CHEMICAL TANK TESTING OF MODIFIED COMMERCIAL DMNG HEL\1 ETS AND DRESS by James Nash Test Engineer Mason & Hanger-Silas Mason Co., Inc. USEPA - Oil &: Hazardous Materials Simulation Environmental Test Tank Leonardo, New Jersey On37 Contract No. 6&-3-30.56 Test Director: J. Morgan Wells, Jr., P~O. Diving Program Office National Ocearuc and Atmo.sphenc Administration Rockville, Maryland 208j2 ft, ns e•;a•ta £r! . UGID \1 Project Ofiicer Richard P. Traver, P.E. Oil and Hazardous Materials Spills Branch Municipal Environmental Research Laboratory Edison, New Jersey 08837 MUNICIPAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY OFACE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT U.S. ENVIROl\'MENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CINCINNAn, OHIO 4.5268 • DISCLAIMER This report has been reviewed by the Oil c5c Hazardous Materials Spills Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency7 and approved for draft review. Approval does not signify the contents necessarily reflect the views and poUcies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products or companies conStinne endorsement or recommendation for use. ll FOREWORD 'The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was created because of increasing public and government concern a.boot the dangers of pollution to the health and welfare of the American people. Noxious air, foul water, and spoiled land are tragic testimonies to the deterioration of our natural environment. The complexity of that environment and the interplay of its components require a concentrated and integrat<ed attack on the problem. Research afld development is that necessary first step in problem solution; it involves def'ming the proble~ measuring its impact, and seatdilng for solutions. The Municipal .Environmental Research Laboratory develops new and improved technology and systems to prevent, treat, and manage wastewater and soUd and hazardous waste pollutant discharges from munjcipaJ and community sources; to preserve and treat public drinking water supplies; and to mJnlmize the adverse economic, social, health, and aesthetic effects oi poUution. Th.is publication is one of the products of that research and provides a most vitaJ commuruations link between 'the research and the user community. Under normal Agency surveillance and analysis activities, the acquisition of bottom samples and biota ln polluted waterways foe research purpose, Section 311 of the Oean Water Act and now under the Comprehensive Environmental Re~~ Compensation and Uabillty Act {Superfund), governmental personnel from the US~ Coast Guard Strike Teams. National Oceanic & Atmospheric 1\dmioistration (NOAA) and the Navy are required to perfonn worl< functions in hazardously contaminated underwater environments. This r~ presents the results of controlled field evaluation of modified c:ommercia.J diving dress and helmets at t.he EPA-Oil & Hazanlous MaterlaJ Spill Environmental Test Tank (OHMSETT). The recommendations of this report will assist operationaJ diving personnel assess the capabilities of modified commercial gear for hazardous underwater environments. Francis T. Mayo Director Municipal Environmental Research Laboratory Cinclnnati, Ohio 4.5263 ill ,. TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Disclaimer ......... ii Foreword • .. .._. .. .. .. .. ·• . .. .... ill Acknowledgement ................ .... ._ .. ........ vli Introduction ......................................................... 1 Condusions and Recommendations .... .. ...- ., • • • • . • . • • . • . • . • • • . • . 4 CDnclwri~ ••• • •• • • •• ••• • . ............... _. ... Reeommenda tion~ •••• Test Equipment and Procedu:r~ . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ...... 7 Tank Setup ••.•• 7 Evaluation Setup ... 1 Test Procedures . "' ..... ' .. ... ........ 10 Test Results .......... -· ............................................ 24 Test C>bservations • •••• •••.••• ........ 24 Laboratory Ammonia Analysis 24 Dye Detected . ..- .- ......... ... ....... .... v References ... ........ .. .- ......... ...................................... 31 Appendix A. Preliminary Laboratory Studies .................................... 32 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Tank and pJatform test set-up 8 2 PJarl view of test layOllt . .... ........_ •• • ••• ~ .. • • • • • • • .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • l2 3 The diver is being assisted putting on a dry suit •.•• ••.. • ••••• . .••.