Document zokaJ6j5GOmyqY9VXXNE2J4qz

FILE NAME Rogers Corporation ROG DATE 1972 DOC ROG044 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Rogers Corp Molding Materials Division AsbestosAir Survey ROGERS ROGERS CORPORATION DIVISION MOLDED MOLDED MATERIALSDIVISION MANCHESTERMANCHESTER CONNECTICUT CONNECTICUT CONNECTICUT Rogers 00302 ROGERS CORPORATION MOLDING MATERIALS DIVISION MANCHESTER CONNECTICUT . ASBESTOS DUST SURVEY On October 27 1972 in the company of Ed Sweeney and James Lawrence Loss Prevention Representative air samples were collected around several operations within the plant in order to determine the concentration of asbestos dust Subsequently on November 2 and 3 1972 a team of specialists from Liberty Mutual Insurance Company conducted an evaluation of the asbestos exposurien your plant using a mobile laboratory This evaluation included additional air sampling for asbestos dust respiratory function studies on exposed employees and meetings with management to aid your company in complying with the Asbestos Standard of the Occupational Safety and Health Act We took 32 personal and general room air samples for determination of airborne asbestos dust concentrations and performed respiratory function examinations in our mobile laboratory The results of our air sampling were reviewed at the plant during the course of our management conference on November 3 1972 Conclusions and recommendations in this report are based on the results of the sampling and on personal observations Y CONCLUSIONS . The ceiling Threshold Limit Value of 10 fibers was exceeded in 8 of the 32 samples collected primarily in the Beater Room around the kneaders and in the 735 Extruding Area 2 The current weighted average Threshold Limit Value of 5 fibers was exceeded at times in the Beater Hoom around the kneaders and in the 735 Extruding Area Rogers 00303 3 The 19 proposed weighted average Threshold Limit Value of 2 fibers was apparently exceeded in the Beater Room around the kneaders in the 735 Extruding Area and in some areas of the Finishing Department 4 Immediate engineering controls are indicated in the Beater Room around the kneaders and in 735 Extruding in order to reduce dust concentrations below ceiling levels 5 A respirator maintenance program should be implemented in accordance with ANSI Standard Z88.2-1969 6 A medical control program should be initiated for all new current and terminating employees exposed to asbestos dust concentrations in excess of 1 fiber as recommended by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in their Criteria document on asbestos Included for your further reference is a release entitled Asbestos Air Sampling and Analysis Technique RGN 12/19/72 Deborah Deborah Peters Sn DEBORAH PETERS R. N. Health Consultant Loss Prevention Dept. * Ralph Nages Industrial Hygienist Loss Prevention Dept. Rogers 00304 RECOMMENDRECOMAMENDATTIONS IRECOOMMENNDATSIONS 10 11 The exhaust ventilation systems at the kneader feed openings and in 735 Extruding should be evaluated for adequacy Enclosures should be constructed around the kneader feed openings if practical Exhaust ventilation should be provided for the beaters if pulpable asbestos bags cannot be used If possible attempts should ventilation at the discharge are filled be made to provide from the kneaders exhaust where drums Adequate make air should be provided for all exhaust systems in the plant so that these systems will function properly The exhaust ventilation systems should regular basis so that any malfunctions they become a major problem be maintained on a can be detected before All structural and machine surfaces in the plant should be maintained free of accummulations of containing dust The cleaning and removal of dust would best be accomplished by vacuum cleaning rather than sweeping Sweeping may generate hazardous dust concentrations Until engineering controls prove effective respirators approved by the Bureau of Mines under Schedule 21B will have to be worn in areas where dust concentrations exceed the Threshold Limit Value A respirator maintenance program should be instituted in accordance with ANSI Z88.2-1969 In areas where concentrations of asbestos fibers exceed 10 fibers protective clothing is required This protective clothing should consist of coveralls and head covering Respirators are also needed in these areas Contaminated clothing must be placed in sealed containers for transfer and these containers must be marked with the asbestos warning sign Rogers 00305 12 The laundry facility must be notified if the clothing is contaminated with asbestos dust 13 Employees who work in asbestos dust concentrations in excess of 10 fibers must be provided with separate lockers for street and work clothes These lockers should be so arranged trat street clothes do not become contaminated with asbestos dust 14 Warning signs designed in conformance with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health should be posted throughout the plant where concentrations of asbestos dust exceed the Threshold Limit