Document zQvwMmBEZkLO6ErebwENOdwY7

- V* DwMuMrtalComnlMion OtOMo t .8O4tvfWtNa.Wn Oghfhfiaftt,aCtyoftt,CHyxato3nt*t * '<vv * ;t * October 25/1984 Ms. Judy Spencec *"'Rfe*-OD 21247-2'T2 . * Legal Section ^^ ^PrtH^rt Hinaaan Industrial Commission of Ohio Km 246 North Bigh Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 2525 W. 4th Street Mansfield, Ohio Dear Ms* Spencers t ' . , - ^ ............... j A visit was aade to the above location to investigate this dais. The claimant, age 52, alleges chronic 'obstructive''pulmonary disease due to cast iron dust from a machining operatibn.i>The facsiaile file contains his nodical history. Including a smoking-history of 2 packs per day over the years. ;; The claimant was hired as a skilleditrades machinist on August 11, 1958 and was listed as a Keller Operator.;on;December 10, 1973* The last day worked was September 2, *19833&Bewasion sick leave from September 12, 1983 until*his.disability?retirement on September 1, 1984. .. , * *&. - . - ' A Keller is a large horizontal" profiling machine which.duplicates a die from a wood template....A 12-inchrlong by 3-inch diameter fluted cutter operated at low speed generates'1/16^ x-3* metal cuttings. The remaining Keller uses water-based; coolant sprayed on the part being machined. There were no visible emissions^from this operation. There is currently only one Keller, the others have, been removed during plant modernization. . Reportedly all of the.machinists in this area of the tool room are classified as Keller.Operators. They rotate positions every five or six! weeks* ...* -a*;'*?.. The rail mills and bar. mill use both fluted cutters and carbide tipped rotary head cutters (without coolant) to machine flat surfaces in the cast iron dies to be' used in stamping of automobile body panels. The fluted cutters producelrelatively large metal chips. Horizontal milling with rotary cutters produced 1 millimeter x 1 millimeter metal cuttings. The bar mill. had*a< considerable amount of down time during the survey due to mechanical- problems. ;. < . OD 21247-22 - General Motors Corp. Page 2 Vertical face silling (rail sill tl and #3) at 60 to 80 rps occasionally produced a fine 2 to 18 inch diaaeter dust cloud at the cutting head, when making 5 inch by 5 inch cut 1/8 inch deep on a top post. Botton facing (rail sill #4) generated a dense smoky cloud of iron particulate about 1 to 3 feet in diaaeter, the operator noraally stays Beveral feet away at the control pendant but occasionally went within 18 inches to observe the cut. The metallic taste of iron could be sensed when this close. The dust dissipated within 30 seconds. Bottoa facing apparently generates sore iron dust because it is a larger, continuous cut. Breathing zone air samples for total particulate and iron dust were obtained using MSA Model G pumps and 5.0 micron PVC filters. Analysis was performed by an AIHA accredited laboratory. Sample data listed in Table #1 is below the respective ACGIH Threshold Limit Values. Threshold Limit Values refer to airborne concentrations of substances and represent conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed day after day without adverse effect. Because of wide variations in individual susceptibility, however, a small percentage of workers may experience discomfort from some substances at concentrations at or below the threshold limit; a smaller percentage may be affected more seriously by aggravation of a pre-existing condition or by development of an occupational illness. The TLV-TWA should be used as guides in the control of health hazards and should not be used as fine lines between safe and dangerous concentrations. Inhalation of iron oxide fume or dust causes a benign pneumoconiosis (slderosis).* The TLV of 5 mg/M3 was set at a level to prevent the development of x-ray changes in the lungs on long-term exposure. Silicon carbide (TLVs 10 mg/M3 as total dust) is classified as a nuisance particulate. In contrast to fibrogenic dusts which cause scar tissue to be formed in lungs when Inhaled in excessive amounts, so-called "nuisance" dusts have a long history of little adverse effect on lungs and do not produce significant organic disease or toxic effect when exposures are kept under reasonable control. The nuisance dusts have also been called (biologically) "inert" dusts, but the latter term is Inappropriate to the extent that there is no dust which does not evoke some cellular response in the lung when inhaled in sufficient amount. However, the lung-tissue reaction caused by inhalation of nuisance dusts has the following characteristics * (1) The architecture of the air spaces remains intact. (2)Collagen (scar tissue) is not formed to a significant extent. (3)The tissue reaction is potentially reversible. Mr. R. Leedom of Fisher Body provided data from personal sampling performed in the tool room on April 24, 1980; Surface grinder 1.2 mg/M3 Total Particulate; Cutter grinder 0.6 mg/M3 Total Particulate. There is a clear relationship between the presence of chronic obstructive lung disease and a prior history of smoking.2 .-v : OO 21247-22 - General Motors Corp. Sage 3 ... In conclusion! (1)inhalation of excessive concentrations of iron dust can produce a benign pneumoconioses # (2) sampling data indicates that even though visible emissions were present# the concentrations were below the respective Threshold Limit Values on the data of the survey. Sincerely. ' . Shn Bollis Industrial Hygienist JB/rr Enclosures Test Table *1 References* .y, - V " ninritiir^iiw trtit jhi'mnrt i f | I $ -a f, o&o Fisher Body, Mansfield, Ohio o o otn o o om oo ow o o om o o om s(f**> to cm o N OCO CM ChO mCM mo r -4 r-i -i o oo OO CM O oo oo 4* H0 O9H 4M4 404 04,09 0 44 0 r4 9 O *,*-* 44 44 M0 49 0**0 0 44 4 9 O H 44 44 M0 09 '0 44 4 *4 9 O H ^ 44 44 l 0 09 0,0 H494 O9H ^ 4* 4 0*44,<O391 If 38 38 HSHi 38 83 8 a Mi 38 *04<'H* 3 Hu0 WoN V0-4i >O4 33 JJ 44 -4*V 0 O0 W HH XH 4 (4 rW4 4M4 40 > % ' S 3 44 44 0 on /, *n 0 4 0 0r~4t H* rXi O0 *fr4i 4W4 4 >0 HH H* H0 X <H OH 44 t4 (4 00 > s >H4 44 0 O0 *4 r4 404 HXH 0 0Mr* W a0 aOW * ' -* ,^-Vv ' V* MC04043, . <M>0J4, H04u004, ro>004o4 a44 XU9 *cWn *u4 > aa4>w004 *40r44 XU0 a3a-) *0 au0000 M1 I HC<IIO> <7* >i. ;>r.~ 1. * ,C' . **>v .*s v.Jfi. 0*0 <o 333.3 MHOOO V* 'W^-' sags 4>4, 3 : ^*4 SOH * - ap ..!W gr: 4 0090 0 S3S |>8 40c0H*>XM4>0T,{w2/oJ<^Om09 aa0 ill S3 S3iS 2*8 HMBfl OH tHJ 0 0 0 4144 M 4* 0f4 0 0 0 0o 44 _ 0 .. a a0. fai *6 09*0^4M4 ti MS><3 - a SP 6g4 8<