| Building
Number/Name: Date prepared: Responsible Contractor: Contact: |
PDL-E January 15, 2003 PNNL S. A. Nickerson |
PAST OPERATIONS
Beryllium brought in facility: No history of beryllium use. Crane electrical power components are believed to be made from a copper-2%beryllium alloy.
Form of beryllium: Solid Articles.
Period of beryllium operations (dates):
Maximum Estimated Past Be exposure: Unknown
CURRENT OPERATIONS
Building still present: YES
Beryllium present: YES (Collector shoes are a CuBe alloy).
Current building occupancy/activity: The PDL-E Building, Process Development Laboratory East, is a high-bay building that is used for pilot-scale research projects. It has a low occupancy with no resident staff.
2002 Crane Bus Bar Investigation:
On December 23, 2002, three wipe samples were taken on electrical components on the east side of the building that provide electrical power to the bridge crane. Two samples from bus bars had 7.2 and 1.6 µg beryllium per estimated 100 cm2 and the wipe sample from the collector shoe revealed 0.58 micrograms for an area which was probably less than 100 cm2. The highest level of beryllium measured exceeds both the release criteria and the housekeeping limit. The Crane Manufacturer was F.T. Crowe & Company ( F.T. Crowe | Konecranes USA http://www.kciamericas.com/ftcrowe.htm). In a similar crane by the same manufacturer in 305B, the bus bars are made of galvanized steel and the collector shoes, the electrical contacts that slide along the bus bars, are a 2% beryllium-copper alloy (these electrical components are from the Howell Corporation, SAF-T-BAR Howell Corporation, Insulated Conductor Bar, Mobile Electrification Systems http://www.howellcorporation.com/. Further testing is necessary to verify these materials in PDL-E.2003 Characterization: There were 29 wipe samples and baseline air sample taken January 13, 2003 to characterize and determine the extent of contamination in the PDL-E highbay resulting from use of beryllium-alloy crane components. No beryllium contamination above the release criteria was found in surface samples. No beryllium was detected in the baseline air sample.
Maximum Estimated Current Be exposure: Based on sampling from a crane by the same manufacturer in 305B, it is anticipated that contamination is localized. Preventative maintenance activities directly on the bus bars, collector shoes and nearby surfaces should be considered a potential airborne beryllium hazard. Further sampling is planned to characterize this facility and determine the extent of contamination.
Basis for above information: PNNL IH Case # 1653, Sample Event 4088, Sample Event 4095.
Comments, including any additional information needed (specify): Full facility characterization sampling is planned to determine the extent of contamination.
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