Value 15 In areas where the Threshold Limit Value or ceiling levels may be exceeded monitoring and evaluation must be performed every six months This should be done by a properly trained individual 16 All new employees and those transferred to areas exposed to airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers should come under the requirements of the medical control program namely 2 placement physical examination within 30 days of the individual's first employment in an occupation exposed to airborne concentrations of asbestos fibers b 14 x 17 chest ray C. Respiratory system questionnaire d Pulmonary function tests to include forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second It should be noted that any individual who indicates a history of respiratory disease such as asthma bronchitis or emphysema should be carefully medically evaluated before job placement in an asbestos exposure area 17 These same medical controls must be performed on all current employees working in these areas 18 Physical examinations on exposed employees must be provided on a yearly basis Rogers 00306 19 Termination physical examinations must 30 days before or after termination of include all of the requirements of the also be provided employment and should medical control program Rogers 00307 DISCUSSION The purpose of these surveys was to aid you in complying with the asbestos standard which became effective on July 7 1972. Air samples were taken to determine dust concentrations and respiratory function tests were performed to fulfill one part of the medical requirements The eventual exposures to If possible goal of the asbestos standard is to reduce employee 2 fibers of air for an eight hour working day exposure should be reduced below this level We believe that through engineering controls asbestos dust concentrations in most of your plant can be reduced to levels below 2 fibers which is the proposed Threshold Limit Value 1976 for LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION VENTILATION Although hoods connected to an exhaust ventilation system have been provided behind each floor opening where the kneaders are charged the results of the air sampling indicate that these are not adequate to reduce the concentration of airborne asbestos dust at all times If possible these openings should be surrounded by walls or barriers on both sides and the back and the top forming what amounts to an the velocity of air moving better capture and removal front booth This should into the face of the booth and of particulates improve provide It was noticed during the survey that some material had collected in the exhaust ventilation hoods behind the floor openings above the kneaders Every effort should be made to keep these hoods clean and clear of built material which might interfere with proper exhaust ventilation Although exhaust ventilation has been provided for the Witte screen in the 735 Extruding Area an air sample taken near this unit indicates that there may be some leakage of dust back into the room Possibly the system is not properly balanced and the amount of air blowing through the screen is greater than the exhaust capacity over the screen Rogers 00308 ery Previous discussions have indicated that it is not possible to use pulpable bags of asbestos in the beaters Under these conditions it appears that the asbestos fibers generated by opening and emptying the bags into the beater will have to be captured and removed before they can enter the workroom atmosphere This might be accomplished by the installation of some type of sidedraft or suspended hood or possibly an front booth connected to an exhaust ventilation system For the greatest effect the bags should be opened as close as possible to such a hood or within the confines of the booth in order for the asbestos dust to be within the influence of the air moving into the system The air sampling indicates that there are times when significant dust concentrations are generated by the employee rolling the mixes from the kneaders into the drums If it is not possible to design this operation so that it can be done mechanically perhaps by the use of enclosed conveyors it appears that local exhaust ventilation should applied at the kneader opening and at the tray above the drums This may have to consist of some type of overhead canopy hood with barriers at both sides to better channel the flow of air For the greatest effectiveness the hood should be as close as possible to the source of the contaminant Changes in existing exhaust ventilation systems and the provision of additional exhaust ventilation may well make the provision of make air critical Certainly no exhaust system will function at its maximum capacity unless adequate make air is provided In this regard a company should be consulted about the systems specializing in any alterations exhaust ventilation and additions to Exhaust ventilation systems should be monitored on a regular basis so that malfunctions can be detected and corrections made promptly HOUSEKEEPING AND