5335 occ 2981