Occupational Exposure to 1,3-Butadiene

1
Occupational Exposureto 1,3-Butadiene

• 29 CFR 1910.1051

2
Chemical Identification

• Gaseous monomer CH2CH-CHCH2
• Stored as liquid under pressure
• Stabilizer added to prevent formation of polymer
  during storage

3
Production and Use

• US production, 1991 3 billion pounds (almost
  all by
• ethylene co-product process)

• Used in manufacture of

• Rubber (about 60 of total)
• Precursors of Nylon
• Rocket propellants
• Lubricating oil additives
• Agricultural fungicides

• Latexes
• Resins
• Industrial solvents
• Anthroquinone dyes

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Health Effects

• CNS effects (e.g., headaches, nausea, blurred
  vision) from very high acute exposures
• Eye, nose, and throat irritation
• Irritation and frostbite from contact with
  liquefied butadiene
• Leukemia and other lymphohematopoietic cancers
  and possible reproductive effects from chronic
  exposures

5
Benefits of Standard

• 7600 US workers exposed to significant
  concentrations of butadiene, as high as 10 ppm
• New standard estimated to prevent at least 59
  cancer deaths over a 45-year working lifetime

6
History of Butadiene (BD) Rulemaking

• 1971 - OSHA adopted original standard for BD
  1000 ppm (TWA) Source 1968 ACGIH TLVs
• 1983 - NTP determined BD causes cancer in
  rodents OSHA and EPA published RFI

7
History (contd)

• 1984 - EPA published ANPR under TSCA various
  unions petitioned OSHA for ETS petitions denied
• 1985 - EPA completed risk assessment and referred
  BD to OSHA
• 1986 - OSHA published ANPR
• 1990 - OSHA published PR with 2 ppm TWA and 10
  ppm STEL

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History (contd)

• 1992 - IARC designated BD as probable human
  carcinogen
• 1996 - Joint labor/industry group submitted
  voluntary agreement outlining recommendations for
  final rule OSHA requested comments on
  recommenda- tions final rule published November
  4, 1996 PELs of 1 ppm TWA, 10 ppm STEL, and AL
  of 0.5 ppm

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Unique Features of Standard

• Respirators - Short replacement intervals
  specified for air-purifying cartridges/canisters
  because of rapid breakthrough and migration of BD
  through filter elements
• Medical Surveillance - Periodic review of
  aggregated information from medical screening
  program to determine whether employees adversely
  affected by BD

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Unique Features (contd)

• Written Exposure Goal Program
• Required where exposures gt AL
• Includes the following unless employer can show
  they are not feasible, effective, or necessary
• Leak detection and prevention
• Local exhaust ventilation maintenance
• Pump exposure control technology
• Gauging devices to limit exposure
• Unloading devices to limit exposure
• Engineering controls in control rooms

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(a) Scope and Application

• All occupational exposures to 1,3-Butadiene (BD)
• Exceptions
• Objective data
• Liquid mixtures containing 0.1 or less BD by
  volume
• BD or liquid mixtures in intact containers or
  sealed transportation pipelines

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(b) Definitions

• Business day - any Monday through Friday,
  except those days designated as federal, state,
  local or company specific holidays
• Complete Blood Count (CBC)
• White blood cell count (WBC)
• Hematocrit (Hct)
• Hemoglobin (Hgb)
• Differential count of white blood cells
• Red blood cell morphology
• Red blood cell indices
• Platelet count

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(b) Definitions (contd)

• Day - any part of a calendar day
• Emergency situation - any occurrence such as,
  but not limited to, equipment failure, rupture of
  containers, or failure of control equipment that
  may or does result in an uncontrolled significant
  release of BD

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(c) Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs)

• 8-Hour TWA 1 ppm
• STEL 5 ppm
• There is also an Action Level (AL) of 0.5 ppm
  established by the standard.

