166
FIRST RESPONDERS’ PROTECTION DURING RESPONSE TO A TALL BUILDING COLLAPSE.
N. El-Ayouby, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA.
Following the tragic event of the World Trade Center (WTC) of 9/11, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) contracted with the Rand Science and Technology Policy Institute (STI) to determine the problems faced by the first responders (firefighters, law enforcement, emergency medical services, and trade services) during this event. Several problems were identified that hindered the performance of the search and rescue operations. Among the identified problems were the deficiencies in personal protective equipment (PPE) needed, identification of hazards the first responders faced, information on the short- and long-term effects of exposure, the geographic location of the tasks performed by various responders, and the logistic problems associated with supplying during extended efforts.
The NIOSH and Rand STI efforts resulted in an extensive report based on workshops conducted with emergency responders. This report was used to create guidelines and fact sheets tailored to each group of emergency responders’ operational tasks. The objective of the guidelines and fact sheets is to have information useable by incident commanders and documents that are easily carried on site providing information addressing anticipated hazards. These documents address chemical, physical, and biological hazards. The hazards were identified based on the finding in the Rand STI report, existing NIOSH policy, and on the monitoring results that were performed by local, state, and government organizations during the WTC event. Each guideline and fact sheet uses an integrated approach to a different environment (zone) on the collapse site and addresses the types of hazards and their concentration in the different zones, the length of acceptable exposures, the selection PPE under unknown as well as known exposures, and the level of protection required for each zone in the presence or absence of monitoring. The fact sheets and guidelines emphasize training, cautions, limitations, and restrictions of PPE use.
167
ACRYLONITRILE CONTENT AS A PREDICTOR OF CAPTAN PERMEATION RESISTANCE FOR
DISPOSABLE NITRILE GLOVES.
R. Phalen, S. Que Hee, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
The aim of this study was to determine if acrylonitrile content was related to permeation resistance of nitrile gloves to the pesticide captan. Powder-free, disposable nitrile glove samples of similar thickness and standard reference materials were conditioned overnight at 55 ± 1% relative humidity. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrometry measured the acrylonitrile content on the inner surfaces of six different brands. ATR-FTIR analysis focused on 2236 ± 5 cm-1, the characteristic nitrile minimum, using 32 scans, resolution 4 cm-1, and a uniform pressure of 24 lb/ft2. Permeation of an aqueous emulsion (217 mg/mL) of captan, as a wettable powder (48.9% captan), was conducted using the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)-type I-PTC-600 permeation cell, according to the ASTM F739 closed-loop method. Analysis of the hexane collection solvent was by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. One glove brand was excluded on the basis of variable acrylonitrile content indicating poor manufacturer or lot quality (24% coefficient of variation (CV) versus less than 5% CV for other brands). The steady-state permeation rate (SSPR) was also highest for this excluded brand. Glove acrylonitrile content (12.7 to 29.9%) was significantly correlated (p less than or equal to 0.05) with the ASTM normalized breakthrough time (BT) at 0.25 µg/cm2 (r = 0.9905) and the logarithm of the SSPR (r = 0.9730). On average, BT increased 90 min for every 5% increase in acrylonitrile content. The average SSPR ranged from 0.002 to 0.310 µg/cm2/min, a 150-fold difference. The logarithm of the SSPR was also significantly correlated (p less than or equal to 0.05) with the BT (r = 0.9747). Increasing acrylonitrile content results in longer BT protection and decreased SSPR. ATR-FTIR is useful to determine nitrile polymer uniformity and potential glove chemical resistance.
168
MANAGING PPE SUPPLY-CHAIN INTERRUPTIONS WITHOUT COMPROMISING SAFETY OR IMPACTING
OPERATIONS.
C. Torres, Intel Corporation, Colorado Springs, CO; C. Albaugh, Intel Corporation, Chandler, AZ.
This presentation will outline the approaches taken to manage supply-chain interruptions of critical PPE (chemical resistant gloves) without compromising safety or impacting on-going operations. Due to manufacturing changes made by the PPE manufacturer, chemical resistant gloves used in our fabrication facilities were materially different than previous versions of the same glove. The gloves began to react differently to typical uses in our operations due to the manufacturing changes that were made and not previously communicated. As a result the gloves were no longer approved for use in any of our facilities until changes in the manufacturing process could be made and a new product was fully tested and certified. In the course of the presentation the following topics will be addressed. The situation: the means of discovery, initial responses to EHS and operational concerns, interim solutions to provide acceptable PPE to protect workers and allow on-going operations, and long-term plans to identify and implement a new chemical resistant glove from a previous or new glove manufacturer. The problems: how to bridge the PPE gap during a supply-chain interruption while upholding safety and operations, how to communicate interim and long-term PPE changes to users and management, how to leverage vendor relationships and contractual agreements to fulfill needs in a timely fashion, and how to accomplish all of the above while achieving cost-control goals of the organization. The resolutions: explanation of our interim solution to use a previously approved chemical resistant glove to bridge the supply gap, a review of overall communications strategies employed, presentation of how vendors were leveraged to implement interim and long-term solutions, and a look at cost considerations throughout the process. Finally, the presentation will address benefits to others such as forming a strategy to anticipate and handle potential supply-chain interruptions and effectively responding to multisite situations requiring cross-site coordination.
169
APPLICATION OF PHOTOCHROMIC DYES IN AUTOMATIC WELDING FILTERS.
A. Poscik, Central Institut for Labour Protection–National Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland.
An intensive emission of UV, visible, and infrared radiation during welding and the needs of good visibility of a welding object causes use of active optical filters.
These active welding filters should change transmittance in 0,1 ms, after the lighting of the welding arch. Presently, used automatic welding filters are furnished with liquid crystals screens and electronic modules. Most of these filters are very expensive. In this case, the possibility to create a new contruction of active welding filters with photochromic dyes was analyzed.
