ASTM_E_1576_-_99.pdf

Designation:E 1576 99Standard Guide forMedical Surveillance Program for Workers withOccupational Exposure to Respirable Silicon CarbideWhiskers1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1576;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon(e)indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This guide covers a recommended medical surveillanceprogram for workers with potential for routine occupationalexposure to airborne respirable silicon carbide(SiC)whiskersat or above the exposure limits specified in Practices E 1435and E 1437.Airborne respirable SiC whiskers are considered apotential health hazard.1.2 The examinations recommended in this guide are notintended to replace existing medical examinations offered byan employer,but should supplement existing examinations inorder to evaluate pulmonary function and disease.1.3 The medical surveillance program is intended to estab-lish baseline values prior to occupational exposure to airbornerespirable silicon carbide whiskers and to establish periodicmonitoring.1.4 Application of this guide may be superseded by futuregovernmental regulations.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:E 1435 Practice for Handling Densified Articles of Alumi-num Oxide Reinforced with Silicon Carbide Whiskers2E 1437 Practice for Handling Respirable Silicon CarbideWhiskers22.2Other Documents:U.S.Code of Federal Regulations(CFR),29 CFR1910.1001,Appendix D,Appendix E OccupationalSafety and Health Standard for Asbestos3Centers for Disease Control/National Institute for Occupa-tional Safety and Health(CDC/NIOSH)CDC/NIOSH(M)2.8 form4International Labor Organization(ILO)ILO-U/C Interna-tional Classification of Radiographs for Pneumoconioses,198053.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 aspect ratio,nratio of whisker length to whiskerdiameter3.1.2 respirable silicon carbide whiskers,na crystallinesilicon carbide fiber,approximately cylindrical in shape,with adiameter less than 3.0 m and an aspect ratio equal to or greaterthan 5:1.4.Significance and Use4.1 Workers may be exposed to respirable SiC whiskersduring handling,processing,or use of SiC whiskers or pow-dered blends containing SiC whiskers.Exposure may alsooccur during(re)finishing of consolidated or densified articleswhen respirable SiC whiskers are released.4.2 Workers with occupational exposure at or above theexposure limits specified in Practices E 1435 and E 1437should be included in an ongoing medical surveillance programto ascertain what,if any,health effects may have occurred dueto this exposure.4.3 This guide provides recommendations for preplacement,periodic,and exit medical examinations for exposed workers.It also provides guidance for producing both initial andperiodic medical questionnaires.4.4 This guide is intended for use by human resourcespersonnel as well as health and safety professionals whoestablish medical surveillance programs.5.Medical Surveillance Program5.1 Amedical surveillance program should be established todetermine what,if any,health effects a worker may haveincurred due to occupational exposure to respirable SiC whis-kers.1This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee E-34 on OccupationalHealth and Safety and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E34.70 on SingleCrystal Ceramic Whiskers.Originally published as E 1576-93.Last previousedition E 1576-94.2Annual Book of ASTM Standards,Vol 11.03.3Available from the Superintendent of Documents,U.S.Government PrintingOffice,Washington,DC 20402.4Available from U.S.HHS Centers for Disease Control/National Institute forOccupational Safety and Health,Cincinnati,OH.5Available from International Labour Office,Geneva,Switzerland.1Copyright ASTM,100 Barr Harbor Drive,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959,United States.5.2 This program is intended to provide a record of themedical condition of employees at the beginning,during,andat the end of their employment,and to provide early identifi-cation of medical problems which may be attributable tooccupational exposures.5.3 A medical surveillance program will normally includepreplacement,periodic,and exit medical examinations.5.4 All medical examinations and procedures should bedone by or under the supervision of a licensed physician.5.5 Medical examinations and procedures referred to in thisguide should be provided at no cost to the employee and at areasonable time and place.5.6 Pulmonary function testing should be performed only bytrained personnel.6.Information to Be Provided to Physician6.1 The following information should be pr