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1 Tooltechnic Systems (AUST) Pty Ltd Reports: 1. FESTOOL MDF Planer Set Prepared by: GHD Pty Ltd ABN Level Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Telephone: (03) Facsimile: (03) melmail@ghd.com.au October MDF Dust Assessment of FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set Prepared by: ESP Environmental and Safety Professionals 8 Hall Street Newport, Vic., 3015 Telephone: (03) Facsimile: (03) March 2001

2 Contents Disclaimer 3 1. FESTOOOL MDF Planer Set Executive Summary 5 Introduction 6 Objective 6 Methodology 6 Glossary of Terms 7 Exposure Standard 8 Results: Table Index Table 1 Atmospheric Analysis for Softwood Dust 9 Table 2 Atmospheric Analysis for Formaldehyde 9 Discussion 10 Conclusion 10 Appendix: FESTOOL MDF Planer Set MDF Dust Assessment of FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set Executive Summary 14 Introduction 15 Objective 15 Methodology 15 Glossary of Terms 16 Exposure Standard 16 Results: Table Index Table 1 Atmospheric Analysis for Softwood Dust 17 Table 2 Atmospheric Analysis for Formaldehyde 17 Discussion 18 Conclusion 19 Appendix: Configuration of FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set 19 2

3 Disclaimer These reports were prepared for Tooltechnic Systems (AUST) Pty Ltd for the purposes set out herein. No warranties, expressed or implied, are offered to any third parties and no liabilities will be accepted for the use of this report by any third party. These reports are for Tooltechnic Systems (AUST) Pty Ltd and neither GHD Pty or Ltd ESP Environmental and Safety Professionals intend that any other person accept or rely upon it. These reports shall only be presented in full, except where written approval with comments are provided by GHD Pty Ltd or ESP Environmental and Safety Professionals. Whilst these reports are accurate to the best of the knowledge and belief of GHD Pty Ltd and/or ESP Environmental and Safety Professionals, completeness or accuracy of any descriptions or conclusions based on supplied information cannot be guaranteed. 3

4 FESTOOL MDF Planer Set 4

5 Executive Summary GHD Pty Ltd was engaged by Tooltechnic Systems (AUST) Pty Ltd to undertake an investigation of the airborne dust levels of the FESTOOL MDF planer set in operation at Quantum Close, Dandenong South. Dust measurements were taken in accordance with the Australian Standard, AS Workplace atmospheres Method for sampling and gravimetric determination of inspirable dust. Formaldehyde measurements were taken in accordance with National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH Method 254, Formaldehyde, NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods, The results of the personal exposure monitoring of an operator continually planing MDF particle board for a period of four hours exhibited results below the detection limits of the analytical methods for both inspirable dust and formaldehyde. It is therefore concluded that based on these results the FESTOOL MDF planer set, with the same configuration as given in Appendix A, and in a similar condition to the test unit, could be used continuously over a normal working day with negligible health risk to the operator and other personnel in the vicinity. This conclusion is based on the proviso that the unit is maintained in accordance with the manufacturer s recommendations. 5

6 1. Introduction GHD Pty Ltd was engaged by Tooltechnic Systems (AUST) Pty Ltd to undertake an investigation of the airborne dust and formaldehyde vapour levels of the FESTOOL MDF planer set (see Appendix A) during planing of Medium Density Fibre (MDF) board at Quantum Close, Dandenong South. This assessment was conducted with respect to the requirements of the Occupational Health & Safety Act (Section 21, sub-section 4d). This report presents findings for the assessment of wood dust and formaldehyde content conducted by Kevin Morrison on the 9th September Objective The principal objective of this investigation was to determine the concentration of airborne wood dust and formaldehyde during the operation of the FESTOOL MDF planer set during planing of MDF boards. The information obtained from this monitoring will be used to assess the control measures required to minimise health risks due to exposure to wood dust and formaldehyde. 3. Methodology Dust measurements were taken in accordance with the Australian Standard, AS Workplace atmospheres Method for sampling and gravimetric determination of inspirable dust. Formaldehyde measurements were taken in accordance with National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH Method 254, Formaldehyde, NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods,

