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Home My WebLink About0310 BARNSTABLE ROAD - Health 3. 0>-Barnstable Road. Sewer ct# O ,Uu - -- -- -- Hyannis A 310 = o i e 1 o i Crocker, Sharon /0_5 To: Saad, Dale Subject: AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod spoke with Christine St. Onge, Client Services 508-778-1954. AIDS-Support Group of Cape Cod 310 Barnstable Road, Unit# 101 Hyannis, MA 02601 She explained that she had come in back when there was a complaint called in on them (kitchen sink not clean) (it is a staff sink only) She spoke with 2 other inspectors and was told she doesn't need a food permit. She reviewed their services with me. They deliver prepackaged food baskets to some of their clients. It contains canned items and prepackaged foods ie pasta noodles. They do not have a facility to prepare food the clients and do not. They simply send canned items from their food pantry stock, run in cooperation with the Greater Boston Food Pantry, out to clients who are short on cash and the clients prepare their own food at their homes. 1 �.�� Q UIIZY[IttIIYi�YIQ�Y� II �YSS�YCLif�EB a DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIES DIVISION OF OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE 1001 WATERTOWN STREET WEST NEWTON,.MA 02165 PETER G. TORKILDSEN (617)969-7177 COMMISSIONER PAUL ABOODY DIRECTOR 92S-0063 October 31, 1991 Mr. Sal Vasapolle Barnstable Dental Lab P.O. Box 1120 310 Barnstable Road Hyannis, MA 02601 _ ... Dear. Mr. Vasapolle: This is the report of the September 20 and 25, 1991 inspections of the Barnstable Dental laboratory, located at 10 Barnstabl-e Road in Hyannis, by a representative of the Division of Occupational Hygiene (DOH) . The inspections were made to evaluate chemical handling procedures and were prompted by concerns that the laboratory's chemicals were migrating into a nearby tenant's space. The DOH inspection was performed jointly with Ms. Donna Miorandi of the Hyannis Health Department. IInployees of the dental lab and the adjacent tenant were informally interviewed, smoke tube tests performed to assess exhaust ventilation performance and roam air currents, and air monitoring for methyl methacrylate was performed. SUMMARY The most likely source for the adjacent tenant's odor complaints is methyl methacrylate, a volatile, irritating chemical used in the manufacture of dentures. If this is, in fact, the source of the complaints, it is unclear why the odors are so much stronger on some days as opposed to others. Wax vapors are another possible source for the complaints. Limited air monitoring during the DOH inspections in both the dental lab and the adjacent tenant's space showed negligible concentrations of methylene chloride. In addition to methyl methacrylate, the grinding and casting of partials exposes employees to the potentially carcinogenic metals nickel, chromium. and s beryllium. The company should take steps to ensure that exposures to thee metals is minimized. Specific recommendations to improve the health and safety of Barnstable Dental employees, as well as to prevent the migration of chemical odors to surrounding tenants, are presented on page 4. Barnstable Dental lab 925-0063 Page 2 HEALTH EFFECIVEXPOSURE L IIT Harmful health effects can occur from overexposure to a wide variety of workplace chemicals. Whether workers experience health effects depends upon a number of factors including: 1. the quantity of chemical used, 2. the duration of chemical use, 3. the chemical's vapor pressure, 4. the chemical's other physical properties (e.g. , pH) , 5. whether the chemical can penetrate the skin, 6. whether the chemical can be absorbed through the digestive track, 7. how the chemical is used (e.g. , is it heated or spray applied) , 8. the chemical's toxicological properties (e.g. , carcinogenic, sensitizing, or organ damaging properties) , and most importantly, 9. the use of control measures (engineering, work practice, or personal protective controls) to minimize exposure. Methyl methacrylate is irritating to the"ski.n and mucous membranes. Skin contact can also cause an.allergic skin reaction. There is also some indication that methyl methacrylate may cause peripheral nerve damage and reproductive problems. Chromium, nickel and beryllium are all known or suspected carcinogens. Nickel and beryllium are skin and respiratory allergens (capable of causing asthma-like symptoms) and beryllium can cause a chronic disease which primarily involves scarring of the lung tissue. Although there is no safe level of exposure to carcinogens (i.e. , even very small exposures will produce some increased risk of developing cancer, however slight that increased risk may be) , the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has established Recommended Exposure Limits. (REL) for nickel, chromium and beryllium. The REL's are for nickel is 0.015 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/m3) for an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWAT. For beryllium the REL is 0.0005 milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/m ) , not �o be exceeded even instantaneously, and for chromium, it is 0.500 mg/m . As noted above, these REL's do. not entirely eliminate the cancer risk. DISCUSSION Employees at the adjacent Farmers Home Administration (FHA) indicated receiving periodic strong odors which are believed to emanate from the Barnstable Dental Laboratory. The odors are intermittent, largely unpredictable and reportedly cause headaches and eye irritation among employees. FHA employees thought that, perhaps, the odor was associated with a banging noise, a noise the lab owner identified as being the tamping of molds on countertops to facilitate their removal from the mold frame. The lab owner indicated that the mixing, pouring and packing of the methyl methacrylate compound performed in a room abutting the FHA space usually followed the mold removal. This suggests that the complaints are associated with methyl methacrylate use. Barnstable Dental Iab 92S-0063 Page 3 If methyl methacrylate is responsible for FHA employee complaints, it is unclear why the offending odor is so much stronger on scene days as opposed to others. During the September 25th DOH sampling, no significant odor was noted j in FHA offices, and FHA employees had no complaints. The complaints appear unrelated to the volume of work, since the four sets of dentures made on September.25th is reportedly typical. FHA employees were also unable to relate the strong odor to their opening of office windows. Such a relationship would suggest that methyl methacrylate vapors exhausted by the dental lab's wall fan are entering the FHA space through open windows. The dental lab and the FHA share a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit. The HVAC unit is located in a closet near the FHA entrance; it supplies no outside air. Air returns to the HVAC unit through return air grills in the suspended ceilings of both offices. The sharing of the HVAC unit presents the possibility that dental lab return air, contaminated with methyl methacrylate (or whatever the offending chemical is) , is responsible for the odor complaints. However, the dental lab's back roam (where the methyl methacrylate is handled) _is at negative pressure. with respect .to .the.rest-of-the dental lab (due to operation of the wall fan) and there is no return air vent in the back room. Therefore, methyl methacrylate vapors should not be able to easily migrate into the main dental lab roam where they could be picked up for recycling by the HVAC unit. Similarly, vapors from wax boiled off molds should have difficulty migrating into the main dental lab roam. [The problem of vapor migration to a shared HVAC system would be solved by the dental lab's impending move to the basement. The company will reportedly have it's own HVAC system. A wall or window fan to exhaust methyl methacrylate vapors will continue to be employed] Air monitoring during the mixing, pouring and packing of denture compound revealed a methacrylate concentration of just one part per million parts air (ppm) . This is far below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for methyl methacrylate of one hundred ppm. ..The concentration of methyl methacrylate in the FHA office on September 20, and immediately following the September 25 handling of denture compound, was negligible. These negative results are not surprising given the low concentration of methyl methacrylate measured on the lab technician and the lack of odor and health complaints in the FHA during the sampling. Partial Metal Material No material safety data sheet (MSDS) was available for the metal used in the manufacture of partials. The metal is cast using an electric ticonium cast machine and later ground by technicians at locally exhaust ventilate workstations. Barnstable Dental Lab 925-0063 Page 4 The company later sent DOH a copy of the MSDS for the Ticonium premium 100 Denture Alloy. The alloy contains three highly toxic metals: chromium, nickel and beryllium. A fourth metal, manganese, is only slightly less toxic. The company should attenpt to quantitate exposure to these measures during: 1. Grinding operations i 2. Exhaust ventilation filter changes, and 3. Casting This could be performed by DOH on a follow-up inspection. Alternately, the company could hire a consultant to perform the sampling. RECOMMENDATIONS The following recc mnendations are made to inprove the health and safety of Barnstable Dental Lab employees and adjacent tenants: 1. Secure a separate HVAC system to prevent the entrainment and redistribution of chemical contaminants to adjacent tenants. 2. Ensure that chemical contamixk-mts exhausted by exhaust fans can not easily re-enter the lab or surrounding tenant spaces. _ _3. Perform air monitoring to assess worker exposure to metal dust and fumes. 4. Obtain MSDSs for all potentially hazardous workplace products. PLAN Enclosed is a form to be filed with this Division to document compliance with the 'reports recommendations. If the company does not perform air monitoring for metal dust and fumes, DOH will contact the company to arrange to perform this monitoring. If you have any questions please contact this office. Sincerely, Approved: J41Y Sal Insogna Paul Aboody Environmental Engineer III Director SI/la Enclosure r r TABLE 1 Air Monitoring Results i Barnstable Dental Laboratory Hyannis, MA September 20 and 25, 1991 i Sample Samplel Concen- Number Date Location/Description Duration tration 92W-134 9/20/91 On front desk, Farmers Home 47 <1 Administration (FHA) 92W-135 9/20/91 Above suspended ceiling, Assis- 47 <1 tant Administrator's Office (FHA) 92W-136 9/25/91 Mixing, pouring and packing 29 1 dentures and partials, Barnstable Dental lab 92W-137 9/25/91 On worker's desk, FHA 42 N.D. l -Unit-of-measure-is-minutes. . 