Update on Health and Safety in the Rubber Industries

120 Pages·2.469 MB·English

by  Chaiear, Naesinee, Saejiw, Nutjaree

Update on
Health and Safety
in the
Rubber Industries
Naesinee Chaiear
Nutjaree Saejiw
iSmithers – A Smithers Group Company
Shawbury, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 4NR, United Kingdom
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]
http://www.ismithers.net
First Published in 2010 by
iSmithers
Shawbury, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 4NR, UK
©2010, Smithers Rapra
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under current legislation no part
of this publication may be photocopied, reproduced or distributed in any
form or by any means or stored in a database or retrieval system, without
the prior permission from the copyright holder.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders of any material
reproduced within the text and the authors and publishers apologise if
any have been overlooked.
ISBN: 978-1-84735-425-9 (Hardback)
978-1-84735-426-6 (ebook)
Typeset by Argil Services
Printed and bound by Lightning Source Inc.
P
reface
The rubber industry uses natural rubber and synthetic rubber. Tyres
and tyre products account for ~60% of the synthetic rubber and
75% of the natural rubber used. The rubber industry employs about
half a million workers worldwide. Important non-tyre uses of rubber
include automotive belts and hoses, gloves, condoms and rubber
footwear. This book gives the reader an overview of this important
and complex industry.
Health and safety in the rubber industry is more focused on the health
effects related to working in the rubber industries and rubber user
industries. This book provides details on the various health effects,
from the production of raw materials to product formation. Briefly,
airborne contamination from rubber fumes can be visible or invisible.
These aerosols are evolved during the mixing, milling and blending of
natural rubber and synthetic rubber elastomers, or of natural rubber
and synthetic polymers combined with chemicals in processes that
convert the resultant blends into finished products. Solvents are used
extensively in the rubber industry during the manufacturing process to
prevent tackiness. Prolonged or repeated contact of rubber chemicals
with the skin should be avoided. Chronic exposure to solvents, dust
and fumes has a cumulative negative health effect. Acute health
effects such as allergic rhinitis, urticaria, asthma and dermatitis occur
because of exposure to natural rubber latex, accelerators, vulcanisers
and other toxic chemicals.
This book outlines the various national laws, regulations and codes
that define the recommended working procedures for handling
compounding ingredients and other chemicals and exposure limits.
iii
Updates on Health and Safety in the Rubber Industries
Employers and employees in the industry must adhere to pertinent
legislation and work together to implement and improve safety
practices and equipment. The watchword is to limit exposure
while methods of work can significantly reduce risk exposure and
provide safety.
In summary, this book outlines the rubber industries and rubber-user
industries. It then describes specific health and safety issues as well
as guidance of interest to employers and employees.
Naesinee Chairear
Occupational Health and Safety Office and Community Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
Khon Kaen University
Thailand
May 2010
iv
C
ontents
Acknowledgments ........................................................................1
1 Rubber in the Context of Growing Trees ..............................3
1.1 Wood and Wood Processing ......................................3
1.2 Chemical Properties of Wood Dust .............................4
1.3 Occupational Exposure to Wood Dust and the
Effects on Health ........................................................6
1.3.1 Health Effects of Wood Dust .......................7
1.3.2 Wood Dust and Cancer ...............................8
1.3.3 Effects of Wood Preservatives ......................8
1.4 Rubberwood Dust ......................................................9
2 Rubber Industries ...............................................................17
2.1 Background ..............................................................17
2.2 Growing of Rubber Trees and Rubber ......................18
2.2.1 Processing of Rubberwood .......................18
2.2.2 Natural Rubber Latex ...............................19
2.3 Manufacturing Processes of Rubber Products ...........23
2.3.1 General Manufacturing of Rubber Products ............23
2.3.2 Dipped Latex Technology .........................................25
2.4 New Technologies for Rubber-Making .....................27
3 Legislation Related to Health and Safety ............................31
3.1 The Law Affecting Health and Safety in the UK .......31
Update on Health and Safety in the Rubber Industries
3.1.1 UK Health and Safety at Work Act
(HASWA) 1974 .........................................31
3.1.2 Statutory Duties of the Employer ..............31
3.1.3 Statutory Duties of Employees ...................32
3.1.4 The Institutions .........................................32