FLOOR CARE The presence of dust and dirt on equipment machines and floors indicates that greater attention should be given to housekeeping particularly in those areas where asbestos fibers are used or where materials containing asbestos fibers are processed It appeared from observation that it was the practice of employees Rogers 00309 to use brooms to sweep up containing scrap and waste Vacuum cleaners or a central vacuum should be substituted for brooms to help avoid the unnecessary gencration of dust into the work atmosphere The cleaning of machines equipment and structural parts of the buildings should also be done by vacuuming for the same reason Another -source of dust can be the portable vacuum cleaner itself if the exhaust port is not provided with an absolute filter Unfortunately the small respirable fibers can pass through a vacuum cleaner while the visible dust is trapped The only way to insure that the vacuum cleaner is not itself presenting a hazard to the health of your employees is to have an absolute filter in the exhaust port Needless to say this filter needs to be replaced periodically RESPIRATORY PROTECTION All employees exposetdo asbestos dust concentrations in excess of 2 fibers should wear approved respiratory protective devices Employees should be instructed to replace their respirators whenever they become dirty They should also be instructed not to leave respirators and other personal protective equipment in areas where they can become dirty from airborne dust The use of plastic bags for protective equipment when it is not in use is an acceptable practice When the use of permanently assigned respiratory protective devices is instituted each employee should be issued his own device and instructed in its care Each employee should also have a clean place in which to store his equipment and this device should be maintained in accordance with ANSI Z88.2-1969 Each employee the responsibility of using his respiratory protective device in accordance with the instructions and training he has received from management Management has the responsibility to see that the equipment is used in accordance with this instruction and training Each employee is responsible to guard against damage to his equipment If his device malfunctions or is damaged it is the employee's responsibility to see that it is repaired or replaced immediately Only respiratory protective devices approved by the U. S. Bureau of Mines should be provided to the employees and such devices should offer protection against the airborne asbestos dust concentrations Rogers 00310 -~ J - to which the Standard employee is exposed in accordance with the Asbestos PROTECTIVE CLOTHING In areas where concentrations of asbestos exceed 10 fibers protective clothing is required The most important requirements are coveralls and head covering which should be provided for each employee Visitors and other personnel who enter areas where concentrations exceed 10 fibers should also be wearing protective clothing and head covering A disposable smock would appear to be sufficient for transient personnel LAUNDRY The laundry who washes the protective clothing must be notified in writing that the clothing is contaminated with asbestos The laundering of contaminated clothing shall be done in such a manner as to prevent release of fibers into the atmosphere Soiled clothing for the laundry should be placed in and sealed and labeled as containing asbestos The warning signs should be prominently displayed plastic bags appropriate LOCKER ROOMS It is the employer's responsibility to provide separate lockers for street and work clothes for all employees exposed to concentrations above the Threshold Limit Value These lockers should be so arranged that street clothes are not contaminated with asbestos At our management meeting on November 2 discussed briefly 1972 this matter was WARNING SIGNS Signs used to warn against the hazards of asbestos should include the design recommended by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health The Criteria Document for asbestos indicates that the warning signs should be in the form and color shown in figure # which is located after the data section of this report This type of warning sign should also be on the waste containers raw materials and laundry bags Rogers 00311 - 10 ~ MONITORING PROGRAM In accordance with the law a regular monitoring program must be set up both to take air samples of the environment and to continue medical controls At the time of the visit we outlined methods of taking samples as well as the methods of analysis It would be desirable to consider the purchase of the necessary monitoring equipment now so that as improvements are made air samples can be taken to determine their effectiveness Attached Sampling to the end Method and of this report is a release Analysis Technique entitled Asbestos , MEDICAL CONTROLS As we discussed at the management conference Liberty Mutual's medical function is to assist you with the implementation of a medical control program and