Reduce Worker Exposure to Nickel Dust

Project ManagerTito Battung, EH&S

Project Team: Ed Guida, R&D

Tom Conrad, Sales

Anthony Zepeda, Operations

Ellen Clas, Quality

Project Proposal

• Local Exhaust Ventilation– Design– Installation

• Bob don’t want to die – a testimonial

What’s the Problem?

Excessive Nickel Dust in the Metal Sintering Process

– Employee concern– Regulatory pressure (OSHA visit)– Process hazard analysis of nickel exposure– Analyzed worker compensation costs and

recordable incident rate– Risk Assessment Process

Objectives

• Install a local exhaust ventilation system to reduce worker exposure to respirable nickel dust

• Assure that we remain a leader in industry by not killing our people

• Address Employee Concerns

EHS Strategy MapKey EHS

Opportunities

StakeholderInvolvement

Learning &Growth

EffectiveProcesses

EHS Strategy MapKey EHS

Opportunities

StakeholderInvolvement

Learning &Growth

EffectiveProcesses

Establish engineering controls to reduce nickel inhalation exposure in metal sintering

operation below PEL levels in 6 months

• EHS Personnel – air sampling – within 1 month

• air sampling – post installation

• test airflow - Post installation

•Engineering – Installation - within 5 months

- Develop P.M. schedule

•Engineering – Design – within 3 months

• EHS Personnel – Recommend and certify design - within 75 days

EH&S and Engineering – Area Assessment and Control – within 60 days

Engineering - Industrial Ventilation Review Training – within 1 month

Project Benefits

• Tangible– Lower WC costs

• Bob doesn’t die

• Intangible– Higher moral– Increased production– Reduction in potential

for OSHA and EPA citations

– Product quality improvement

Estimated Project Costs

Year Ventilation Training IH Support Total Costs1 200,000$ 1,720$ 12,000$ 213,720$ 2 17,140$ -$ 3,000$ 20,140$ 3 17,140$ -$ 1,500$ 18,640$ 4 -$

Total Costs = 252,500$

Estimated Savings

Year WC CLAIMS Savings 2 Savings 3 Total Savings1 50,000$ 50,000$ 2 25,000$ 25,000$ 3 12,500$ 12,500$ 4 -$

Total Saving = 87,500$

Financial Analysis

Present Value of Savings: PV(Savings)

$77,653

Net Present Value of Savings: NPV(Savings)

($152,300)

Payback Period: 7.3

Gross ROI (3 Years): 34%

Internal Rate of Return(x Years):

N.A.

Conclusions & Recommendations• Leader in Industry and Employer of Choice

• $252,500 over next 3 years– $213,720 over next 6 months

• Provide Healthy Work Environment by reducing exposure to nickel dust • Meet regulatory requirements