7 4. Glossary of Terms Exposure Standard - is an airborne, concentration of a particular substance in the worker's breathing zone, exposure to which, according to current knowledge, should not cause adverse health effects nor cause undue discomfort to nearly all workers. The exposure standard can be of three forms; time-weighted average (TWA), peak limitation, or short term exposure limit (STEL). TWA (Time-Weighted Average) - the average airborne concentration of a substance when calculated over a normal eight-hour working day, for a fiveday working week. STEL (Short Term Exposure Limit) - means a 15 minute TWA exposure which should not be exceeded at any time during a working day even if the eighthour TWA average is within the TWA exposure standard. Exposures at the STEL should not be longer than 15 minutes and should not be repeated more than four times per day. There should be at least 60 minutes between successive exposures at the STEL. Inspirable Dust - The fraction of dust that is able to be deposited anywhere in the respiratory system. This fraction of dust often referred to as nuisance dust. Respirable Dust - The fraction of dust that is able to be deposited in the lower regions of the lung. 7

8 5. Exposure Standard The exposure standards represent airborne concentrations of specific chemicals, which according to current research and development, should neither impair the health of nor cause undue discomfort to nearly all workers. The exposure standards do not represent no effect levels. They are to be used as guidelines only. Some workers may suffer adverse effects when exposed to concentrations well below the documented exposure standard. The exposure standards used are not fine dividing lines between satisfactory and unsatisfactory working conditions, but rather they are best used to assess the quality of the working environment and indicate where appropriate control measures are required. Not all chemicals used in industry have designated exposure standards. It is prudent to use any applicable Australian exposure standard when assessing whether an employee is at risk of ill-health due to exposure. If no Australian exposure standard is available, then an overseas exposure standard is usually used where applicable. Exposure standards are documented in the Worksafe Australia Standard Exposure Standards for Atmospheric Contaminants in the Occupational Environment, May The following exposure standards apply for substances in this report: MDF Dust (softwood) TWA - 5 mg/m3 (Worksafe Australia) STEL - 10 mg/m3 (Worksafe Australia) Formaldehyde TWA - 1 ppm (Worksafe Australia) STEL - 2 ppm (Worksafe Australia) 8

9 6. Results Table 1: Atmospheric Analysis for Softwood Dust Activity Sample type Sampling Time Wood Dust concentration Exposure Standard Planing of MDF particle board Personal 240 mins < 0.1 mg/m 3 5 mg/m 3 Table 2: Atmospheric Analysis for Formaldehyde Activity Sample type Sampling Time Formaldehyde concentration Exposure Standard Planing of MDF particle board Personal 240 mins < 0.1 ppm 1 ppm 9

10 7. Discussion The addition of formaldehyde in the manufacture of medium density fibre (MDF) particle board has been an occupational health and safety concern for a number of years. As such, best practice approaches have been adopted by industry in order to minimise the risks associated with possible exposure to formaldehyde gases. These have been endorsed by the Victorian Trades Hall Council and involve the wearing of coveralls, gloves and respirator for the protection against dust and fume; and the provision of a local exhaust system. The local exhaust system used in industry is generally an enclosed ventilation booth in order to enclose the process and isolate the operation from other employees in the area. The construction of the FESTOOL MDF planer set uses the same ventilation principles as described above, however, the ventilation system is integrated into the FESTOOL System with the exhaust located directly adjacent to the cutting blades. Therefore, the hazardous dust and fumes are captured at the point source where they are generated rather than in the transmission path of substance. Therefore, in theory this system should be more effective and significantly reduce the risk of the operator being exposed to elevated levels of contaminants. This theory was tested using the above monitoring regime. The results of the personal exposure monitoring of an operator continually planing MDF particle board for a period of four hours exhibited results below the detection limits of the analytical methods for both inspirable dust and formaldehyde. These results demonstrate that the FESTOOL MDF planer set, with the same configuration as given in Appendix A, and in a similar condition to the test unit, effectively captures the contaminants of concern at the location where they are being generated, and hence significantly reducing the risk of exposure to these contaminants. The use of the FESTOOL MDF planer set, with the same configuration as given in Appendix A, eliminates the requirement for the wearing of respiratory equipment and provision of a dedicated area within the workplace for the operation to be performed. It is noted that the FESTOOL MDF planer set is supplied with a HEPA filter within the dust extraction unit. The HEPA unit has been tested and approved under EN / IEC to meet the requirements of dust classified as category M (hazardous), which is required to have an efficiency of 99.9% in retaining dust particles. As with all equipment which contains filtering equipment, the filters shall be maintained as per the manufacturer s instructions to ensure the efficiency of the unit is maintained. 10

