OSHA Inspection: E. I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & COMPANY, INC.

Issued

Aug 22, 1989

Abate by

Jul 15, 1991

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

Hazardous substances 2360

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The
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employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were
free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to
tetraethvl lead vapors resulting in a blood level of 40 ug or greater of
lead/100 g of whole blood and or a urine lead level of 110 ug or greater
of lead per liter and employees experiencing signs and symptoms such as
vertigo, anorexia, tremors, metallic taste in mouth, insomnia, nausea,
weight loss, abdominal pain, weakness etc., did not receive an adequate
medical evaluation:
a) Pet Chem Plantwide - the following code numbered employees as of
4/14/89 received a blood lead or urine test result that met or
exceeded the above criteria. None of these employees received a
medical exam by a qualified specialist which included assessments
of the renal and neuropsychiatric functions.
Codes 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,
25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,
46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56.
Among other methods some feasible and acceptable abatement methods to
correct this hazard are to implement engineering contols discussed in
citation and to implement changes in the lead health control program.
1) Since these exposures are for tetraethyl lead, blood lead levels may
understate actual body burden of lead. Individuals with blood lead
of 40 ug/100 g or greater of whole blood shall receive blood lead
analysis on a bi-monthly schedule for a period of one year after the
initial elevated reading to adequately determine the lead body
burden.
2) Employees covered by this standard shall be given at a minimum the
following renal test by qualified specialists:
a) Serum Creatinine
b) B U N
c) 24 hr urinalvsis for creatinine and protein clearance.
The tests shall be given at a frequency determined by the specialists.
3) Employees covered by this standard shall be given be given at a
minimum the following neuro-physchiatric tests by a qualified
specialists:
a) Reaction time, to measure psycho-motor speed.
b) Wrey auditory verbal learning test, to measure
learning and memory.
c) WAIS block design to measure visual construction
d) Purdue peg board test to measure eve hand coordination.
e) CESD Department scale, questionaire 16 to measure mood.
f) Trails A & B to measure mood.
g) Visual Reproduction to measure visual memory.
h) WAIS Digit Symbol to measure concentration.
i) Vocabulary to measure intelligence.
The tests shall be given at a frequency determined by the specialists.
4) If the employer selects the initail specialist to conduct a medical
examination described in (2) and (3) above the employee may
designate a second physician to review any findings, determinations
or recommendations of the initial physician, and to conduct such
examinations, consultations and laboratory tests as the second
physician deems necessary to facilitate this review.
5) Employees with blood lead levels of 40 ug or greater, /100g or
greater, whole blood or urine lead levels of 110 ug/liter shall be
advised to the health risks at the time they are notified of the
increased lead levels.
6) At a minimum the company physician shall review personal TEL
monitoring results during the employee's annual physical and when
the employee is placed on the notification or watch list.
7) Conduct an epidemiological study of current and retired Petchem
Workers to evaluate TEL exposure by using indices such as blood
lead, urine leads and air monitoring levels to study effects on the
renal, neuropsychiatric, hematopoetic systems and on hypertension
and cholestoral levels.
8) Conduct an epidemiological study of current and retired workers to
evaluate chronic TEL exposures and its relationship to cancer. The
corporate cancer registry can be used.

Issued

Aug 22, 1989

Abate by

Mar 1, 1991

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

Hazardous substances 2360

Issued

Aug 22, 1989

Abate by

Mar 1, 1991

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

Hazardous substances 2360

Issued

Aug 22, 1989

Abate by

Oct 22, 1989

Penalty

Initial $10,000 · Current $10,000

Hazardous substances 2360

Issued

Aug 22, 1989

Abate by

Oct 22, 1989

Penalty

Initial $10,000 · Current $10,000

Hazardous substances 1591

Issued

Aug 22, 1989

Abate by

Sep 25, 1989

Hazardous substances 1591

Issued

Aug 22, 1989

Abate by

Sep 25, 1989

Hazardous substances 1591

Issued

Jul 5, 1989

Abate by

Aug 18, 1989

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

Hazardous substances 2630

Issued

Jul 5, 1989

Abate by

Aug 18, 1989

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

Hazardous substances 1591

Issued

Jul 3, 1989

Abate by

May 15, 1990

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

Hazardous substances 2060