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(d) Exposure Monitoring

• Representative breathing zone samples
• Initial monitoring unless
• Objective data exist
• Equivalent monitoring within previous two years
• Periodic monitoring
• Where results at or above AL but at or below both
  PELs
• Where either PEL exceeded

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(d) Exposure Monitoring (contd)

• Termination of monitoring
• Additional monitoring
• Accuracy of monitoring
• Employee notification of results
• Observation of monitoring

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(e) Regulated Areas

• Wherever exposures exceed or can be expected to
  exceed either PEL
• Limited access
• Demarcation of area
• Communication with other employers

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(f) Methods of Compliance

• Engineering controls and work practices
• Respirators as supplemental protection
• Written compliance plan
• Employee rotation as a method of compliance
  prohibited

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(g) Exposure Goal Program

• Written plan
• Required where exposure exceeds AL
• Updated as necessary
• Respirator use not required

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(g) Exposure Goal Program (contd)

• Includes the following (unless not feasible, not
  effective, or not necessary to reduce exposures
  below AL)
• Leak detection and prevention program
• Local exhaust ventilation maintenance
• Pump exposure control technology
• Gauging devices to limit exposure
• Unloading devices to limit exposure
• Engineering controls in control rooms

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(h) Respiratory Protection

• Allowable during time to implement engineering
  and work practice controls and as supplement
  where such are not adequate to achieve PELs for
  non-routine, infrequent, and limited-duration
  operations in emergencies
• Respirator program in accordance with 29 CFR
  1910.134 (b) - (d) except (d)(1)(iii),
  (d)(3)(iii)(B)(1), and (2) and (f) - (m)
• Selection governed by Table 1 NIOSH-approved
  under 42 CFR Part 84
• PAPRs or supplied air respirators provided for
  employees who cannot use negative pressure
  respirators

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(h) Respiratory Protection (contd)

• Replacement intervals for cartridges/ canisters
  governed by
• Table 1 or
• 90 of expiration-of-service life or
• NIOSH-approved end-of-service-life indicator
  (when available)
• Replacement mandatory any time an employee can
  smell BD

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(i) Protective Clothing and Equipment

• To prevent eye contact and limit dermal exposure
• Eye and face protection governed by 29 CFR
  1910.133

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(j) Emergency Situations

• Written plan for applicable elements of
• 29 CFR 1910.38, Employee Emergency Plans and
  Fire Prevention Plans
• 29 CFR 1910.120, Hazardous Waste Operations and
  Emergency Response

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(k) Medical Screening and Surveillance

• Coverage
• Currently exposed employees
• Previously exposed employees
• Administration by physician or other licensed
  health care professional
• Frequency
• Health questionnaire and complete blood count
  annually
• Physical examinations initially, every 3 years
  or more frequently at discretion of licensed
  health care professional, and at termination if
  12 or more months have elapsed
• Within 48 hours following an emergency

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(k) Medical Screening and Surveillance (contd)

• Content
• For anticipated exposure
• For emergency exposure
• Written medical opinion to employer and employee
  within 15 business days
• Periodic review of aggregated medical screening
  data to determine whether employee population
  adversely affected by exposure employees
  informed of any information learned

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(l) Communication of BD Hazards to Employees

• Communication of hazards as required by Hazard
  Communication Standard
• Training program for employees potentially
  exposed at or above the AL or STEL to be repeated
  annually
• Contents of training program beyond the Hazard
  Communication Standard
• Medical screening and surveillance
• Contents of standard and appendices
• Rights to employee medical and exposure records

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(m) Recordkeeping

• Objective data for exemption from initial
  monitoring - maintain for duration of reliance on
  data
• Exposure measurements - maintain for 30 years
• Respirator fit test records - maintain until next
  fit test
• Medical screening and surveillance - maintain for
  duration of employment plus 30 years

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(n) Dates

• Effective date February 2, 1997
• Start-up dates
• Initial monitoring within 60 days of effective
  date
• Engineering controls within 2 years of effective
  date
• Exposure goal program within 3 years of effective
  date
• Other requirements, including feasible work
  practice controls, within 180 days of effective
  date

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(o) Appendices

• Informational
• A - Substance Safety Data Sheet for 1,3-Butadiene
• B - Substance Technical Guidelines for
  1,3-Butadiene
• C - Medical Screening and Surveillance for
  1,3-Butadiene
• D - Sampling and Analytical Method for
  1,3-Butadiene
• F - Medical Questionnaires
• Reserved - Appendix E