Workers neglected protective masks and respirators against asbestos vermiculite dust

Although there is documentation that workers were trained in the proper use of respirators during later periods of operation (W.R. Grace internal documents), workers often neglected to wear protective masks when the weather was especially hot. In addition, many workers smoked while in the plant, and the masks were inconvenient for smokers. It is likely that the failure to wear protective masks increased the chances of asbestos exposure from vermiculite dust.

There were showers in the building, but there were no changing areas with lockers available to the workers, so workers wore their work clothes home at the end of the day.

OR-OSHA (Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration) made multiple inspections during the years that vermiculite was processed, and a number of fines were levied due to poor ventilation, high levels of dust, and excessive noise.

In addition, there is evidence from industrial hygiene surveys that personal samples exceeded the dust standard of 10 mg/m3 Vermiculite and 8-hour time weighted averages of air samples indicated up to 14.274 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc) of air (assumed to be Libby asbestos or chrysotile asbestos).

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