Cal/OSHA and DHS “Flavor Industry Safety and Health Evaluation Program” (FISHEP)

1. Cal/OSHA and DHS “Flavor Industry Safety and Health Evaluation Program” (FISHEP) Kelly Howard, CIH Senior Industrial Hygienist Cal/OSHA Consultation Service Division of Occupational Safety and Health

2. FISHEP • 1st case of BO in 2004; 2nd in 2006 • Inspections, citations, and special orders • FISHEP initiated in early 2005 • Additional 28 companies identified as formulators • No popcorn makers • Consultation or Enforcement • DHS HESIS fact sheet California

3. Food Flavoring • Couple thousand food “production” companies • 28 food “flavoring” companies • Flavors are used in everything • Diacetyl (2,3-butanedione) is a natural ingredient in beer, milk, bay oil, and other foods California

4. What is a flavor? • Break apart a strawberry and you get 400-500 ingredients • Reverse engineer it with 20-30 to make up the core “strawberry” flavor, such as: Diacetyl Acetic acid Acetaldehyde Acetoin Proprionic acid Methyl butyric acid Formic acid Ethyl acetate Iso amyl acetate Benzaldehyde Butyl acetate Etc.

5. Where does diacetyl come in? • Butter • Diacetyl is what imparts butter flavor, along with other things, like acetoin • “creaminess” • Cream strawberry flavor • “Cheese cake” • Butterscotch • Chocolate

6. FISHEP Focus • Onsite evaluations at all 28 • IIPP • HazCom • Respirator Protection • Annual ingredient use • Employee ingredient exposure assessment • Ventilation • Medical screening • Follow-up California

7. Formulation Process • Hundreds of ingredients • Never the same thing two days in a row • High variability in tasks in any given day • Production vs. Batch process California

8. 4 - 40 ingredients 20 - 180 minutes <1 lb to 2000 lbs of diacetyl per year A couple of ounces to 50 lbs of diacetyl in a batch 1-2 flavors per employee in a week, to 4-5 flavors per employee per day Powder vs. Liquid product Batch ticket developed Collect ingredients Weight/mix Transfer Ethanol PGA Water Package Formulation Process California

9. Exposure Assessment Issues • Adequate minimum quantification levels • Personal acute, chronic and area samples equally important • Limited direct-read capabilities • Big-time interferences California

10. Issues • High degree of unknown • “FEMA Priority” ingredients • >2000 ingredients • 34 high priority • 14 with PELs • Additional 2 with RELs • Additional 4 with WEELs • 42% without any known safe exposure levels • Additive/synergistic effects?

11. Issues • Use of markers to estimate overall exposures • Acetoin • Acetic acid • Benzaldehyde • Acetaldehyde When do you think you’ve adequately assessed overall employee exposures? California

12. Issues • Respirators • Employees not clean shaven • Subjective fit-testing • Insufficient filter change schedules • Hazard communication • “been doing this for years” • Employee medical removal • What is “removal”? • Definitive vs. ambiguous measures California

13. Typical Diacetyl Exposure Levels • Direct reading peaks: 107-590 PPM • OBZ STEL • Liquids: <0.13-38.6 PPM • Powders: 0.91-3.8 PPM • OBZ Process Averages • Liquids: <0.017-8 PPM • Powders: 1.1-5 PPM California

14. FISHEP Exposure Control • Respirators • Full-face, quantitative fit-test • Filter change-out schedule • Work-practices • Heating • Hot water • Compressed air • Enclosure • Ventilation • Dilution • Room isolation • Local ventilation • Vessel size variety