Document zzq1kEzgaYdqv83JJn938d0R0

M. B. Sana, M.O. Corporal* Medical Director July II, 1977 American Telephone and Telegraph Company 295 North Maple Avenue Seeking Ridge. N J. 07920 Phone (201)221-2465 TO MEDICAL DIRECTORS: Attached is a copy of GL: 77-07-024 sent to alI Plant Staff Heads and Company Safety Coordjnators on the subject of Motor Vehicle MaintenanceBrakes and Clutches. This work practice s'peci f ies the procedure to be used for the safe hand Iing of vehicle brakes and brake shoes. The amount of asbestos dust that may be present in this operation is of a low but nonetheless significant amount. The recommended medical surveillance techniques are specified in the second attachment, which are being sent oniy to MedicaI Directors. In the GL itself, recommendation is made that those in the Company concerned with motor vehicle maintenance should discuss the medicaI surveillance requirements with the MedicaI Director. In those Companies where no vehicle maintenance on Company premises is performed, either by employees or contract mechanics, involving brakes, clutches and brake drum removal, this medical surveillance program is not necessary. Please be prepared to furnish to me annually the numbers and job titles of employees in the Asbestos Medical Surveillance Program in your Company. If you have any questions, call Dr. James Dunn (201) 221-2445 or Dr. Richard Stone (201) 221-2462 or me. Attachments SWBT 002341 MOTOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE - BRAKES AND CLUTCHES gl 77-07-024 July 7, 1977 77-07-02L AT&T Amencan Te'epfione ana Teiegrapn Comoany ;Q5 B'naawa, Ne* rnrk N y 100C7 Pnonn(212>393 9800 All Plant Staff Heads, Copies to Company Safety Coordinators Director, Outside Plant, Safety and Supplies Transmits the procedures that must be followed when performing motor vehicle maintenance operations involving brakes, clutches and brake drum removal. These procedures are necessary to protect employees from possible airborne asbestos fibers. ************ This letter transmits the work procedures that should be instituted at all Telephone Company garages in order to assure that our employees are not exposed to airborne asbestos fibers. At the present time the Environmental Health and Safety Group at Bell Telephone Laboratories is making an evaluation of commercially available vacuum cleaners intended for the usage outlined in the attached procedures. Until a vacuum cleaner can be recomnended, interim steps should be taken as follows: 1)Brake drums and shoes should be throughly wiped with a damp cloth. 2)Floors should be damp-mopped. 3)A11 cleaning with compressed air and all cam-grinding should be stopped inmediately. The details of the necessary medical surveillance program are being trans mitted to the Operating Company Medical Directors by means of a Medical Surveillance Directive. Reconmendations regarding selection of vacuum cleaners will be transmitted as soon as the testing has been completed. Questions regarding these pro cedures may be addressed to Mr. J. M. Degen on 201 221-3283 or Mr. John MacDougall on 201 221-3271. M. 0. BAKER Director - Outside Plant, Safety and Supplies , Bell System Proprietary Information. Not for Publication or Outside Distribution. - 1 EbIT' SWBT 002342 rt I t I lU b.L. / / -0/ -u24 1. GENERAL 1.01 This section covers the procedures that must be followed when performing motor vehicle service operations involving either brakes or clutch. These procedures apply to all vehicular work necessitating removal of the brake drum and all work on clutches and manual transmissions that involves the clutch, pressure plate and housing assembly. This includes but is not limited to: brake reoairs, (adjustments, inspections, and replacements) work on wheel bearings and axles, clutch replacement, transmission removal, and hub or drum removal. 1.02 As a result of recent investigations on brake service operations, these procedures are necessary to protect employees from possible exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. Although studies have shown that most of the original asbestos content of brake lining material is decomposed during braking due to thermal degradation, some actual asbestos fibers can be found in the residual dust. In addition, new brake and clutch lining material contains asbestos fibers that could become airborne if the linings are abraded. 2. DUST REMOVAL 2.01 When work is done on brake drums and clutches, all loose dust shall be cleaned from brake drums, brake backing plates, brake assemblies and clutch assemblies using an industrial type vacuum cleaner equipped with a high efficiency filter system. An ordinary shop vacuum cleaner is not adequate for this purpose. A vacuum cleaner/filter system designed for this specific usage should be used. After vacuum cleaning, any remaining dust or grime shall be removed using a rag soaked in water and wrung until nearly dry. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL COMPRESSED AIR OR DRY BRUSHING BE USED FOR CLEANING, NOR SHALL BRAKE DRUMS BE STRUCK ON THE FLOOR TO REMOVE ACCUMULATED RESIDUE. ,- \ ~v:M". * SWBT 002343 ATTACHMENT TO G.L. 77-07-024 3. SPECIAL OPERATIONS 3.01 Cam-grinding of brake shoes should not be performed on company premises by either telephone company employees or contract forces. In addition, there should be no dry sanding or deglazing of brake shoes and clutch plates. 4. HOUSEKEEPING 4.01 All asbestos and asbestos containing waste material must be properly dis posed of according to the OSHA asbestos regulation 29CRF1910.1001(h). Industrial vacuum cleaner bag;, collectors and filters, contaminated rags and other materials shall be sealed in plastie bags or other impermeable containers prior to disposal. These containers shall be labeled as follows: CAUTION Contains Asbestos Fibers Avoid Creating Oust Breathing Asbestos Oust May Cause Serious Bodily Harm 4.02 All floor cleaning in areas where brakes and clutches are serviced as described In 1.01 shall be done with the high efficiency industrial vacuum cleaner as described In 2.01 above. The floor and work area should be cleaned each day after work is completed or after each major brake job. 4.03 All sealed containers of asbestos waste materials must be disposed of by means of a licensed Industrial waste hauler. 4.04 Contractors performing work operations described In 1.01 on telephone company premises must comply with all of the provisions of this practice. 5. MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE SWBT 002344 5.01 All employees engaged In the work operations described in paragraph 1.01 as well as their immediate supervisors who are present in the work area. shall be Included in a medical survei 1 lance program. ATTACHMENT TO G.L. 77-07-024 5.02 The detailed instructions for the medical surveillance program should be obtained from the Company Medical Director. SWBT 002345 Attachment 2 MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE DIRECTIVE FOR OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES ASBESTOS (MSD 1.00) 1.00 Genera I: Employees who are exposed to concentrations of asbestos fibers exceeding 0.1 fibers greater than 5 microns in length per cubic centimeter on an 8 hour time weighted average (TWA) basis shaI I be given medical examinations as described below. 01 Specific: Motor vehicle mechanics performing work operations described in GL 77-07-024 and their immediate supervisors shall be given medicaI examinations as described beiow. 1.02 MedicaI Examination Content: A comprehensive medical examination shall include, as a minimum, a chest roentgenogram (posterior - Janterior 14 x I inches), a history to elicit symptomatology of respiratory disease and smoking habits, and pulmonary function tests to include forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volufoe at I second <FEV^ g). 1.03 Medical Equipment: A single breath wedge bellows spirometer of at least 7.5 liters capacity and equipped with the means to produce a permanent record is minimally adequate for the measurements of FVC and FEVj g. Periodic calibration techniques for all spirometers are recommended. i .04 Frequency: Medical examinations shall be made available as follows: (I) PREPLACEMENT: Preplacement examinations shall be made available to each employee within 30 calendar days following his first employment as a mechanic or supervisor. (2) ANNUAL: At least annually thereafter a comprehensive medicaI examination shall be offered to each mechanic or supervisor. (3) TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT: Within 30 days before or after the termination of employment (or change of job assignment) of any employee engaged as a mechanic or supervisor, a comprehensive medical examination shall be made available. 1.05 Record Retention: Comp Iete and accurate records of a I I such medical _examinations (including x-rays and specific test results) shall be retained for at least 20 years. I .06 Access to Records: The results of the medical examination should be discussed with the employee. The contents of the records of the medical examinations required by this section shall be made available upon written request, for inspection and copying, to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, the Director of NIOSH, to authorized physicians and medical consultants of either of them, and, upon the request of an employee or former employee, to his physician. ! SWBT 002346