2 Unit of measure is parts per million parts air (ppm) 3 N.D. = None detected 4 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for methyl methacrylate exposure is 100 ppm for an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) . -J----�-------- BOARD OF HEALTH TOWN OF BARNSTABLE Zipplicat ion-*r V ell Con0ruct ion Permit Application is hereby made for a permit to Construct ( ), Alter ( ), or Repair )an individual Well at: ----------------------- - - — — — — — — ---- -- --- - Location — Address As sors ap and Parcel f/v L L ►`4 4 ru �p,ewe_-e Ar ,3_L v PN�S'7�L 6 . PlQ ----- ------ ----------- ------------------ --------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- Owner , Address TL y4 I7 G `✓&L< �ie/[_C.l N 11 ' 79 /� �nr/vt.S ILL( - - - _ - ----P - ---- --------------- ------------------ -------------e - Installer Driller Address Type of Building T 'RI��f TIN _cG7'SI�e o�v[Y Dwelling----- Other - Type of Building ------------- No. of Persons---------------------------------- ---------- If �n/e l ° Type of Well-----�---�'�----:----- -------------------- Capacity----------------, - ------=-------------------- — Purpose of Well ------- Agreement: The undersigned agrees to install the aforedescribed individual well in accordance with the provisions of The Town of Barnstable Board of Health Private Well Protection Regulation - The undersigned further agrees not to place the well in operation until a Certificate .of Compliance has been issued by the Board of Health. �- Signed -- -Y,--------------------------------- ------- -----`9---------- i date / Application Approved By 1 — — —— date Application Disapproved for the following reasons:---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------- ------ ------------------------- C� date Permit No. V— ------------- Issued -------------------------- date BOARD OF HEALTH TOWN OF BARNSTABLE Certificate Of Compliance THIS IS TO CERTIFY, That the Individual Well Constructed Altered ( ), or Repaired ( ) bY-------- - ------ --- -//` Installer at- --- -� ---- - --------------------------------------------- has been installed in accordance with the provisions of the Town of B stable Board of Health Private Well Protection Regulation as described in the application for Well Construction Permit Dated THE ISSUANCE OF THIS CERTIFICATE SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A GUARANTEE THAT THE WELL SYSTEM WILL FUNCTION SATISFACTORY. DATE--- - --- ---- Inspector--- �- ------------------—- - ----------- r No. - �~--- --� Fee-------- - - - -- BOARD OF HEALTH TOWN OF ,, BARNSTABLE Application Ar Well tonitruct ion Permit Application is hereby made fpr a permit to Construct ( ), Alter ( ), or Repair / )an individual Well at: STc 6 d r n/ 5-f I--P p/ �V =/ - — =- ------------------------- - - ------ - - --—-- -- - -- -- - -- - Location — Address A !ors Map and Parcel 310 ---- Owner Address _TL► ?/ - G L� 7�i�'/LC. ----- 7' -----------H ^i Nl S .......... --- .---------------------------------- y - Installer — Driller Address ` Type of Building �� Gt { Dwellin .T�E'RI TIoAJ -orsi Jc' oy4y g — ------------- --------------------------------- Other - Type of Building-y —--------------- No of Persons-------------------------------------------- Type of Well 1i � Capacity--------------��-�;----------------------- Purpose of Well -------------- r Agreement: I The undersigned agrees to install the aforedescribed individual well in accordance with the provisions of The Town of Barnstable Board of Health Private Well Protection Regulation - The undersigned further agrees not to place the well in operation until a Certificate .of Compliance has been issued by the Board'of Health. Signed ------ -- -- -- -------------------- ------------------------- \`` \ date Application Approved By - -` --- -- a�-- ---� r _ — —— —— date r Application Disapproved for the following reasons:-----------------`=--------------------------- -__________________________________ date Permit No. —w �_--��--—-- ___ Issued ---- -� E -l G-------------------------- date BOARD OF HEALTH ` S 1 TOWN OF BARNSTABLE Certificate Of Compliance THIS IS TO CERTIFY, That�the 1 Individual Well Constructed rt>e Altered ( ), or Repaired by------- - Installer at- --- �CL�Ix�—— has been installed in accordance with the provisions of the Town of Barnstable Board of Health Private Well Protection Regulation as described in the application for Well Construction Permit Dated i V THE ISSUANCE OF THIS CERTIFICATE SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A GUARANTEE THAT THE WELL SYSTEM WILL FUNCTION SATISFACTORY. ` DATE- ---- ------ -- - —-- Inspector--- tt- --------------------- BOARD OF HEALTH k TOWN OF BARNSTABLE Well Congtruct ion Permit No. JD Fee- -C�- ----- Permission is hereby granted- ---- - to Construct (Alter ( ), or Repair ( ) an Idividuali W 11 at O : No. --—— -------- --b- - - -- - - Street as shown on the application for a Well Construction Permit �b No.- --- - - --------- - - Dated {�_ - _4------------- ------------------_ ----------------------------------- -...... ' oard of Health I DATE<::" I