Guidance for Sampling Surfaces for Beryllium Contamination

1
Guidance for Sampling Surfaces for Beryllium
Contamination

• Gary E Whitney, CIH
• Industrial Hygiene Safety Institutional
  Programs
• Los Alamos National Laboratory

2
Disclaimer

• Any reference to products, companies, or
  organizations is for information purposes only
  and does not represent any form of endorsement or
  criticism.
• Opinions expressed are those of the author only
  and do not represent those of Los Alamos National
  Laboratory or the National Nuclear Security
  Administration.

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Rule Requirements

• From 10 CFR 850.3
• Removable contamination means beryllium
  contamination that can be removed from surfaces
  by nondestructive means, such as casual contact,
  wiping, brushing or washing.
• Applies to housekeeping limit of 3 ug/100 cm2
  during non-operational periods (10 CFR 850.30).
• Applies to limits of 0.2 ug/100 cm2 for release
  to general public and 3 ug/100 cm2 for release to
  other beryllium facilities (10 CFR 850.31).
• Application to all other situations is implied.

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Real Driver for Surface Sampling

• Prevent beryllium exposure and contamination
  spread to workers, the community, and the
  environment !

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Reasons for Surface Sampling

• Risk Assessment
• Identifying legacy contamination
• Housekeeping
• Evaluation of controls
• Release of equipment and materials
• Preparation for DD
• Release of facilities for other purposes
• Research

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Goals for Surface Sampling

• Collect contamination which might become
  airborne.
• Collect removable contamination.
• Collect all beryllium on surface.
• Collect all beryllium on surface including that
  under paint or surface finishes.

The many reasons and goals for surface sampling
and the wide variety of workplace situations will
tend to drive the use of multiple methods in the
field and lab.
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Standard Surface Sampling Methods

• OSHA ID-125G
• NIOSH 9100
• NIOSH 9102
• NIOSH 9105
• NIOSH 9110
• ASTM D6966
• ASTM E1216

• ASTM D5438
• ASTM D7144
• ASTM D7296
• ASTM E1728
• ASTM ES3094
• Others Modifications

From lists provided by Kevin Ashley and John
Bishop.
List includes wipe, vacuum, and bulk methods.
Wipe sampling is by far the most commonly used.
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Required Accuracy

• For personal breathing zone monitoring, the
  beryllium rule requires a method with an
  accuracy of not less than plus or minus 25
  percent, with a confidence level of 95 percent,
  for airborne concentrations of beryllium at the
  action level (10 CFR 850.24 (e)).
• There is no required accuracy for surface
  samples.
• Real world accuracy and precision for surface
  sampling is largely unknown.
• What can be achieved?

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Dufay Study

• Spiked clean glass plate with known amount of
  beryllium.
• Plate wiped using a standard pattern.
• n 28 for each method.

Method Recovery RSD Dry Ghostwipe 15.5 53.5
Wet Ghostwipe 85.9 7.1 Dry Whatman
41 43.3 24.9 Wet Whatman 41 106.2 9.2 Dry
Smear Tab 13.7 22.4 Wet Smear Tab 64.2 12.9
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Kerr Study

• Simulated a painted machine shop surface.
• Spiked with known amount of beryllium and a metal
  working fluid.
• n 15 for each method.

Method Recovery (SD) RSD Dry Wipe 9.33
(2.80) 30 Water Moistened 22.97
(6.05) 26 Alcohol Moistened 50.62 (9.54) 19
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Ideal Real Surface Sampling Situations
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Surface Sampling Situations

• Active Operations
• Known Past Beryllium Operations
• Suspect Past Beryllium Operations
• Emergency Response
• DD
• Research
• Oops! Where did that come from?

13
Range of Surface Sampling Situations

• Areas
• 80 sq. ft. research laboratory.
• 350,000 sq. ft. multi-use building.
• Quantities
• Several micrograms of beryllium in a hood.
• 150 kilograms of beryllium chips and dust removed
  from old ventilation system.

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Developing Strategies for Surface Sampling

• Routine vs. demand.
• Initial scoping survey.
• Single samples exceeding a given level or
  analysis of a set of samples.
• Single items or batches.
• Random vs. selective sampling.
• Identifying sampling locations.
• Number of samples.
• Size of area sampled.
• Statistical analysis.