11 8. Conclusion Based on the above results, the FESTOOL MDF planer set, with the same configuration as given in Appendix A, and in a similar condition to the test unit, could be used continuously over a normal working day with negligible health risk to the operator and other personnel in the vicinity. This conclusion is based on the proviso that the unit is maintained in accordance with the manufacturer s recommendations. Appendix A FESTOOL MDF Planer Set Equipment Configuration The FESTOOL MDF Planer Set referred to in this report consisted of the following components during the time of assessment: 1 x EHL 65 E Plus 1 x CT 22 E AS 1 x 22mm Antistatic Extraction Hose 1 x MTF 800 Table 2 x FS 120 Clamps 11

12 GHD Pty Ltd ABN Level Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 T: (03) F: (03) E: melmail@ghd.com.au GHD Pty Ltd 2002 This document is and shall remain the property of GHD Pty Ltd. The document may only be used for the purposes for which it was commissioned and in accordance with the Terms of Engagement for the commission. Unauthorised use of this document in any form whatsoever is prohibited. Document Status Reviewer Approved for Issue Rev No Author Name Signature Name Signature 12

13 Report, to Tooltechnic Systems (AUST) Pty Ltd Quantum Close Dandenong South VIC 3175 Concerning the MDF DUST ASSESSMENT of FESTOOL MDF CUTTING SET Prepared by: ESP Environmental and Safety Professionals 8 Hall Street Newport, Vic., 3015 Telephone: (03) Facsimile: (03) March /12718/41606 FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set 13

14 Executive Summary ESP Environmental and Safety Professionals was engaged by Tooltechnic Systems (AUST) to undertake an investigation of the airborne dust levels of the FESTOOL MDF cutting set in operation at Tooltechnic Systems (Aust) P/L Dust measurements were taken in accordance with the Australian Standard, AS Workplace atmospheres Method for sampling and gravimetric determination of inspirable dust. Formaldehyde measurements were taken in accordance with National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH Method 254, Formaldehyde, NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods, The results of the personal exposure monitoring of an operator continually cutting MDF particleboard for a period of four hours exhibited results below the detection limits of the analytical methods for both inspirable dust and formaldehyde. It is therefore concluded that based on these results the FESTOOL MDF cutting set, with the same configuration as given in Attachment A, could be used continuously over a normal working day with negligible health risk to the operator and other personnel in the vicinity. This conclusion is based on the proviso that the unit is maintained in accordance with the manufacturer s recommendations. 31/12718/41606 FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set 14

15 1. Introduction ESP Environmental and Safety Professionals was engaged by Tooltechnic Systems (AUST) to undertake an investigation of the airborne dust and formaldehyde vapour levels of the FESTOOL MDF cutting set (see Attachment A) during cutting of Medium Density Fibre (MDF) board at Tooltechnic Systems (Aust) P/L. This assessment was conducted with respect to the requirements of the Occupational Health & Safety Act (Section 21, sub-section 4d). This report presents findings for the assessment of wood dust and formaldehyde content conducted by Kevin Morrison on the 9 th February Objective The principal objective of this investigation was to determine the concentration of airborne wood dust and formaldehyde during the operation of the FESTOOL MDF cutting set cutting MDF boards at Tooltechnic Systems (Aust) P/L. The information obtained from this monitoring will be used to assess the control measures required to minimise health risks due to exposure to wood dust and formaldehyde. 3. Methodology Dust measurements were taken in accordance with the Australian Standard, AS Workplace atmospheres Method for sampling and gravimetric determination of inspirable dust. Formaldehyde measurements were taken in accordance with National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH Method 254, Formaldehyde, NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods, /12718/41606 FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set 15

16 4. Glossary of Terms Exposure Standard - is an airborne, concentration of a particular substance in the worker's breathing zone, exposure to which, according to current knowledge, should not cause adverse health effects nor cause undue discomfort to nearly all workers. The exposure standard can be of three forms; time-weighted average (TWA), peak limitation, or short term exposure limit (STEL). TWA (Time-Weighted Average) - the average airborne concentration of a substance when calculated over a normal eight-hour working day, for a fiveday working week. STEL (Short Term Exposure Limit) - means a 15-minute TWA exposure that should not be exceeded at any time during a working day even if the eighthour TWA average is within the TWA exposure standard. Exposures at the STEL should not be longer than 15 minutes and should not be repeated more than four times per day. There should be at least 60 minutes between successive exposures at the STEL. Inspirable Dust - The fraction of dust that is able to be deposited anywhere in the respiratory system. This fraction of dust often referred to as nuisance dust. Respirable Dust - The fraction of dust that is able to be deposited in the lower regions of the lung. 5. Exposure Standard The exposure standards represent airborne concentrations of specific chemicals, which according to current research and development, should neither impair the health of nor cause undue discomfort to nearly all workers. The exposure standards do not represent no effect levels. They are to be used as guidelines only. Some workers may suffer adverse effects when exposed to concentrations well below the documented exposure standard. The exposure standards used are not fine dividing lines between satisfactory and unsatisfactory working conditions, but rather they are best used to assess the quality of the working environment and indicate where appropriate control measures are required. Not all chemicals used in industry have designated exposure standards. It is prudent to use any applicable Australian exposure standard when assessing whether an employee is at risk of ill-health due to exposure. If no Australian exposure standard is available, then an overseas exposure standard is usually used where applicable. 31/12718/41606 FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set 16

