Document 06XpVbr3YBbyGLN4nLy1KBr9x

Three Cancer Deaths May Be Job-Related, B,F. Goodrich Says * Former Employes at Louisville Plant All Were Involved in | Polyvinyl Chloride Operation j By a Wall Btrset Journal Staff Reporter AKRON, Ohio - B. F. Goodrich Co., In a move that aent ripplea through the plastica and chemicals industries, said It Is Investigating the possibility that the cancer deaths of three workers at a plant In Louisville, Ky,, may be Job-related, Goodrich said that the workers affected were in its polyvinyl chloride operations, and that they died of angiosarcoma of the liver, a rare form of liver cancer. Dr. Maurice N. Johnson, Goodrich's direc tor of environmental health, said in the compa ny's statement that he had recently received medical reports concerning the death of an em ploye In late December. "A review of medical records uncovered that two other employes had apparently died from the Bame cause-one In September 1971 and one in March 1073," the company said. It was understood that a fourth death-in IMS-Involving a more common form of liver cancer was considered outside the reasonable bounds of the "grouping" of the three recent deaths, all attributed to angiosarcoma. Goodrich said It had informed Kentucky health officials and the Federal National Insti tute of Occupational Safety and Health that the company was Investigating the possibility that the deaths might be "related to occupational causes." ' Will Begin Investigation Kentucky officials said they had just learned of the situation at the Lewisville plant and had asked a medical expert to investigate. In Rockville, Md., a spokesman for NIOSH said a team of experts will arrive In Louisville this morning to begin an investigation. Dr. Marcus M. Key, director of NIOSH, aald the institute also will step up efforts to deter mine the extent of angiosarcoma in the U.S., and in foreign countries with similar manufac, turing processes. A spokesman for the institute said the beet Information available shows 31 . deaths per year In the U.B. attributable to an* : glosarcoma. The recent deaths at Louisville, according . to Dr. Johnson of Goodrich, Involved workers In the company's vinyl products operations. An 1 official of NIOSH said he understood that the j workers had an average of 20 years' exposure to various chemicals and agents Involved In vinyl operations. Goodrich said It has been conducting a pro- 1 gram to reduce exposure to hydrocarbons, par ticularly vinyl chloride, throughout its opera- ' tions. Further steps to limit exposure and to - describe the situation to workers In vinyl prod ucts production are being taken, the company ' aald. ' Goodrich also said It Is providing medical examinations to all employes Involved in any l phase of vinyl chloride or polyvinyl chloride I production, and is reviewing all its medical records of former or retired employes. I About 1,200 persons work at the Louisville > plant, of whom about 270 are involved In vinyl products operations. - "Dropping of a Bomb" Word that the deaths might be Job-related i spread quickly throughout several Industries. Said Louis Bellcxky, an Industrial hygienist on the staff of the United Rubber Worker* union, which has many members Involved In vinyl operations at various companies: "I look at this as the dropping of a bomb. It opens up the possibility of a whole new occupational dis ease." Mr. Bellcxky said he suspected there might be a connection between the Goodrich prob lems at the Louisville plant and the problems of Borden Inc. at a vinyl-materials plant In Co- \ lumbus, Ohio. Workers at the Borden plant for several months have complained of a variety of ailments, some believed crippling, which they allege are connected with working condi tions. \ Rudolph KaeUn, president of the Synthetic Rubber Workers unit representing the Ken tucky plant's workers, said some Of his cowork ers "have been concerned for quite a while" about the possibility of cancer. "With these men dying of It, It makes you wonder." Mr. Kaelin says he has worked With vinyl products for about IB years; he has been a Goodrich em ploye for 23 years. A medical expert at NIOSH, however, said he doubted the difficulties at the two plants were related. He asserted that the problem at the Borden plant has been defined as periph eral neuropathy, a disease that attacks nerves that control muscles in human limbs. The liver afflictions at the Goodrich plant aeem unre lated to the problem at Borden, he aald. Goodrich has four other polyvinyl chloride plants--at Avon Lake, Ohio, Pertricktown, N.J.; ' Long Beach, Calif., and Henry, 