Photochromnic organic dyes are characterized by a very fast intermolecular reaction of ring opening, caused by UV radiation. This reaction of ring opening is accompanied by a change absorption of dyes. Maximum absorption shifts from UV to visible region. This phenomenon takes advantage to create active welding filters.
Because of the neccessity of modification of optical properties of active filters, the interference thin layers filters were used. These filters are responsible for absorption of visible radiation which is not absorbed by photochromic dyes. Additionally, the passive filter was used to absorb infrared radiation. As a result, the fast welding filters were obtained, changing luminous transmittance in time below 0,1 ms. High efficiency of received filters and the low price in comparison with presently used automatic welding filters with liquid crystals and electronics modules present advantages of presented photochromic welding filters.
170
IMPROVEMENT OF ADSORPTION APPLICATIONS USING HIGH CONTACTING EFFICIENCY
MICROFIBROUS ENTRAPPED MATERIALS.
E. Luna, R. Kalluri, D. Cahela, B. Tatarchuk, Center for Microfibrous Materials Manufacturing, Auburn, AL.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) and collective protection equipment (CPE) currently rely on packed bed heterogeneous contacting. Although well developed and largely understood, packed bed performance is limited by the physical relationships between pressure drop, particle size, and, e.g., intraparticle transport.
In this work new materials have been specifically created to improve CPE and PPE applications and to overcome the above noted contacting efficiency relationships. These materials (called microfibrous materials) are a composite of bound particulate (ca. 10 to 300 µm particle size) using a sinter-locked microfibrous carrier. The microfibrous carrier comprises approximately 2 vol% of the media and can be of micron diameter metal, ceramic, or polymer fibers (ca. 2 to 20 µm diameter). The advantages of microfibrous materials over conventional packed beds are high contacting efficiency, low pressure drop, and the flexibility to be tailored to multiple applications and environments. The production of these media is done using high speed and low cost wet-lay processes which facilitate the entrapment of fine particulates.
The range of applications to be discussed in this paper includes stand-alone trace contaminant removal and PPE enhancement to help satisfy CBRN standards. When used alone, microfibrous materials have the ability to provide greater than 5-Log filtration in a thin layer (ca. 1 mm) until 95% of the saturation capacity is attained. These materials can also be combined with conventional packed beds in what is termed a “composite bed.” The composite bed synergistically combines the volume loading of the packed bed sorbent and the overall contacting efficiency of the “polishing sorbent layer,” thereby eliminating the inefficiencies normally associated with the critical bed depth of the larger particle-packed bed. These materials have also been used to significantly extend the gas life of packaged gas mask canisters (i.e., 50 LPM with 3000 mg/m3 DMMP) while maintaining greater than 5-Log filtration.
171
PERMEATION OF A STRAIGHT OIL METALWORKING FLUID THROUGH NITRILE GLOVES.
W. Xu, S. Que Hee, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
In 2000, over 10 million U.S. workers were exposed to metalworking fluids (MWFs). To minimize dermal exposure, NIOSH recommends nitrile gloves. Compared with chemical-resistant gloves, disposable gloves have worse protective properties, but provide greater dexterity and user comfort. The aim of this study was to evaluate permeation of a commercially-available MWF through both kinds of nitrile gloves. The MWF was a straight oil type. The disposable glove had a thickness of 0.113 ± 0.004 mm (n = 8), and the chemical-resistant type had a thickness of 0.285 ± 0.010 mm (n = 12), after they were conditioned overnight at room temperature and 55 ± 1% relative humidity. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F-739 method with an ASTM-type I-PTC-600 permeation cell was used with hexane collection for up to 10 hours at 35 ± 0.3oC. Aliquots of 0.1 ml were taken every hour for analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. After each run, the glove materials were reconditioned, and their weight and thickness changes measured. The thickness and weight of the chemical-resistant glove did not change significantly. The weight of the disposable glove also did not change significantly, but it swelled by 3% (P < 0.05). No MWF permeated through the chemical-resistant glove. The breakthrough time for the disposable glove was between 1.5 and 2 hours. The lag time was 1.38 ± 0.22 h, and the calculated diffusion coefficient was (1.57 ± 0.23) × 10-5 cm2/h. The cumulative MWF amount in the collection solution at 2 hours was 12 ± 2% of that at 7 hours. While the chemical-resistant glove protected from this type of MWF for at least 10 hours, the disposable glove protected for up to 1.5–2 hours. The disposable glove should be doffed at the first break, and a new pair donned after the break.
172
A CANADIAN NATIONAL STANDARD FOR OFFICIAL FIRST RESPONDER CBRN PPE.
U. Bickis, T. Beardall, Phoenix OHC Inc., Kingston, ON, Canada; E. Dickson, B. Harrison, Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON, Canada.
U.S. agencies are rapidly developing standards for personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn by first responders (FR) in terrorist-induced chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) events. For several reasons, these are not appropriate, on the whole, for application in Canada. A team based at the Royal Military College of Canada, in collaboration with the Standards Development Organizations CSA and CGSB, and under the auspices of the Canadian Federal CBRN Research and Technology Initiative, is developing a unique standard that is intended to be adopted by regulatory agencies in all 14 Canadian jurisdictions. In parallel, various investigations into the efficacy of existing FR PPE are being undertaken. Perhaps being driven less by litigious considerations, the Canadian standard under development does not espouse the traditional usage of IDLH, and mandates the use of optimal protection, considering both the demonstrable protection factors of the equipment and the performance requirements of the user. This presentation summarizes the rationale, highlights the differences, and tracks the progress of this standard.
Posted May 30, 2005