Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Clinton Conr r *Z John Barksdale (right) shows Jack S samples. Employees In Program: To Health / Clinton Mills conducts semi-annual dust monitoring to assure compliance with the UCCupauonai sareiy anu neaiwi nui. The company retains Texcon, Inc. of Greenville to perform the actual dust monitoring. A team of trained technicians visits each plant every six months and utilizes space age looking devices called vertical elutriators to collect particles of cotton dust which measure 15 microns or smaller that may be present in a work area. The company, in most every manufacturing area, is within the OSHA permissible exposure limits that have been set for the industry. In yarn manufacturing, (opening to slashing), OSHA has set the P.E.L. (Permissible Exposure Limits) at .2 milligrams per cubic meter of air; slashing and weaving, .75 milligrams per cubic meter of air, and warehouse, wastehouse, and other areas, .50 milligrams per cubic meter of air. It is almost impossible to understand the 1 small amount of dust acceptable under the standard. For instance, thinkabout to grains - * ?ia - ? A? TL :? ; 11 .11 ot bdii in d idrge reirigeraiur. i nib win niubtrate what the "standard" would look like in yarn mar.ufacturing areas. Texcon technicians, using their air sam pling techniques and equipment, operate the elutriators for a minimum of six hours in each shift. The elutriators are located in strategic spots throughout the designated work areas. The equipment is designed to collect the smallest particles which are to be ( respirable. The elutriators also capture other harmless suDStances which may be present in the air during the sampling process. * ipletes OSH/ WgP WWrp m * ummerlin a filter used to capture dust Participate s Related Ind Work Each cone-shaped cylinder is attached to a support which places the end of the elutriator cone at the approximate height ot the average employee. The machine's vacuum pump draws air through the bottom of the device the same level that an employee breathes. As air is pulled through the eli'triator, it passes through a special cassette attached at the top of the cylinder. A filter in the u ^4 A . + CdSSeut: piUKS up umy muse pai uuies ui uusi which are 15 microns or smaller, and the larger particles fall out before they move up the cylinder to the filters. At the end of the testing cycle, the filters are removed, collected in a series, and taken to a laboratory where sensitive electronic measuring devices weigh the particles which cling to the filters. Once the filter weights are determined and averaged, a special mathematical formula is used to calculate individual exposure limits. Individuals are then apprised of their exposure levels. Various work practices and protective equipment are utilized to assure employee health and safety and compliance with the cotton dust standard. Over the years, Clinton Mills has spent anrl rnntinnec tn cnpnrl hnop ^nm?;nf mnnpv vv' - --O- ? * ~"~J to assure employees of a clean, healthy and safe environment. Clinton Mills employees participate in a comprehensive medical surveillance program conducted by Respiratory Consultants and Dr. Robert Galphin, a leading pulmonary specialist. Pulmonary function studies are con v Testing Re A WfF ? - ^^8 ^Hfl m '**f \ V*r M 4 1 David Swartz (right) explains to Do devices. dHMHV* IflHHHVJ ? - .IH 1 HB >v*~Bil?? ^r3 V 1 W B James Smith is given a pulmonai ducted on all employees during their pre employment physical and are repeated annually or semi-annually as required. Em ployees are informed of their test results by letter and test results are available for em ployees to review. For employees needing to wear a respir Page 9 quirements # H | H B Wl i K ? a in H jg Avant the operation of air sampling ry function test by Michelle Bussed. ator, supervision provides training in the proper wear and tit. The Company has installed ventilation and air filtration systems and modified employee work practices to assure employee exposure to cotton trash dust is kept to a minimum.