17 Exposure standards are documented in the Worksafe Australia Standard Exposure Standards for Atmospheric Contaminants in the Occupational Environment, May The following exposure standards apply for substances in this report: MDF Dust (softwood) Formaldehyde TWA - 5 mg/m3 (Worksafe Australia) STEL - 10 mg/m3 (Worksafe Australia) TWA - 1 ppm (Worksafe Australia) STEL - 2 ppm (Worksafe Australia) 6. Results Table 1: Atmospheric Analysis for Softwood Dust Activity Sample type Sampling Time (mins) Wood Dust concentration Exposure Standard Sawing of MDF particle board personal 240 < 0.1mg/m3 5 mg/m3 Table 2: Atmospheric Analysis for Formaldehyde Activity Sample type Sampling Time (mins) Formaldehyde concentration Exposure Standard Sawing of MDF particle board personal 240 < 0.1ppm 1 ppm 31/12718/41606 FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set 17

18 7. Discussion The addition of formaldehyde in the manufacture of medium density fibre (MDF) particle board has been an occupational health and safety concern for a number of years. As such, best practice approaches have been adopted by industry in order to minimise the risks associated with possible exposure to formaldehyde gases. These have been endorsed by the Trades Hall Council and involve the wearing of coveralls, gloves and respirator for the protection against dust and fume; and the provision of a local exhaust system. The local exhaust system used in industry is generally an enclosed ventilation booth in order to enclose the process and isolate the operation from other employees in the area. The construction of the FESTOOL MDF cutting set uses the same ventilation principles as described above, however, the ventilation system is integrated into the FESTOOL System with the exhaust located directly adjacent to the cutting blades. Therefore, the capture of the hazardous dust and fumes is captured at the point source where it is generated rather than in the transmission path of substance. Therefore, in theory this system should be more effective and significantly reduce the risk of the operator being exposed to elevated levels of contaminants. This theory was tested using the above monitoring regime. The results of the personal exposure monitoring of an operator continually cutting MDF particle board for a period of four hours exhibited results below the detection limits of the analytical methods for both inspirable dust and formaldehyde. These results demonstrate that the FESTOOL MDF cutting set, with the same configuration as given in Attachment A, effectively captures the contaminants of concern at the location where they are being generated, and hence significantly reducing the risk of exposure to these contaminants. The use of the FESTOOL MDF cutting set, with the same configuration as given in Attachment A, eliminates the requirement for the wearing of respiratory equipment and provision of a dedicated area within the workplace for the operation to be performed. 31/12718/41606 FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set 18

19 It is noted that the FESTOOL MDF cutting set is supplied with a HEPA filter within the dust extraction unit. The HEPA unit has been tested and approved under EN / IEC to meet the requirements of dust classified as category M (hazardous), which is required to have an efficiency of 99.9% in retaining dust particles. I accordance with all equipment which contains filtering equipment, the filters shall be maintained as per the manufacturer s instructions to ensure the efficiency of the unit is maintained. 8. Conclusion It is therefore concluded that based on these results the FESTOOL MDF cutting set, with the same configuration as given in Attachment A, could be used continuously over a normal working day with negligible health risk to the operator and other personnel in the vicinity. This conclusion is based on the proviso that the unit is maintained in accordance with the manufacturer s recommendations. Attachment A Configuration of the FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set The FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set consisted of the following components during the time of assessment referred to in this report: 1 x ATF 55 EB plunge cut saw 1 x FS 3000 guide rail 2 x FSZ x dust cover ABD-ATF 1 x Z 48 fine tooth blade 1 x 27mm 3,5 m anti static dust hose 1 x MFT 1080 work bench 1 x CT 33 E-AS dust extractor with standard filter and filter bag 31/12718/41606 FESTOOL MDF Cutting Set 19

20 distributed by Tooltechnic Systems (Aust) P/L Quantum Close Dandenong South 3175 Victoria Australia CAN ABN Tel: +61 (03) Fax: +61 (03)