111. ASI 00009787 o Will Benin Investigation Kentucky officials said they had Just learned of the situation at the Louisville plant and had asked a medical expert to Investigate. In Rockville, Md., a spokesman tor NIOSH said a team of experts will arrive in Louisville this morning to begin an investigation. Dr. Marcus M. Key, director of NI08H, said the Institute also will step up efforts to deter mine the extent of angiosarcoma in the U.8., and in foreign countries with similar manufac- . turing processes. A spokesman for the institute Mid the beat information available shows 21 . deaths per year in the U.8. attributable to an- i rloearcoma. The recent deaths at Louisville, according . to Dr. Johnson of Goodrich, involved workers , in the company's vinyl products operations. An official of NIOSH said he understood that the \ workers had an average of 20 years' exposure P7** to various chemicals and agents Involved in vinyl operations. Goodrich paid it has been conducting a pro Three Cancer Deaths gram to reduce exposure to hydrocarbons, par ticularly vinyl chloride, throughout its opera- May Be Job-Related, ' tlons. Farther steps to limit exposure and to ; describe the situation to workers in vinyl prod- B.F. Goodrich Says : ucts production are being taken, the company 1 said. t 1 Goodrich also said it is providing medical Former Employes at Louisville examinations to all employes involved in any l phase of vinyl chloride or polyvinyl chloride Plant All Were Involved in I production, and la reviewing all its medical records of former or retired employes. Polyvinyl Chloride Operation <. I About 1,200 persons work at the Louisville i plant, of whom about 270 ate involved In vinyl By a Wall'Stmsct Jodbmap staff Reporter products operations. AKRON, Ohio - B. F. Goodrich Co., in a - "Dropping of a Bomb" move that sent ripples through the plastics and Word that the deaths might be job-related chemicals industries, said It is investigating i spread quickly throughout several Industries. the possibility that the cancer deaths of three - Said Louis Bellczky, an industrial hygienist on workers at a plant in Louisville, Ky., may be the staff of the United Rubber Workers union, Job-related. which has many members Involved in vinyl Goodrich said that the workers affected operations at various companies; P*i look at were In Its polyvinyl chloride operations, and this as tbs dropping of a bomb. It opens up the that they died of angiosarcoma of the liver, a \. possibility of a whole new occupational disease."l (Mr. Belicxky said 1m suspected there might be a connection between the Goodrich prob lems at the Louisville plant and the problems of Bcnlew Inc, at a vinyl-materials plant In Co lumbus, Ohio. Workers at the Borden plant for several months have complained of a variety of ailments, some believed crippling, which they allege are connected with working condi rare form of liver cancer. Dr. Maurice N. Johnson, Goodrich's direc tor of environmental health, said in tlw compa ny's statement that he had' recently received medical reports concerning the death of an emPlove In late December. "A review of medical records uncovered that two other employes had apparently died from the same cause-one in September 1971 and one in March 1273." the company said. tions, i (Rudolph Kaelln, president of the Synthetic It was understood that a fourth death--In Rubber Workers unit representing the Ken 1968-Involving a more common form of liver tucky plant's workers, said some of his cowork cancer was considered outside the reasonable ers "have been concerned tor quite a while" about the possibility of cancer, i "With these bounds of the "grouping" of the three recent deaths, all attributed to angiosarcoma. men dying of it, it makes you wonder." Mr. Goodrich said it had informed Kentucky Kaelin says he has worked with vinyl products health officials and the Federal National Insti tor about 16 years; he has been a Goodrich em tute of Occupational Safety and Health that the ploye for 23 years. A medical expert at NIOSH, however, Bald he doubted the difficulties at the two plants company was investigating the possibility that the deaths might be "related to occupational causee." were related. He asserted that the problem at the Bolden plant has been defined as periph eral neuropathy, a disease that attacks nerves that control muscles in human limbs. The liver afflictions at the Goodrich plant seem unre A lated to the problem at Borden, he said, Goodrich has four other polyvinyl chloride plants-at Avon Lake. Ohio, Pedrtcktown, N.J.; Long Beach, Calif., and