Document x53GQG5gZYJK1Z99GROvYDk21

^ ^ A*Cs t-jOJZp INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE--------------------------------------------- -------------------- i CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS lo(N*me) Company _ocation M, W* JONES H. McNair - NY - 33 T. Proctor - Chgo^ R. N. WheeleiX*-'^So. Chas. D. E. Hardman - NY - 33 A. J. Caldwell M. E. Harmony S. G. Hawes J. C. Lang A. J. Lyon R. C.Quarnstrom D. E. Stockman J. H. Myers A. L. Thompson R. G. Neri 120 SOUTH RIVERSIDE PLAZA CHICAGO. ILLINOIS 60606' Roam "" 29' 1975 JUN 0 31975 Originating Dept. R. N. WHEELER. JR. Answering letter date Subiect FABRICATED PRODUCTS STATUS OUR VINYL SOLUTION RESINS BY OSHA I appreciated your advising me of the report given you by Reg Robertson of Conchemco of his conversations with other technical directors at the Technical Conference of the NPCA at Louisville May 22. You mentioned he felt there was still misunderstanding of whether the "Fabricated Product" .status of our resins exempted their customers from monitoring for VCM in work spaces, where solutions or dispersions of our solution or dispersion resins are used. It is not necessary to monitor the work space where a Fabricated Product is shipped and stored or used. "Fabricated Product" is defined by OSHA as "a product made wholly or partly from polyvinyl chloride, and which does not require further processing at temperatures and for times sufficient to cause mass melting of the polyvinyl chloride resulting in the release of vinyl chloride." Implied here, also, is the release, in an amount which is over 1.0 ppm, of vinyl chloride in the work space above the resin - or "Fabricated Product." I am attaching a copy of the letter Mr. R. N. Wheeler wrote to Mr. Grover C. Wrenn of OSHA explai.ng the classifications of coatings and gasketing usages into which our coatings resins go and requesting "Fabricated Product status for our resins. It also point out the difference between these uses and the mass-melting that fabricating resins undergo in their normal usage. Inasmuch as Mr. Wrenn gave "Fabricated Product" status to Union Carbide's vinyl solution and dispersions in answer to R. N. Wheeler's letter of February 14, it should be clear to your customer(s) that neither they nor their customers need worry about their standard coatings uses, whether the coatings are baked or not. Any attempt by an OSHA inspector to impose a monitoring operation on a user of a "Fabricated Product" should be resisted and reported to us. The resistance must be initiated by them, but if it is reported to either R. N. Wheeler of South Charleston, John W. Whittlesey of New York X-6797, we will attempt to give them assistance by giving them ucc 033480 arguements they can use in accordance with the problem. Please let me know if any problem arises. C0S:jg Enc. C. 0. Schwahn 2- r ucc 038481 U-Union Carbide Corppx-tioth---''------`'-r-.- -- ~.r- ...?****-' Ri-porside# Chicago* ill*. . .. . ,./,... , , / "V .;: UNION CAR3I0E CORPORATION ; *"*" i'iOUTM CHARLESTON fvAT CHEMiCAUS AMD PLASTICS * fjO, eos #8*4, SOUTH CH ARICXTON. W, VA- iMW f. --,s.-- ; :: ` r -* * ' -!' a ;' S' * t 1 v* -- ` ....... February; U( I$?5 7*. . ."* \ ' "-i -*5' ,T Mr, Grover C, Wrcaa'. . '. . Chief, Division o Ks&iih Standards Development ,- ;v . rv, *' Occuf^tioual Safety sct Health Adininiotratjoa. 17# S- Department of lAbor - "1^: 1726 hi Street, h%W. Washington, D, C, 202I&. (; / J * Y, - !fci- * ` -. ; \ Re: -.., Cl3L$-,iiic3-tion atVslca C&itblds Corporation i' ' '* : Yinyl Cc&iing Resins . < , , / Occupatienai SaittSy and Heaitix Administratis .. Standard Sxioosnrg to. Viavl Chloride . ; .- Dear Mr* Wrenni / ` ;.c4';^ tTaion Carbide Corporation's vlayi coating resins from its :' Dispersion and Solution Vinyl Sic *in processes 9hoaid be considered j2s.hri:,- : cated. products under the Occupational Sf&ty and Health Administration . Standard Exposure to Vinyl Chloride for the following reasons: / !i 1, Dispersion, and Solution Vinyl Resins are tlfo.bricaioQ,, tor yse &Ad application via coating technology^ . , /. Z . Pispemon and Solution Vinyl Resins are controlled t / . ;' i contain laps than one pare per million by weight oX ' residual monomer* Storage# transport, ruse of .' these resins dc^s not result in work place air vinyl ; chloride concentrations la. excess, of the standard?s ' action level of 0* 5 ppm.