ML20128C163

Discusses Re Nonconformances W/Mine Safety Appliances Co Ultraview & Ultratwin negative-pressure Facepieces

ML20128C163
Person / Time
Site:	Trojan File:Portland General Electric icon.png
Issue date:	08/20/1992
From:	Metzler R WEST VIRGINIA, STATE OF
To:	Liza Cunningham NRC
Shared Package
ML20127C442	List: ML20127C438 ML20128C123 ML20128C163
References
TN-06205, TN-6205, NUDOCS 9302030331
Download: ML20128C163 (4)

Text

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National Institute for Occupational .=

Safety and Health - ALOSH ? .

944 Chestnut Ridge Road Morgantown, W\' 26505-2888 i August 20,f1992:

Mr. LeMoine J.-Cunningham United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission-Washington, D. C. 20555 Dear Mr. Cunningh'am The National Institute _for Occupational Safety'and Health. .

(NIOSH) has: received your. letter of August 12, 1992,-

concerning nonconformances with Mine Safety Appliances Company

-(MSA)_Ultraview~and Ultratwin negative-pressure facepieces. .

The investigation of-these reported nonconformances.has been-assigned NIOSH Task Number TN-06205. Mr. Jeffrey L. Gutshall--

of MSA-has been contacted, and NIOSH awaits the. manufacturer's report of investigation-concernir.g this matter. You.will bel kept informed of the developments.concerning this investigation.

If NIOSH can be of further assistance, feel free-..to contact this--

office.

Sincerel'y ' yours , .

j [y-Richard'W. Metzlor, Chief certification and-Quality -

. Assurance' . Branch-

-Division of4 Safety Research

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Reference:

TN-06205

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/\ / ', centm for Disene control National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - ALOSH 944 Chestnut Ridge Road Morgantown, WV 26505-2888 y August 31, 1992 Mr. Jeffrey L. Gutshall Mine Safety Appliances company P.O. Box 439 '

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230

Dear Mr. Gutshall:

The National Institute for occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has received a report of nonconformances with the MSA Ultraview and Ultratwin negative-pressure facepieces. These nonconformances reportedly involve microphones and filter _ gaskets.being installed upside down, a missing inhalation-valve disc, and improperly installed lens rings.

These nonconformances have been reported to NIOSH by Mr. LeMoine J. Cunningham of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. A copy of the letter initiating this investigation is enclosed.

The investigation and ultimate resolution of this nonconformance investigation have been assigned NIOSH Task Number TN-06205. The' MSA report'of investigation and proposed corrective action, if any, should be submitted by September 18, 1992. Special. ,

consideration should be given to Mr. Cunningham's concern about notifying other. users of the need to closely inspect their_own respiratorn for similar nonconformances.

'Please provide this office with a list of all.model and-certification numbers involved in'this investigation.

Sincerely yours, Lk ...a ,h ichard W. Metzler, Chief Certification and Quality Assurance Branch Division of Safety Research Enclosure oc:

L. Cunningham (NRC)

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.. A Mine Safety Appliances Cornpany

• Safety Products Engineering

• PO, Box 439

• Pittsburgh, PA 15230 Telephone:(412) 776 7700 werrta s osaact einic

.(412) 776 7740 September 17,1992 Mr. Richard Met. der Certification Branch NIOSH 944 Chestnut Ridge Road .

Morgantown, WV 26505 RE: Reported MSA Facepiece Problems TN-06205 MSA REF: NP92-48

. Dcar Mr. Metzler:

This is in response to your letter dated August 31,1992.

MSA was ms.de aware of this problem through our field representative. A subsequent investigation confirmed that these respirators were not representative of the quality our customers .-

have come to expect from MSA. The subject respirators were repaired and returned to the customer.

These respirators cre not stocked equipped with a communications package. This is usually added by the user through the use of a kit. In this instance, a number of respirators were supplied so equipped through a special order. '

The positioning of the microphone can be changed by the user to suit preference. If, however,-

the microphone is in the lower quadrant of the facepiece, it can interfere with~our DOP testL fixturing. This is why it is shown in the 12:00 position on the drawing. Any other position is.

user determined and is cosmetic.