3.1.5 UK Control of Substances Hazardous To
Health Regulations (COSHH) ...................33
3.1.6 The Code of Practice of the British Rubber
Manufacturers’ Association (BRMA) .......33
3.2 The Law Affecting Health and Safety in the USA......34
3.2.1 Federal Regulation of Occupational
Health and Safety in the Workplace ...........35
3.2.2 Workers’ Compensation ............................37
3.3 Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Legislations
in the Asia/Pacific Rim .............................................37
3.3.1 Japan .........................................................37
3.3.2 India ..........................................................38
3.3.3 China ........................................................39
3.3.4 Australia ....................................................39
4 Safety in the Rubber Industry ............................................41
4.1 Industrial Statistics ...................................................41
4.2 Mill and Calender Safety ..........................................45
4.2.1 Mill Safety .................................................45
4.2.2 Calender Safety .........................................48
4.2.3 Machine Lockout ......................................50
4.3 Fire and Explosions ..................................................52
5 Health Effects Related to Working in Rubber Industries ....55
5.1 Epidemiology ............................................................55
5.2 Allergy to Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) ..................59
vi
Contents
5.3 Skin Irritation and Dermatitis ...................................62
5.4 Rubberwood Dust ....................................................64
5.5 Carbon Black ............................................................65
5.6 Crystalline Silica and Silicosis ...................................67
5.6.1 Autoimmune Diseases ...............................68
5.6.2 Tuberculosis ..............................................68
5.6.3 Kidney Disease ..........................................68
5.6.4 Exposure Control and Personal
Protection ..................................................68
5.7 Rubber Fumes ..........................................................68
5.7.1 Visible Fumes ............................................69
5.7.1 Gases and Vapours ....................................70
5.8 Solvents ....................................................................70
5.8.1 Benzene: C H ...........................................72
6 6
5.8.2 Toluene: C H CH ...................................73
6 5 3
5.8.3 Xylene: C H (CH ) .................................73
6 4 3 2
5.8.4 Methylene Chloride (Dichloromethane):
CH Cl ......................................................74
2 2
5.8.5 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
(Methylchloroform) ...................................74
5.9 A Strategy for the Control of Dust and Fumes ..........75
5.9.1 Assessing the Risks to Health from Dust
and Fumes .................................................75
5.9.3 Occupational Exposure Limit Values
Related To Working in the Rubber
Industries ...................................................76
5.10 Selection of Control Methods ...................................77
5.10.1 Elimination and Substitution .....................77
5.10.2 Containment .............................................78
5.10.3 Process Control .........................................78
vii
Update on Health and Safety in the Rubber Industries
5.10.4 Handling and Working Methods ...............78
5.10.5 Ventilation Control ...................................78
5.10.6 Segregation ................................................79
5.10.7 Housekeeping and Cleanliness ...................79
5.10.8 Respirators ................................................79
5.11 Nitrosamines ............................................................79
5.12 1,3-Butadiene ...........................................................81
5.12.1 Health Effects: Animal Studies ..................81
5.12.2 Health Effects: Human Studies ..................82
5.12.3 Industrial Exposure and Control ...............83
5.13 Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders .................83
5.13.1 Prevention .................................................84
6 General Recommendations ................................................93
6.1 Personal Hygiene ......................................................93
6.2 Handling ..................................................................93
6.3 General and Local Exhaust Ventilation .....................94
6.4 Skin Protection and Protective Clothing ...................95
6.5 Conclusion ..............................................................96
Abbreviations .............................................................................97
Index ........................................................................................101
viii
A
cknowledgments
The author thanks the UK Health & Safety Executive for providing
information and statistics used in this review, and Mr. Bryan Roderick
Hamman, P.Ag. M.Sc. Ag., for assistance with presentation of the
manuscript.
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