- , j -. ^ ;: <-. % j' : r Aplastic, by definition# is a material which, when subjected to h-rat , and pressure, can bo formed into useful articles, la the case of a vinyl r*ein ; the vinyl chloride monomer, with or without other monomers, is reacted to ... - 'form a free-flowing, non-dusty powder* The resin particles are Sfrproxi-* mately one hundred microns. To convert this material to a finished plastic ; product, the powder is first mixed and heated in a high intensity mixer for up .- proximateiy tea minutes at 2G0*F. From thi* mixer the "hatch la transferred - to.a Banbury mixer, a two-roll mill, or an extruder where it is mecHaaicallr mixed and heated to 375-400*F, converting the resin plasticiser and additives V ::/; fhVVi:! *' ` hC- J' U V.V' \r :^X~'1 * ' +* * ^ ^ o v- j... ,u \\ ; .'1 ? * 7, ' ,, ; * * ''. ; ; : J- ; ; -J ; \ ; ' * ` * * ` t 'Cij-; y ` r^v -Vl v:-` v* r v-\- .--t* ..:1 ' ' ' f r -'-;* . Mr* Orover C. "VYreoa -2 * J'ttbrusjy :? to a hot, doughy mass. This mx 5 s is then calends reel to prc-ayrc a film, . molded to make records or extruded into a shape such as garden hoao* The . . finished product is thea tooled. Too mixing and farming requires rive to ton minute g foilowed by cooling tor pcseiuly tin minutes* THe ke-atkig for psro4? up to twenty minutes* coupled with mechanical working which cons canEly ex* poses new surfaces drives out contained resides! vinyl chlorifto . ; This vinyl chloride Koaomsf driven cut esst fee removed or destroyed to avoid ssrioo? cootsminstie-n of the work space air. / . .V A coating is s. ftolyrrui-ric Cc-mposiuc-a applied to -a substraio. This polymeric composition is eaos applicable by di3eotoA-ao in a solvent &K. by a ' fine particle dispersion in an organic or aqueous ineeiurfj. The fluid coating composition to sprayed, rolled, brushed, or poured on the substrab? Where by evaporation* disasoi-ution, or reaction a Him is formed. For industrial -appll^ cations* such as can lining, film formation is accelerated by brief pariqes 01 heating " one to fivs minutes at teir.peratiirys up to 350F followed by cooling. There is no mechanical Working of the coating and no need ts hfevs a hoi plastic mass fob an extended period. The brief ho&Hng period serrae to drive out tha solvent, or tho dispersing medium, to react tha polymeric mateti*!#-and to dissolve the plasticizer or film "former in dto resinous coating mat^riai. A vinyl resin for coating application may be snid to be a material febrlcated in manufacture a? a particular composition* molecular weight* or pa-rttcl? also which makes it suitable for U30 via coaUng technology. :v. * - ? A f*w examples of such rosins and ceating? utilising tlnion Carbide Corporation products are as follows; . 1, Air dry vinyl coating systems for skip bottoms consist of y .' primer coat of vinyl butyrnl resin XYKL, siacchr-o.ms.to, and phosphoric acid dissolved in alcohols and sprayed on the clean, mats.!* This is followed by vinyl chloride ccpolymor rosin, VAGK, and pigment in ketone -toluene medium. Tbs top coat, carrytog a^ii'fouling pigments* consists of VMCH and Y'/HH, resins in ke tone"toluene medium. * . -.r 2i Beer and eeit drink con. linings consist o an. epoxy primer - on tin plato topped with a. sprayed coating of YYHD and VblCG resins* The spraying is followed by bakmgj all handled automatically os a c&a manufacturing lino. ,.. ..*/.'' f 3. Container cap* and closures utilise, the unique properties of vinyl chloride resins to their fullest, A flat, metal substrate may be given a white pigrr.c3.tod YAGH retain coating on one side and a decorative QYMV resin organosol coating oa the other side. Th* me?o3 sheet is baked and the closures punched and formed without destruction of to* cost* ing* The formed closure is then coatod inside with & QYKY plaatiscl and bafcod.. ngaia* yielding $ g*kai surface, ..... ^ ^ --- ------------------- ucc 038483 4 \ , Aa;w ; s\ v Mr. GroVer C. Wrena ' *: . ` : i * ,' .......... t * >< . V; : . ,.w<. ^v.