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Sampling Strategy Selection Factors

• Situations
• Small areas.
• Minimal quantities of beryllium.
• High level of control.
• Knowledgeable workers.
• Approach
• Selective Sampling
• Professional Judgment
• Common Sense
• Graded Approach

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Sampling Strategy Selection Factors

• Situations
• Large areas.
• Unknown beryllium levels.
• Little or no control.
• Release for other purposes.
• Approach
• Systematic plan for random sampling.
• Established and recognized programs and guidance
  such as VSP or MARSSIM.

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Identifying Sampling Survey Units and Strata

• Survey Unit - An area or population of items
  with a similar likelihood to be contaminated.
• Surface Categories
• Working Surfaces These surfaces are used and/or
  contacted as a part of routine operations. May
  be routinely cleaned or undergo changes.
• Legacy Surfaces These surfaces are not usually
  contacted or are not easily accessible. Not
  normally cleaned little change.
• Facility Surfaces These surfaces are building
  structures or fixed in-place equipment.

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Factors Affecting Sampling Decisions

• Level of control.
• Level of responsibility.
• Level of knowledge.
• Future uses after release of item or area
• Established DOE beryllium operation (same rules).
• Bobs Beryllium Shop and Auto Repair (few rules).
• Busy-Bee Daycare Center (no rules).

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Suitability of Limits

• Surface contamination limits established by the
  rule may not be appropriate for all situations.
• Three hypothetical surface sampling examples
• Beryllium machine shop.
• Building utility area.
• Engineers office space.

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Example 1 Lathe in Beryllium Shop

• Easily accessible and within normal reach of
  worker.
• Surface contamination on ways ranges from 10 to
  30 ug/100 cm2.
• Rule interpretation
• UNACCEPTABLE
• IH interpretation
• ACCEPTABLE

xxx
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Example 2 Facility Structures

• Accessible and within reach, but area not
  occupied and surfaces not normally contacted.
• Surface contamination ranges from 0.1 to 0.3
  ug/100 cm2.
• Rule interpretation
• UNACCEPTABLE
• IH interpretation
• ACCEPTABLE, but only within restraints.

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Example 3 Engineers Desk

• Easily accessible and within normal reach of
  worker surfaces normally contacted.
• Surface contamination ranges from 0.03 to 0.10
  ug/100 cm2.
• Rule interpretation
• ACCEPTABLE
• IH interpretation
• UNACCEPTABLE

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Authors Opinions and Recommendations

• There are many acceptable standard surface
  sampling methods available.
• Key point is consistent and proper use of an
  approved method that is appropriate to the
  situation.
• A qualified and experienced industrial hygienist
  should select sampling methods and develop
  strategy.
• For work within a DOE facility operating under an
  approved CBDPP, a graded approach using
  contamination guidelines appropriate for the
  operations and situations is more suitable than
  fixed surface contamination regulations.

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Authors Opinions and Recommendations

• For release of equipment, facilities, and
  property to the general public or for
  non-beryllium use, the 0.2 ug/100 cm2 regulatory
  limit may be the best approach. Samples must be
  collected, analyzed, and results interpreted
  using approved standard methods (i.e. DOE
  Technical Standard).
• The DOE must consider surface sampling issues
  when revising the beryllium rule and creating
  guidance and technical standards.
• Appropriate and consistent use of voluntary
  consensus standards for surface sampling is
  strongly recommended.

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References and Sources

• Brisson, M., Ekechukwu, A., Ashley, K., and Jahn.
  S., Opportunities for Standardization of
  Beryllium Sampling and Analysis, Journal of ASTM
  International, 2006, vol. 3, No. 1.
• Kerr, K. (2004). Beryllium Wipe Sampling
  (differing methods differing exposure
  potentials), United States Department of Energy,
  Office of Science and Technology Information,
  online at http//www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/pur
  l/837591-M4P95G/native/837591.pdf
• Dufay, S. and Archuleta, M., Comparison of
  collection efficiencies of sampling methods for
  removable beryllium surface contamination,
  Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2006, 8,
  630-633.
• Johnson, J., Fulton, F., MacQueen, D., Taylor,
  J., Relative Collection Efficiencies of Dry and
  Wet Surface Swipe Sampling for Particulate
  Contamination, presented at Second Symposium on
  Beryllium Particulates and Their Detection,
  November 8, 2005, Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Wipe sampling photo courtesy of SKC, Inc.