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Home My WebLink AboutNCD980602163_19820917_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Technical Report-OCRNORTH CAROLI NA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION OF HEAL TH SERVICES OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH BRANCH RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA TECHNICAL REPORT EP 20 1982 WASTE w-~"~ . ·=-------=-iii REPORT OF VISIT ±o-_NC_PCB _(Polychlorinated Biphenyl)_ pick-up site_and landfill:-~ __ _ Address --~~rren County' -NC -------------------Location ------------------------------·_ . -. -- Visit made by J.J._ Curran,_ R. Herring, H. _Bridges, W._Pate ________ Date SeQtember 15_& 16_, 1982 Persons Contacted-------------------------------------------------------------------------------· Reason for visit _Requested_by NC_DOT (Gerald_Flemi~g_l_to_evaluate e~rzosures a_n_d work ____ _ practices _______________________________________________________________________________________ _ Product Mfg. ------------------------------------------------------------No. Employees _________ _ Plant Medical Services--------~~-----------------------------------------------------------------· Ronald H. Levine, M.D., Director OHS Copiesto: Gerald Fleming, DOT Safety Department Jim Lineberger, Rt. 2, Box 77A, Gastonia, NC 28052 Bryant Haskins, NC OHR Public Information Bob Adams, NC DOT Russ Edmonston, Crime Control and Public Safety Joe Lennon, Director Warren County Health Dept. REPOR~0.W Strickland, OHR-OHS ' Tom Karnoski, DHR-DHS J.J. Curran, OHR-OHS Romie Herring, OHR-OHS C. D. Baucom, DHR-DHS Charles Gregory Smith, M.D., OHR-OHS Martin P. Hines, D.V.M., OHR-OHS This office was asked to evaluate N.C. DOT employee exposures to PCB during pick up and handling at the landfill. Some monitoring was also done on employees of the subcontractor at the landfill, Lineberger Construction Co. This is a preliminary report of our findings, observations and recommendations. Sample and analysis data for employee exposures to PCB are attached. The level of PCB exposure allowed ~y OSHA and ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) is 500 ug/m (micrograms per cubic meter) average for an 8-hour exposure. The employee exposures found to date have been in the area of less than 2 ug/m3. A report generated by NIOSH recommended that OSHA set a limit of 1 ug/m3 average for a 10-hour workday exposure. This is in line with their policy of maintaining a m1n1mum exposure to any material that is suspected of being a carcinogen, teratogen or mutagen. OHS FORM 1284 (REV. 8/741 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH September 17, 1982 ,-,Technical Report ·. Page 2 Based upon our observations of the work sites, work practices, and equipment in use the following recommendations are made 1 -The dirt shall be kept wet enough so that visible dust is not apparent during pick up by the Athey Force Feed loader or when dropping into the truck at the end of the conveyor. The crew at Warren County became adept enough so that this criteria was met. Their process included use of a grader with two forks being used to break up the soil ahead of the pick-up crew. Water was then applied on the dirt in enough quantity and enough time so that little dust was visible when the dirt was moved by the grader onto the pavement. The dirt was again watered (one or more times) before being picked up by the Athey loader. Dirt from Warren County showed little dust during unloading at the landfill when compared to loads from other areas. 2 -The Athey loader or his helper directing these operations should be able to stop the loading when dust is observed and request additional water on the row of dirt to be picked up. 3 -The pavement should be wetted and kept wet before being swept by the broom operator. 4 -Be sure the covering tarps are out of the way before loading with dirt Sometimes the tarp moved before and during loading so that someone had to get into the truck and free the tarp from under the dirt. 5 -Hygiene Practices: No food, drink, cigarettes etc. in work area during dirt handling. Wash before eating, smoking or drinking. No eating, drinking or smoking in work area during handling materials. 6 -Anyone walking in trenches or contaminated dirt shall wear impervious shoes or boots. 7 -Respirators and protective outer clothing should be worn by anyone who is observed in dust or aerosols (such as around broom during sweeping; equipment operators at land fill; and DOT employee directing truck unloading at landfill). 8 -Wash water should be available at each work area, including at the top of the pit area. 9 -No personnel and preferably no equipment should be down wind during unloading of trucks without sufficient reason. 10 -Windows of trucks should be closed during ~nloading and until truck has pulled away from the immediate area of the dump site. .Page 3 11 -Employees should be instructed that clothing worn in the work area will contain dust contaminated with PCB material. Clothing should be removed and washed when arriving home and each person should take a shower. Do not mix the clothing with other clothes or allow dirt to get onto furniture, etc. A representative from this Occupational Health Branch will be visiting each crew during this program. Further comments will be submittted as more information becomes available. HB:ljc Attachment September 17, 1982 ~ Industrial Hygiene Consultant Occupational Health Branch • NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION OF HEAL TH SERVICES OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH BRANCH ANALYTICAL RESULTS Sample Number l========D=E=S=C=R=I=PT=I=O=N=======l==R=es=ul=,=ts=. ·=-=l==R=e=m=a=rk=s== 9-15-82 Pick -up Site 1 -foam 2 -foam 3 -foam 9-15-82 Landfi 11 Site All samples were analyzed for PCB content at the NC OHS laboratory. Air flow rates were 1.7 liters per minute. These samples were taken on 9-15 with foam plugs at the operations in Warren County. Sweeper operator (268 min) Personal sample Motor grader operator (231 min) Personal sample Athey Force Feeder operator (227 min) 1 -foam Side of pit closest to entrance Area sample (166 min) 9-16-82 These samples were taken on 9-16 at the land fill on foam plugs and millipore filters at the Warren County landfill. Some are area and some are personal samples. 2 -foam Side of pit closest to entrance Area sample (451 min) 3 -foam DOT employee directing trucks Personal sampel (443 min) M 156 Front of Pit down wind of unloading Area sample (363 min) M 116 Lineberger dozer operator Personal sampel (339 min) ND= None detected ( < 0.100 ug) ug = micrograms ug/m3 = micrograms per cubic meter DHS Form 2025 (6/74) Occupational Health ug/m3 0.36 0.79 0.05 0.13 0.49 1.27 ND ND 0.459 0.61 0.182 0.30 0.176. 0.31