Dioxin registry report: walk-through survey of pentachlorophenol production facility at Vulcan Materials Company, Chemical Division, Wichita, Kansas

A walkthrough survey of the pentachlorophenol (PCP) production facility at Vulcan Materials Company, Wichita, Kansas, August 1983 was conducted. The purpose of the survey was to determine if the PCP workers should be included in the Dioxin Registry. Breathing-zone and environmental samples were analyzed for PCP, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). All PCP concentrations were below the OSHA standard of 0.5 milligram per cubic meter. Breathing zone PCDDs concentrations ranged from less than 0.008 to 1,067 nanograms per cubic meter. Bulk samples contained up to 893 micrograms per gram (microg/g) PCDDs and up to 12.7 microg/g PCDFs. The personnel department maintained files for all current and approximately 1,800 terminated employees. Medical files existed for terminated employees back to 1976. The company had a medical surveillance program for all employees provided by an outside contractor and employed a full time nurse. The facility had a well organized safety program. There was a formal set of general safety rules for the entire facility and a set of specific safety rules for each department. The authors conclude that the PCP workers at the facility should be included in the Dioxin Registry.