Industrial-hygiene survey report of Phillips Chemical Company, Philtex Plant, Borger, Texas

Technical Report · Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5025136

Roberts, D R; Krishnan, E R

A walk-through industrial hygiene survey of the Philtex facility of Phillips Chemical Company, Borger, Texas, was performed to determine its suitability for inclusion in a 1,3-butadiene exposure survey. Of 212 employees, 33 were potentially exposed to 1,3-butadiene. Facility history, manufacturing process, quality control, past exposures, and engineering controls were examined. Medical, safety, and industrial-hygiene programs were studied. Bulk polymer samples were analyzed for free monomer emanation at ambient, highest polymer process, and highest estimated end use temperatures. Industrial-hygiene monitoring results showed the mean-time-weighted average (TWA) 1,3-butadiene exposure was 1.7 parts per million (ppm); 75% of TWA exposures were less than 0.1ppm, but several ranged from 3 to 12.6ppm. Process equipment had single mechanical seals, although reactor agitators had dual mechanical seals. 1,3-Butadiene exposures occurred primarily during maintenance and quality-control sampling. Materials produced from 1,3-butadiene were tested to determine the levels of the compound released. The authors conclude that the facility is a candidate for an in-depth industrial-hygiene survey. Installation of a closed-loop quality-control sample-collection system and installation of double mechanical seals are recommended.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5025136
• Report Number(s): PB-86-222395/XAB; IWS-147.23
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
BUTADIENE
AIR POLLUTION
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
INHALATION
INSPECTION
TOXICITY
DIENES
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRY
INTAKE
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLYENES
SAFETY
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
552000 - Public Health