Document 01KkGLQ07NdMKjOe7wZX5vmn

PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT BRK-128 $ tojrtficf,v** cannuk* ONQ)QtM*f. oNmsKcwn amVoMCnimy amo) hctioqcm 246N HlgnSI.Col.O 4J2t5 -S>January 26, 1988 Legal section Industrial Commission of Ohio 246 North High street Columbus, Ohio 43215 Attention: Judy Spencer RE: OD28445-22 Calvin Edler BOC Lordstown Assembly jKjiiwusalsKQtbrs corp^ P.0 BOX 1406 warren, Ohio 44482 D^ar Ms. Spencer: On October 16, 1937 a visit was made to the BOC General Motors Assembly Plant m Lordstown, Ohio in an effort to gather industrial hygiene information relative to the above cited occupa tional disease claim. It was noticed that the claimants name was misspelled in the claim file. The claimant and the company sp*ll his name Edler not Elder. The claimant alleges that his medically diagnosed rondi**i~n of sore throat, vomiting, dizziness, headaches and loss of apperirwas caused by exposure to fumes from automotive carpets, gasoline, transmission fluid and windshield washer fluid. The claimant's work history with General Motors was provided by the company and is detailed in Table 1. The relevant period seems to.be from March 12, 1986 to July 1, 1986. On March 12 the claimant was transferred to a Job as assembler on the chassis final line of the passenger plant, within one month he was complaining of a sore throat. By July 1, 1986 when he took sick leave, the claimant was complaining of sore throat, vomiting, dizziness, headaches and loss of appetite. His job consisted of climbing into the back seat of each car and securing the front seat to the body. y 'k 't-*- OD28445-22, Calvin Edler, General Motors Corp. Page 2 There was concern that, residual vapors from the 1,1, l-trichloro ethane solvent used in the manufacture of the automotive carpet was being released. Other components of the carpet should no1- be volatile according to the material safety data sheets in the facsimile file. The carpets are shipped to the Lordstown planand placed into the cars approximately three to four hours before the claimant worked on those cars. All four samples obtained by the company for 1,1,1-trichloroethane on March 24, 1987 showed "none detected" in the air. Of course, one day's sampling does not mean that the airborne concentration is that low every day. The symptoms of exposure to 1,1,1-trichloroethane are primarily that, of anesthesia. Exposure of animals at high concentrations , for a long period of time has caused some liver and lung changes.1 Extensive testing and human experience indicate that 1,1, i-trich1 -ro ethane is probably the least toxic of the chlorinated solvents." The claimant alleged that the carpets were releasing formal dehyde vapors also. According to the carpet manufacturer, J.P. Stevens ^ Co., Inc., no formaldehyde or formaldehyde products were used m their automotive carpet. After the cars left Mr. Edler's work area, a small amount of gasoline and windshield washer fluid was added to the cars. The "ransmission was filled with transmission fluid. A one foot deep and one foot wide drain covered with a metal grating ran the length of this area. A constant stream of water moved through -he drain to wash away any spills. This fluid filling area was approximately 50 feet from the claimant's work area. The dram, sloped away from the area where the claimant, worked sc that any spill; were carried away from him. The company t.ook two air samples on two occasions to quant i-ate the concentration of gasoline in air at the filling area. 'r April 24, 1988 the results were none detectec and 87- parts of gasoline per million parts of air (ppm). On June 24, 1988 fcoM samples revealed a concentration of none detected. These samples wer<=> all taken during the claimant's tenure installing sear?, t-inng the investigation, the employee filling gasoline tanks asked how often spills occur. During her two years at -hat a-ation -he cotid recall only two sizable gasoline spills, mfluid? were observed or. the floor during the investigation. Gasoline act.? generally as an anesthetic and mucous membrar.* irritant. Inhalation is the most important route of orcupar mn-a! entry. The most common symptoms of excessive gasglir.e vapors are headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, and nausea.'' "Reported responses to gasolin vapors are: 160-270 ppm causes eye and throat irritation in several hours; 500-900 ppm causes eve, nose and throat irritation, and dizziness in one hour; and 20Qh ppm produces mild anesthesia in 30 minutes." Inhalation during hulk handling.of gasoline has not produced any measurable physiologic a 1 e t fects. ..`V *.*"<**. -/ . .'S'. <* Vj.'r'- v'a/'\ S-J - - 'v ' 3 OD28445-22, Calvin Edler, General Motors Corp. Page 3 The company has not sampled the air for transmission fluid. In general, lubricating oils have a low order of toxicity although it. is conceivable certain additives may have a greater toxicity than the oil. The skin is usually the target organ of lubricating oils and additives. Since the volatility of these additives is usually low and they are not sprayed into the air, the airborne concentration is probably low. The windshield washer fluid is a mixture of 60% water and 40% methanol. The claimant was exposed to unknown concentrations of methanol, chronic poisoning from exposure to methanol vapor may cause conjunctivitis, headache, giddiness, insomnia, gastric disturbances and failure of vision. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health the signs and symptoms most characteristic of methanol poisoning are visual disturbances and metabolic acidosis. Sincerely, Gary Swinehart Industrial Hygienist OD28445-22, Calvin Edler, General Motors Corp. Page 4 Table 1. work history for Calvin Edler at Lordstown Assembly. Date 9/18/84 9/19/84 10/05/84 5/02/85 9/18/85 1/08/86 1/27/86 2/17/86 3/12/86 7/01/86 7/28/86 9/25/86 5/26/87 6/08/87 6/09/87 8/24/87 Plant Area Job Van plant chassis assembler van plant body shop spotwelder Laid off van plant chassis assembler Car plant body shop spotwelder Laid off Car plant chassis, final line assembler Car plant body shop spotwelder Car plant chassis, final line assembler sick leave Fehired Laid off Rehired van plant body shop assembler Change of classification replacement Entry to job bank 5 OD28445-22, Calvin Edler, General Motors Corp. Page 5 References 1. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, p. 382, 1986. 2. Torkelson, T.R. and V.K. Rowe, "Halogenated Aliphatic Hydro carbons", in Patty's Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, 3rd Edition, Eds. G. Clayton and F. Clayton, vol. 2B, John Wiley * Sons, New York, p. 3503, 1981. 3. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, p. 283, 1986. 4. Sandmeyer, E.E., "Aromatic Hydrocarbons", in Patty's industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, 3rd Edition, Eds. G. Clayton and F. Clayton, vol.2B, John Wiley & Sons, New York, p. 3385, 1981. 6. Eckardt, R.E., "Petroleum and Petroleum Products," Encyclopaedia of occupational Health and Safety, International Labor office, Geneva, p. 1652, 1983. 6. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, p. 372, 1986. RECORDS CERTIFICATION I, Che undersigned, an employee of Che Bureau of Workers' Coapensation, do hereby cerdfy Chac Che aicroflla images on cnls reel of alcrofilm or microfiche are complece and accurate reproductions of the original records of the ___ as accumulated during Che regular course of business, and thac it is the established procedure of this department to microfilm its records for permanent file and to dispose of the original records after microfilm reproductions have been made. Date Dote