Henry, HI. ASI 00009788 o Will Begin Investigation Kentucky officials said they had Just learned of the situation at the Louisville plant and had asked a medical expert to investigate. In Rockville, Md., a spokesman for NIOSH said a team of experts will arrive in Louisville this morning to begin an investigation. Dr. Marcus M. Key, director of NIOSH, said the institute also will step up efforts to deter, mine the extent of angiosarcoma In the U.S., and In foreign countries with similar manufac turing processes. A spokesman for the institute said the best Information available shows 31 . deaths per year in the U.S. attributable to an- : gtosarcoma. The recent deaths at Louisville, according . to Dr. Johnson of Goodrich, involved workers in the company's vinyl products operations. An official of NIOSH said he understood that the ) workers had an average of 20 years' exposure to various chemicals and agents Involved in vinyl operations. Goodrich said It has been conducting a pro gram to reduce exposure to hydrocarbons, par ticularly vinyl chloride, throughout its opera Rons. Further steps to limit exposure and to ; describe the situation to workers in vinyl prod; ucts production are being taken, the company 1 sold. ' Goodrich also said It la providing medical examinations to all employes Involved in any l phase of vinyl chloride or poljrvinyl chloride I production, and is reviewing all Its medical records of former or retired employes. I About 1,300 persons work at the Louisville plant, of whom about 270 are Involved In vinyl producta operations. "Dropping of a Bomb" Word that the deatha might be Job-related < spread quickly throughout several Industrie*. Said Louis Bellcsky, an Industrial hygienist on the staff of the United Rubber Workere union, which has many members Involved In vinyl operations at various companies: "I look at this as the dropping of a bomb. It opens up the possibility of a whole new occupational dla- . ease." Mr. Belictky said he suspected there might ' be a connection between the Goodrich prob lems at the Louisville plant and the problems of Borden Inc. at a vinyl-materials plant In Co lumbus, Ohio. Workers at the Borden plant for several months have complained of a variety of ailments, some believed crippling, which they allege are connected with working condi tions. , Rudolph Kaelln, president of the Synthetic Rubber Workers unit representing the Ken tucky plant's workers, said some of his cowork ers "have been concerned for quite a while" about the possibility of cancer. "With these men dying of it, it makes you wonder." Mr. Kaelln Bays he has worked with vinyl products for about IB years; he has been a Goodrich em ploye for 33 years. A medical expert at NIOSH, however, said he doubted the difficulties at the two plants were related. He asserted that the problem at the Borden plant hoe been defined as periph eral neuropathy, a disease that attacks nerves that control muscles In human limbs. The liver afflictions at the Goodrich plant seem wire- lated to the problem at Borden, he sold. Goodrich has four other polyvinyl chloride ' plants--at Avon Lake, Ohio, Pedricktown, N.J.; Long Beech, Calif., and Henry, 111. \ Three Cancer Deaths May Be Job-Related, B.F. Goodrich Says # Former Employes at Louisville Plant All Were Involved in ,, Polyvinyl Chloride Operation <. By a Wall Btkbbt Joubk* l Staff Reporter AKRON, Ohio -- B. F, Goodrich Co., in a move that sent ripples through the plastics and chemicals Industries, said It is Investigating the possibility that the cancer deaths of three workers at a plant in Louisville, Ky,, may be Job-related. Goodrich said that the workers affected were in its polyvinyl chloride operations, and that they died of angiosarcoma of the liver, a rare form of liver cancer. Dr. Maurice N. Johnson, Goodrich's direc tor of environmental health, said In the compa ny's statement that he had recently received medical reports concerning the death of an em ploye In late December. "A review of medical records uncovered that two other employes had apparently died from the same cause-one In September 1971 and one In March 1973," the company eald. It was understood that a fourth death--in 1968-involving a more common form of liver cancer was considered outside the reasonable bounds of the "grouping" of the three recent deaths, all attributed to angiosarcoma. Goodrich said it had informed Kentucky health official* and the Federal National Insti tute of Occupational Safety and Health that the company was Investigating the possibility that the deatha might be "related to occupational causes." ASI 00009789