••• ,. • 15 fl. The HeJ.max helrne't is positloned ag.inst the mounting flange, creating an airtight fit •• •• • •••. • • • • • " . ... .. ltl . • • • ... • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • l6 5 The dive!' shown here is wearing a eha.ting covetall over his dry suit to prevent abrasion to the suit. • • • • . • • . • . • • . • . • • • • . • • . • • . • 17 6 Wim full gear, and connected to an umbilicaJ, the diver tests the integrity oi hls suit for leaks in the 3.8 mJ (1,000 gal) fresh water tank before entering the ammonia hazardous tank • • • . • • • • • . • • . • • 18 7 Wh.ile in the hazardous ammonia tank, a three-man surface support team is responsible for the divers well bemg •• • . • ••• •• • •••• • •• . r . • • • • • 19 Following the completion of the dive, the suit is thoroughly dect(Wl"ta..m.in.a 'te'd Ill Ill Ill I Ill Ill .. Ill Ill Ill e Ill Ill Ill .. Ill II Ill Ill e Ill Ill e e • Ill Ill e Ill e e I Ill Ill Ill ,.- • Ill I Ill e • e e e e I e a • 2 0 9 The cotton sampler is taken from the helmet •• •• • • • • • • •••• ~ • • • • • • • • • • • 21 10 A second cotton swab is used to wipe the ring wftere the helmet joins 'the suit . ....... ... .- • •• -. ...... ., ..- . .- • • . ""' . .. ... ..- . • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • 21 11 The diving dress is removed to allow inspection of the body stoc:k.ing under ultraviolet light • • • . • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • . • • • . • • • • • 22 12 No dye was detected on any of the .suits . • .. • . • • . • . • . • • . • • . • . 22 13 The interior of the helmet, especially in and around exhaust valve, was checked under the ultraviolet fight for any traces of dy·e • • • . .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ._ • • • • • • • • .. • • • . • • • • • • • • • • .. • • •. • • 2.3 v , LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Pre-Test and Post-Test Observation Summary • . • • • . • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 25 2 Ammonia Detected During the Test Program Using a Modified Ha.ch Proc:-edure . ..... ._ . .. .. • ... .. 27 3 Diving Suit Leakage Evaluation Absorption Cotton Swab Samples • . • • . • • 29 tf Diving Suits Leak Test Sampling • ••• •• •• . ••• . • • •• ••.•••• . ••.. .• •• r • • 30 Vl ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Th~ assistance, advice and comment's of th~ EPA ProJect Officer, Richard P. Traver of th~ Oil & Hazardous Materials Spills Branch, Edison, N~w Jersey have been of great value m coordinating the fi~ld evaluation program and the pr~paration of this r~port. Or. J. Morgan Wells, Jr., Director of the National Oceanic & AtmOspheric Administration Diving Office was instrum~ntaJ in the pr~paration of the vanous modifi~d diving dresses and helmets. Specla.J thanks and recognition is mad~ of all the following personnel, who without th~i.r help and assistance this evaJuation program would not have been such a succ~ss . USEPA U.S. Coast Guard Anthony Brown l t. Micha~l Carr St~~ Magaro ~ NOAA Richard A. Ramey Cli1f Newell Lt. Paul P~gnato Mason & Hang~ St~ve Uzich Kevin Corradino Art Francis Gordon SaJdwin Viking Technical Rubber Rob Dickson Richard Zaho miak Annihal Diaz Saf~ty Sea Systems Dave Knapp George Wym~r Ang i ~ K~man U.S. Congress- Committee on Public Works & Transporation Caroline D. Gabel vii SECTION! INTRooucnoN Between the years of 1977-1,81, 64,609 spills of petroleum products, hazardous materials and other miscellaneou$ substances were reported to the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Marine Environment and Systems (see reference 1). This represents a total of 75.6 x 10° gallons of material reJeases into navigable waterways alone: From l97Cf to 1911, IJ5CI sp~or release incidents were reponed involving 20.9 x 1 o6 pounds of dry hazardous and other substances. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic and Aunospheric Administration (NOAA), Navy and U.S. Coast Guard engage In activities which require personnel to perform work tasks oi hazardously contaminated under­ water environments. Because of inadequate protection and understanding in hazard assessment, many diving personnel have suffered aOJte injuries (see reference 2). NOAA has extensive involvement and expertise in underwater diving. NOAA's activities include production of the NOAA Diving Manual, the development of certification standards, and the operation of a diver certification training program for civilian government divers. NOAA divers have participated in numerous research programs that involved diving in waters infested with pathogenic microorganisms. To pro1"ect its divers against these mlcrooTganisms, procedures and equipment were modified or developed, and then tested. NOAA's experience in the development of Page 1 of 47 19&3 No degree of static laboratory test will be adequate to determine the effectiveness of suit and helmet modifications. Acrual diver opera~ions are necessary to test equipment changes. This is due to the various compJexit ies of body movements and '~"m-water" positions during underwater work tasks. Seals and position straps can easily become weakened through strenuous diving operations, thereby allowing contaminated leakage. Many diving tanks exist in the various governmental agencies which serve as training sites for new divers. However, none of these installations are capable of receiving