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Building Number/Name: |
334-A |
PAST OPERATIONS
Description of beryllium activities: The 334-A building housed two waste acid storage tanks that contained copper, zirconium, uranium, and possibly beryllium.
Building monitoring data summary: None identified.
Personnel monitoring data summary: None identified.
Specify Engineering/Administrative controls used during operations: Unknown.
Maximum Estimated Past Be exposure: Unknown
CURRENT OPERATIONS
Building still present: YES
Beryllium present: YES (trace amounts)
Current building occupancy/activity: Vacant and locked.
1999 Study Results: One ambient air sample was collected on 6/17/99 in the center of 334A, and a second sample was collected on 7/7/99 in the southeast corner of the building. A personal air sample was collected on 6/16/99 in the breathing zone of a technician while wipe sampling surfaces for beryllium. Results reported for these air samples were below the Method Detection Limit (MDL) of 0.004 and 0.013 µg/m3 for the ambient and personal samples, respectively. Surface wipe samples were collected from 29 sites throughout the building on 6/16/99. Five samples yielded beryllium concentrations above the MDL of 0.5 mg/100 cm2, at 0.56, 1.1, 1.0 (with duplicate sample at 0.70), 0.74, and ~0.5 mg/100 cm2. These samples were all taken from light fixtures at an elevation of approximately 10 feet. Results reported from all other surface samples obtained in 334A were below the MDL. Areas that were unable to be sampled but should be considered as potentially contaminated with beryllium include all surfaces at or above the light fixtures (at or above 8 feet).
Maximum Estimated Current Be Exposure from Routine Activities: SLIGHT
OPERATIONAL CONTROLS: Work activities occurring in this facility will be planned and reviewed with consideration given to the potential for beryllium exposure. Controls will be prescribed when the work activity may potentially enter or disturb an area not yet characterized through beryllium sampling or monitoring. Work will be carefully planned with IH&S professional support to help assure potential exposure risks are identified and minimized through the use of appropriate controls and additional sampling/monitoring as appropriate.
Basis for above information: Review of document BHI-00012, Rev. 00 and interviews with site personnel; FDH beryllium assessment report.
Comments, including any additional information needed (specify): This building was not on the original list of suspect beryllium facilities, but was identified as having a potential for beryllium exposure during document reviews and personnel interviews. The historical presence of beryllium in the building could not be confirmed. It was previously thought that if beryllium were present, it would have been in solution, and would not likely have resulted in significant airborne levels of beryllium. However, the detection of beryllium on all light fixtures sampled by the FDH beryllium assessment team shows that beryllium was historically present, and airborne dusts were generated.
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