` v i; , - * . , ,* ; -a,, A----,--.'. *v February 14, 1775 .. _ y * 4, : Stripphbie coatings provide the basis' for such ueejfciT. items as surgical gloves A hand-shaped form is dipped into a tQYKV rosin plastis!. 'Diet form is baited briefly to set tbo Cchtwi$ On. cooling, the vary thin vinyl glove lo stripped on' the form far use in. surgical : ops rations. . ! ; , ../.... .' ' . ` 'U' " '- ' ' ^ 'V ;1- ' : ^ .. | : Tbs fact that these Solution and DUpersiea Vinyl Resins cents^i y y' ' epconfcl&lly no residual monomer ia vs?" important. Solution vinyl robins sre first stripped free: oi residual menomcr "vhil-j they o.vist in solution.; Isri? iblloTs-ed by hot-water gashing and vscuurr, stripping wiiail h resht pariicin has i^e-on iormecL The Xvap^rr.icn Rsslns are made as a very smaU & ridels?, 1 to t microns suspended in r && a Ts-tex. This fins .particle eire la esc is spray dried. ` The spraydHed resin is then ground enbpeadsd ?a an air - stream-to bre&h up any large or agglomerated small particles. Analysis of . both. Solution and Dispersion Vinyl Rsslna, at this point. shoWs they contain leee thaa one part per mill!on by weight oi* residual monomer. loven this small, amount of monomer leaves the- raein quickly so that within twenty-four hours they arc nearly monomer free. Study of these reams, monitoring closes con** tamers, warehouses, and customers*' plants is reported in the attached memo" random. entitled Solution and IHs torsion Vinyl TV? sins Vinyl CSnloridn_M.aaitprin5L Study, This study shows that she probability of employee exposure i<? work space a.ir concentrations of vinyl chloride in excess of C, S ppm ie very low, . : ' . y > =' -V . Tbs foregoing discussion ghewe the diifsreace between coating; technology end usual vinyl resin fabricating operations such as calSandarisg, molding, or Kirusien. 2t also points out that the vinyl resins produced by Union Carbide's Solution or Dispersion processes are essentially free of residual monomer as a result of spscialiiiod operations. Those two differences from normal industrial polyvinyl chloride re ain operations arc the basis for Unicn Carbide Corporation's statement that its Solution and Dispersion Vinyl Rasiat for coating operations should c-e considered fabricated products as denned in tba Oscupatfonal Safety and Health Administration Standard* The particular resins manufactured by Union Carbide Corporation for inclnaicn ia this category are* ..7V. i. ^ ' 1 - . ; -i i t: .r / '' /% v-;; 'L ; . *' ' : 't : -. ..-'. . : *` . / . *" j' ' ... r *, " v, . * t`v- v -.teV ' ` `^'** *'^ Vr\*> ; * . * * 1 t * -. ^ f > i .. ; ^ v-vrM : * -- , v,.. ^ Tj . - t' . , , . , . , ; lr - ,- , ; . ,. ' '. . ' "'t-*''t*?? \ - . ' :1 '. " . ' V*'rfr ^. .1 ."-"''V "-[. o ' - ' : f, : ' ' ' . .. : - . -r - ` v : . . t - . (' r ' ' * . '"*' r V *';' . . i v v , . . ' '......; v ' ' . -V ' r '- ucc ' ! 038484 ' **' 'X`+y~ i*.% *--**' A'4< .-(-'T-1", * * * t-fc*---*- . J-.-~y* *. , v ^ . . '? fj /- ; Uti Grover C, ? i ** : , \ . '; i ` /'< 4t*tiii> - ', 'mr* '* '' JRssinCdds VYNS VLat, . s "; VYKH * YYHD f -r Y3viCH % t * >4- -2 * ' -...! .V; '..;. a ' ' 1- ' - . ; ' Fe.b.r.uary 14, 19*5 t * vfv Type of Polsaver. 1 .; lidtorent YiBcoziijL v ^"" Copolymer ` CcpoXyraar Copclyrner Copolymer ; ' ;;; : o.? - .' . ^ " . 0*5 . - - i 0,4 ; .. - . .' 0,5 . . ; - i y VMCC VMCA Cepolyrrier : Ccpaly-'oi' \ . 0,5 Vd** 4k - **.* - ' ' , * YAGD .Copolymer o*4 '' ' V YAGH Copplymsr . 0,5 ." ; I; YROH CopoSymor ` 0..3 jf- VSRK Copolymer - '3 -` 1 3it !> i { t it< - 1 i i }i ij** - I i ? YYL3P Copolymer o.s f. ;" . QYNY QYKY Hpmopo lymo~ Homo polymer 1.25 1,20 (y ... OYjV Komepoiymar .0,9 OYOH Homapolymar 1.25 v&fy - KottappoXyxner i* 00 l\ ' . r' ^ i' : Uhics C&?bid& resins for the ce^iiag zcs-rkefc include but &ra . necessarily liszizsx to sieve resins, In this highly =psnifeiised products b.ad novr applicaiiare d&vainpcd :' - *^1 ... - y - ^ Ye ty truly yout&f : 4 ' * itfJWJr/ra .... --TM -- \^ * ' "* " ,* * 1 .' >; -#.V3&. Wieeisr, Jr. - ' , ^ \ *"' * ,, - ,V -- y- " r '" ^ ~ -_*.., 1 * ' -* '> ____ _____ ucc 038485