Exhaust gas system - Risk of hexavalent chromium residue”

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JK
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Exhaust gas system - Risk of hexavalent chromium residue”

Post by JK »

Wärtsilä has published a bulletin titled: “Exhaust gas system - Risk of hexavalent chromium residue” that says there is risk of exposure to Cr(VI) residue, that is greatest when completing hot work (welding, burning and grinding) on exhaust system components containing stainless steel or chromium metals, and all safety precautions as outlined in the Wärtsilä Instructions / service bulletin must be adhere to.

Prior to completing maintenance of any nature on exhaust system components, a swab test for identifying if Cr(VI) is present must be completed.
Cr(VI) test kits can be ordered using the part number PABA153190 as outlined in the Wärtsilä Instructions (service bulletin).

A positive Cr(VI) test result requires the implementation of controls that include:

precautionary measures such as safe work instructions, as outlined in section 4 of the service bulletin must be followed.
appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) where work must be performed that may expose employees to hazardous materials such as Cr(VI) residue, as outlined in section 6 of the service bulletin
restriction of access to work areas allowing only personnel wearing the appropriate PPE
implementation of hygiene measures related to the wearing of PPE, such as frequent wet cleaning, to ensure that dust does not migrate beyond the work area
Also, the following corrective measure must be undertaken by CCG employees to minimize risk of exposure and prevention of any formations of Cr(VI) residue:

A high temperature anti-seize compound that does not contain any calcium compounds must be used in the exhaust system. Wärtsilä recommends a product such as Klüber Paste HEL 46–450.

Further info can be seen here:

https://www.energy-uk.org.uk/files/docs ... ummary.pdf

https://etn.global/news-and-events/news ... alth-risk/

TBH, this bulletin made me sick to my stomach to read. I'm sorry I can't find a copy of the bulletin, only second hand info. Be safe out there fellows and do some research on this one.
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Re: Exhaust gas system - Risk of hexavalent chromium residue”

Post by Merlyn »

Now they tell me.
Conclusion?
After giving the matter serious thought I conclude that I have Chromium plated lungs ( non turbo ) and as such will last forever.
( and a day )
First exhaust 1960 to date.
Still running.
Remembering The Good Old days, when Chiefs stood watches and all Torque settings were F.T.
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Re: Exhaust gas system - Risk of hexavalent chromium residue”

Post by JK »

Well that is good to know. It felt like another spike in the coffin for me!
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Re: Exhaust gas system - Risk of hexavalent chromium residue”

Post by Merlyn »

You are not off the hook yet JK
What about that ball pein hammer?
You know the one.
That toffee hammer.
All that tapping when you were starting out.
Klinkerite and all those asbestos steam joints being cut.
Asbestos.
That bulkhead stop to the main throttle valve cladding on that old up and downer you worked on.
Never mind the round and rounders jobby, they were the worst.

I can picture the scene viz;
Just before the 3 am call the nightmare begins with the grim reaper appearing through the thick fog towards you.
But this is not that thick pea souper of old London fog it's that asbestos thick fog whereby the labourers are furiously hacking off the pipe asbestos cladding in the engine room where you are working.
As he appears thro' the fog you observe he is not carrying his usual Scythe but a ballpoint toffee hammer.
You are now aware of who the target is.
Sure enough as he nears you observe a badge he wears with your name on it.
Just when he raises his arm to strike the fog cloud gets really intense and all you can see is the business end of the hammer.
The ball Pein.
Shocked into awakeness you now realise what a narrow escape you have had re the reversal to your work past and all those happy hours tapping and cutting out those asbestos joints ( and fitting them ) ( and scraping off the old ones )
Had you been a baker then none of this would have happened.
So tonight you have escaped the Reaper but fear ye not there is always tomorrow night.
The moral of the story is to date, despite being exposed big time to this asbestos ( certainly in my case ) the grim reaper awaits and it may well be we may not indeed die from that old common death factor.
Lack of affection that is.
Till then keep on running on all six.
Sleep well.
Remembering The Good Old days, when Chiefs stood watches and all Torque settings were F.T.
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Re: Exhaust gas system - Risk of hexavalent chromium residue”

Post by Big Pete »

And what about the bronze tools used on Oil Tankers that didn't produce an incendive spark when dropped or hit??
Hardened with Beryllium if I remember correctly, so you could make functional Hammers, Chisels and spanners out of it, always disappearing because of their high scrap value, hugely expensive to buy, but a legal requirement on tankers.
Then they found beryllium is absorbed through the skin and very toxic, suddenly it was discovered that normal steel tools were perfectly safe after all!

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Re: Exhaust gas system - Risk of hexavalent chromium residue”

Post by Merlyn »

Well that's another one on my horror list.
I well remember turning Beryllium in my first apprenticeship year back in 1960
Turned up ten Beryllium valve spindles, never knew who they were for, it was a outside job.
They were quite long, about three eights diameter and full of different radius about nine inches long.
No seats to be faced off so maybe gate valve configuration.
Workshop manager told me that as I had done such a good job our firm had the contract for five hundred, these ten were a test case.
Now I didn't join up to do production engineering, hated it so managed to get out of the job by setting up another apprentice to do it and went back into the fitting shop.
However like the Carbide light, the Tufnel bushes the Beryllium maching that smell will stay with me forever and if you blindfolded me and put it under my nose I still reckon I would reckonise it even after 55 years.
Never knew the Beryllium was not good for you but back then Carbon Tec. was a good degreaser together with all the other nasties in use daily.
Never mind the beer.

Once again a very rememerable smell, like those old carbide lights
Remembering The Good Old days, when Chiefs stood watches and all Torque settings were F.T.
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