Document 0YwO85pbB650qQ0Qzjxjmxxb

w /- I < S hf , i ETHYL CORPORATION ' TOO PARK AVENUE BUILDING PARK AVENUE AT 41st STREET NEW YORK 17, N. Y. July 20, 1950 Dr. R. A. Kehoe Kettering laboratory ofApplied Physiology College of' Medicine University'of Cincinnati Eden Averrup Cincinnati, Ohio Dear Dr. Kehoe: j i | i i j Subject: Sinclair Rjefinint Jacksonville. Florid The attached memorandum. refers to our telephone conversation of yesterday and outlines salient points conjcerning a poten tial tank cleaning exposure. Under the circumstances it seemed best to advise Mr. Shank to deal directly with Dr. Schradin rather than to report the entire matter to you. It is obvious from these notes that further work has to be done with Sinclair* s Management in New York towards a more complete understanding of the tank cleaning problem^ (this will be handled without delay. EKL/rnf cnls 13.C ccj Dr, R, A, Kekoe MHi-DRAKBUM TO FILS SUBJECT; SINCLAIR LINING COMPANY JACKSONVILLE. FLORIDA July 20, 1950 Reference is made to cor; espondence within our ccaapany on this: subject, together with, correspondence to the Trumbull Asphalt Company of Delaware, Strait, Illinois, During the forenoon of July 19 Lou Shank reported by telephone that extensive tank cleaning work had been done in each of the following tanks, and that lead-in--air anslvzer readings had been taken &3 noted; A. UV HX3MJSR CAPACITY LEAD-IN-AIR READING USE (HICRQGRAMS PER CUBIC FOOT) 1 80.000 bbls. 9 20.000 2 10,000 3 10,000 4 10,000 11 30,000 Ethyl Gasoline Leaded Gasoline Ethyl Gasoline Leaded Gasoline Leaded Gasoline Unknown 10 6 15 15 8 No reading Mr. Shank reports that these tanks were cleaned without notification to the Ethyl Corporation, that ho one was on tend at the time the tanks were cleaned, that it is. likely that Ethyl jCorporaticn Precautions for Tank Cleaning (specifically the wearing of airline masks) were not followed during such of the cleaning, and $,hat in all prob ability 4 men, 3 of whori are Negroes, were exposed for an indeterminam, length of time. The; tank cleanings are presumed to have started approximately 1 week ago, although in formation as to the cxacjt date, is uncertain, !! Mr. Taylor, Terminal Superintendent at Sinclair, should have notified Ethyl Corpora tion of the problem,j hup he did not and he has refused to cooperate with Mr. Jordan by not giving him 'essential information needed. Although not brought out in Mr. Shank*s telephone call, it is presumed that Mr. Jordan was called in to take lead-in-air analyzer tests after tbfcss tanks were cleaned and, at that time, he'learned the fore going information. The tanks are to be solti by Sinclair to the Trumbull Asphalt Company of Delaware. A Mr. Moore, Superintendent of that company, is not willing to accept the tanks in their present state since they are not sufficiently clean for his purpose. Mr. Baldwin was out of town on July 19 and Mr, Goltz talked to. a Mr. P. E. Frank, Manager of Terminals ini Sinclair's hem office-in New York. Mr, Goltz explained the circumstances and lack pf cooperation on the part of Mr, Taylor and he, Mr. Frank, did not seem too much epneeraed about it, nor particularly cooperative, H stated to Mr. Goltz that it had been Sinclair's practice to flush tanks and to remove solid material without notifying Ethyl Corporation, and that Ethyl was notified only in case it was nspessary to make use of the lead analyzer for declaring the tank safe for entry without protective equipment, Mr. Goltz pointed out to Mr. Frank the serious ness of this situation, the fact that these men ware exposed, and that it was neces sary to have cooperation from Mr. Taylor to protect the health of these sen. Finally Mr. Frank agreed to telephone Mr, Taylor in Florida so that whatever information Ethyl ` HE 0017278 N21026.01 Page 2 needed could be obtained without further difficulty " The results of Hr. delta's talk with Nr. Frank were reported to Lou, Shank on the afternoon of July 19 with the suggestion that certainly by noon of July 20 Mr. Frank should hay telephoned Mr, Taylor, und that further infcrrr.at.ion should be forthcoming without trouble. It was suggested to Nr. Shank if is then had difficulty that vs should once rors be notified, ar.u :e wound go to Sinclair* s top management to get the matter straightened out. In the iLfeantiSi My, Sli&iJk '.reported that Dr, Schradln was to be in the Tulsa office seine time on July 19 and it was suggested to Mr. Shank that he ask Dr, Schraditt to anvise hin as to tr.e nee t novas, to be nade with regard to the exposure of the ren, and that under the circumstances it was not necessary to report the whole natter in detail to Dr; Koboey* e should have s-ose further word on this not later than the morning of July 21, yC $ /* As .tS'sK. 'lidcfter-Cy' * Dr, Kehce was informed (late in the day of July 19 by telephone) of the important points in this me@ojrandus and he concurred with the action taken* ' HE 0017279