Evaluation of a local exhaust system used in the manufacture of small parts made of reinforced plastic.

Fiber-reinforced plastics are used to manufacture a large variety of products, particularly for the transportation sector. Hand lay-up molding and projection molding are the main methods of manufacture. The users of these processes are exposed to appreciable emissions of styrene; in Quebec, more than 3000 workers work in this industry. A statistical analysis of styrene concentrations measured over a five-year period by the Institut de recherche en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST, Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute) reveals that for all of the main manufacturing sectors involved, between 40 percent and 78 percent of the results exceed the exposure standard of 50 ppm. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a ventilated table in controlling worker exposure to styrene and acetone in a shop that manufactures fiber-reinforced plastics parts. The evaluated local extraction system consists of a ventilated table with a surface area of 1.2 m x 1.2 m. During molding, the styrene emissions are exhausted through the ventilated table as well as through the slots in a lateral hood. Replacement air, introduced vertically through a supply air shower located above the worker, limits the diffusion of contaminants toward the worker's breathing zone. The reduction in worker exposure to styrene and acetone during hand lay-up molding was measured in the breathing zone for two sizes of molds. The results show that exhaust ventilation reduced the styrene concentrations by 91 percent and that the introduction of replacement air increased the efficiency of the ventilated table to 96 percent. The evaluation performed indicates that the ventilated table adequately controls worker exposure to styrene and acetone during the molding of small components.