to provide you with the opportunity to complete the necessary pulmonary function tests with the ultimate aim of training an individual in spirometry in order to carry on a testing program in the future Rogers 00312 11 ROGERS CORPORATION MOLDING MATERIALS DIVISION MANCHESTER CONNECTICCONUNECTTICUT METHOD OF SAMPLING - 37 mm Millipore type AA filters METHOD OF ANALYSIS ~ Counted using phase contrast microscope SAMPLE NUMBER LOCATION AND REMARKS FIBERS cc 117 118 119 120 121 122 Breathing zone of 233 Kneader operator Herb Lawrence adding ingredients to kneader and emptying mix into drums mix RX 468A Breathing zone of # Kneader operator Robert MacDonald adding ingredients to kneader and emptying mix into drums Mix RX 525 Breathing zone of 735 extruder operator Bob Montie mix RX 462 Breathing zone of 725 extruder operator Arvid Berens mix RX525 Breathing zone of 745 extruder operator Ray Banks mix RX 468A Breathing zone of calendar John Wolfe feeding sheets mix MR4100 operator into calendar 2.8 1.8 4.1 3.4 1.3 1.5 Rogers 00313 -~ 12- SAMPLE NUMBER LOCATION AND REMARKS FIBERS 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 General room sample at of desk in Beater Room added to beater stock northwest corner - no asbestos Breathing zone of beater operator Frank Bujaucius - asbestos added to beater stock during sample period mix MR4100 Breathing zone of beater operator Sailas Woodward - asbestos added to beater stock during sample period mix MR4100 General room sample desk in Beater Room beater stock during at northwest corner of - asbestos added to sample period mix MR4100 Breathing zone of beater operator Frank Bujaucius - asbestos added to beater stock during sample period mix MR4100 Breathing zone of beater operator Sailas Woodward - asbestos added to beater stock during sample period mix MR4100 Breathing zone of slitter operator John Cosgrove mix R435 Breathing zone of slitter dryer tender Francis Kasinski mix RM4100 Breathing zone of Finish Department scale man Mike Gardner mix R435 General room sample about midway between scales and slitter - Finish Department Breathing zone of # Kneader operator Francis Fraizier adding ingredients to kneader and emptying mix into drums General room sample in front filter opposite column near 735 Extruder basement of air intake foot of stairs 1.1 .7.4 .7.4 .7.4 7.0 2.3 6.5 0.9 2.6 0.9 2.3 2.3 6.8 114 Rogers 00314 13 SAMPLE NUMBER LOCATION AND REMARKS 230 231 233 234 238 239 Breathing zone of Deater Bujacius during dumping 05 asbestos to beater mix R102 operator of 4 bags stock Frank of Breathing zone of beater operator Sailas Woodward during dumping of 4 bags of 05 asbestos to beater stock mix R102 Breathing zone of Industrial Hygienist W. R. LaRocque while touring plant areas - spent about 10 minutes in 735 extruder basement about 3 minutes in 735 Extruding Department and about 5 minutes in Beater Room Breathing zone of # kneader operator Robert MacDonald while emptying dry ingredients into kneader and sweeping floor mix 468 Black Mix Breathing zone of 3 kneader operator Herb Lawrence raking material from kneader across pan into drums mix 525 Breathing zone of # kneader operator Robert Mac Donald emptying dry charge from kneaders Same as sample 235 General room sample near air intake in 735 Extruder basement Breathing zone of # kneader operator > Ilerb Lawrence adding only dry materials to kneader and sweeping floor General room sample at right front corner of desk approximately 10 feet from # kneader Ingredients added to mixer and floor swept mix 468 Black mix FIBERS 264 1.3 Rogers 00315 - 14 - SAMPLE NUMBER LOCATION AND REMARKS 240 Breathing zone of # kneader operator MacDonald raking 468 Black Mix out of kneader into drums Robert 241 General room sample at right of desk near # kneader mix front 525 corner 242 Breathing zone of # MacDonald hoeing and kreader into drums kneader operator raking mix from Robert 243 General room sample about 1 foot away from center of Witte screen between screen and stairs - 735 ExtrudinExtrudging 735 FIBERScc 8.6 0.9 7.7 15.4 Rogers 00316 Jorge Mersey qaygung qaygung ae cor a t ey x . : * s of eo es * poe < 4 we ; teas > e n ywere Mo footy Lo ee . f . ae < an ~ wes a e:y . . : om nen mares 8 menaeelel ARM <22! 6 Aa ad PIGPUIGURRPY YIGURY# ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBEASSTBOESSTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS ASBESTOS , ' ra a i ched Background 3 oe H . . 4 Ayes at te ; . i. , vs 4, oa a , af ao 2 ok. 6 ee { id . By a _ ae, yey White White * . - Background Background . af a yee 7 Be ty a Sy ra Se ? - Ne wae e ro aan ap . ra , . abe oS , . * ; > Soa , y. .. & ae . : 7 ; tO = Ss HARMFUL : May Cause Delayed Lung Injury 5 .a , ce, AsbestosisAsbestosis Jamg Cancer . Pete |. 2 ra . , . See, a oye, . . Jf . . 20 wt o . PUST DO NOT BREATHE PUST respiratory Use only with adequate werd Blation and re devices : oe os) approved protective ; Yellow Background , aa bi . . _ * 2 ge noo s : ae. a4 + . ; Po, 7 . : ae Ae . 3. Neagingegmeape oe en Ta th . . . : . Rogers 00317