Document 0v62R6aq7jn71BwebYzEdVwn

FILE NAME Industrial Hygiene Foundation IHF DATE 1955 DOC IHF079 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Union Letter Speaking Directly to Issue of Lung Illness within Certain Working Conditions - Requesting Safety Measures - Johns- Manville Barry Castleman's Industrial Hygiene Fdn File 79 ROM Document #IHF 1955 DATE undated IH Digest Abstracts Section __ IHF annual report and _ other promo literature IHF published report IHF unpublished report IHF internal docs inc bylaws directors etc government agency report other report not IHF or govt article from scientific journal abstract from scientific journal conference presentation conference proceedings __ Annual Meeting memo letter S newspaper article magazine article BC notes re | My August 26 1955 Mr. Hugh M. Jackson Manager Industrial Health Program Manville Corporation 22 East 40th Street New York 16 New York Dear Hugh The enclosed letter is explanatory We did not feel that we could reply in correspondence to Mr. Kane and there- fore invited him to the Institute for a conference We notified him of the fact that much information is available on the safe handling and use of practically all insulating materials and we supplied him with sufficient data to allay his fears ter Some time in the future I would like to discuss this matter with you Sincerely yours C. Richard Walmer M. Managing Director CRWidh Enclosure Letter August 13 1955 from Mr. John W. Kane Corresponding Secretary International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers - DH INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HEAT AND FROST INSULATORS AND ASBESTOS WORKERS Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Building and Construction Trades Department Writer's address 36 Perry Lane Local Union No. 2 City Pittsburgh 29 Pa Dear Sir August 13 1955 I have and always will continue to have the greatest respect for the Mellon Institute and the really great people who staff her And so it is with little wonder that I urgently appeal to you people for possible help in the light of the many many advancements made by the Institute in the examination of air pollution that Sir is our problem seven of the last nine of the members of our Union the Asbestos Workers pipe covers have died of lung disorders It is believed by many of us to be an occupational disease although I am familiar with the fact that asbestosis is the number 2 occupational disease I do not believe we are Hindered to any great extent as we are not subjected to breathing in great amounts of it in confined areas But as all others also be- lieve that our new hazards are found in our comparatively newer mater ials all of these are fiberous they are fiberglas foamglas and other glass type insulations mineral wool the loose type wool which Has the addition of formaldehyde to it When working with these materials in confined areas it so pollutes the air that it seems to remain suspended in the air and visibility is not great where it is used extensively One of the results of this action is that it slows the men down as though they were not receiving enough oxygen These materials are also irritating to the skin of some and itchy to all Although I know the Mellon Insti- tute is not a social organization I was in deep hope that you may give us some information and practices that we may adopt for instance our men do not wear respirators in the application of these materials They claim they slow them down and provide improper breathing We would appreciate any information you could give us on these materials and what dangers they could create We are interested both in a measure of prevention if any and control of the air pollution which if ever gauged for density would most certainly be declared contaminated am sure that you as thoughtful human beings will help us make a deep cut in the preventable cases by giving the proper knowledge and safety factors we may practice C 0 4 Sincerely s John W. Kane Corresponding Secretary