ASTM International Practice for Foundries Provides Safety Requirements

A new standard developed by ASTM International Committee E34 on Occupational Health and Safety will provide foundries with a comprehensive set of safety requirements. The standard, E 2349, Practice for Safety Requirements in Metal Casting Operations: Sand Preparation, Molding, and Core Marking; Melting and Pouring; and Cleaning and Finishing, is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee E34.20 on Foundry Safety and Health.

 

The origins of Practice E 2349 stretch back to 1972, when the American Foundry Society developed three ANSI standards for foundries. These standards address special hazards and controls unique to the foundry industry, particularly in the areas of sand preparation, molding and core making; melting and pouring metal; and cleaning and finishing of castings. These three standards have now been combined to create E 2349.

 

"ASTM International offers a cost-effective approach for producing consensus standards for the foundry industry," says Tom Slavin, manager, occupational safety and health, International Truck and Engine Corporation. The three standards were therefore combined into one ASTM document.

 

"The primary users of E 2349 will be the foundries, as well as service and equipment suppliers to foundries," says Slavin. He also notes that the standard will also help those who are not familiar with the industry (for example, auditors and regulators) to know what controls are appropriate, essential and good practice, as well as to know which are unnecessary, counterproductive or hazardous.

 

Slavin notes that ASTM International will be offering a Web conference tutorial on E 2349 to explain it and answer questions about it. Foundries are particularly encouraged to participate and will receive a copy of the standard for doing so. For more information on the tutorial, contact Fred Kohloff, American Foundry Society, or Kevin Shanahan, ASTM International.

 

ASTM standards are available from Customer Service (phone: 610/832-9585; https://www.astm.org/contact) or www.astm.org.

 

For further technical information, contact Tom Slavin, manager, occupational safety and health, International Truck and Engine Corporation, Warrenville, Ill. (phone: 312/836-3929; Tom.Slavin@Nav-International.com); Fred Kohloff, American Foundry Society, Schaumburg, Ill. (phone: 847/824-0181; fhk@afsinc.org). Committee E34 meets Oct. 19, in Dallas, Texas. For membership or meeting details, contact Kevin Shanahan, ASTM International (phone: 610/832-9737; kshanaha@astm.org).

 

Release #7189

Committee
E34
July 1, 2005