Our information confirms this problem is isolated to this special order. - It is conceivable lthat -

some of these escaped normal Q.C. inspection.  % _ . _ _

!- The lens ring assembly procedures, as well as the valve, gasketing and other installations are l_ monitored by each worker in the work cell. Furtherinore, each facepiece is normally 100% DOP '

inspected and random post production samples are removed and inspected.. Q.C. has been alerted 7

to this problem and has reviewed the inspection procedures with production personnel.

l-l LOCATION: Walden Road-Cranberry Twp.

• Mars, PA 16046

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MSA sold over 50,000 Ultra-Twin respirators in 1991, husands have been sold to commercial

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~ nuclear users. : A greater number were purchased by the D.O.E. No other problems have been .

. reported. This confirms _the finding at Trojan that a 100% inspection of their stock found.not other defective respirators.

MSA is convinced that this is not a generic problem with our products. Our internal review, the-customer review,- as well as a review of field experience confirm'this as an isolated incident. - t If you have any questions, please contact me.

Sincereiy,:

Jeffrey L. Outshall

. Design Engineer, .

Government Relations .

Safety Products Division-JLG:Ib 3

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Reference:

TN-06205 Centers for. Disease Control National institute for Occupational Safety and Health - ALOSH 944 Chestnut Ridge Road UNolSOY3 BIN Mr. LeMoine J. Cunningham, Chief Radiation protection Branch Division of Radiation' protection and Emergency preparedness Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Mr. Cunningham:

This letter is in response to your request that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigate respirator nonconformances. The complaint involved-Mine Safety Appliances, company (MSA) full face negative-pressure respirators. The concerns include:

improperly installed' microphones, filter gaskets, lens rings, and distorted rubber around the lens ring. This investigation involved both Ultra Twin and Ultra View facepieces.

After investigating these nonconformances,,"'HSA believes 1that these problems are restricted to aisp_ecial orderiprepared for one customer (copy enclosed). No similar problems"havh'bi6h~

reported to NIOSH or MSA. The existing data does not support the hypothesis that a generic defect is present in MSA facepieces. A user notice will.not.be issued by MSA at-this time. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission could certainly issue a notice to the nuclear industry if it is deemed necessary.

The importance of following approved quality control procedures during manufacture is being reinforced to MSA by NIOSH.

It is the conclusion of NIOSH that satisfactory progress has been made toward the resolution of this problem. Task Number-

-06 be considered closed.

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- Thank':you for reporting this problem'to:NIOSH.--.Any-future problems with' certified respirators.should-be reported to.this; '

office. , >

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Sincerely yours, ',--

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W. Netzler, Chief:

Certification!and Quality. ..

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Mine Safety Appliances Company

• P.O. Box 426

• Pittsburgh, PA 15230 Tilephone:(4t2)967 3000 Writers Direct Dial No.

December 11,1992 LeMoine L Cunningham, Chief 't ; -

Radiation Protection Branch Division of Radiation Safety and Safeguards Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mail Stop 10D4 Washington, D.C. 20555 RE: Reported Respirator Problems at Trojan Nuclear .

Dest Mr. Cunningham: '

This is in response to our phone conve:sation of December 9,1992. ,

You are in receipt of our letter of September 17,1992, to NIOSH outlining the respirator problems at Trojan Nuclear. The problems encouraered at Trojan centered on some special '

orders from MSA. As stated in that letter, we have had no other similar problems with the over 50,000 Ultra-Twin respirators sold in 1991 or any others sold to date in 1992c. We consider this to be an isolated incident arid are convinced that this not a generic problem with our products . .

To prevent any reoccurrence of this type of problem, we have reviewed our inspectien procedures-for special material with our production personnel.' We reinforced the importance of follow lng established manufacturing and inspection procedures. We have also taken steps necessary to reduce occurrence of this type problem and I am confident we have been successful, f,

1 If you have any question, please contact me .

Sincerely, .

Product Line Mgr.

cc: Jeff Gutshall -

. Ron Herring  !

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