Document 2JZ6QQmO4Vx9GeQpOpbGq9bgb

FILE NAME: Shipbuilders Council of America (SHIP) DATE: 1969-1970 DOC#: SHIP063 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memos and Minutes RE Asbestos Insulation Materials as Health Hazard in Shipyards SHIPBUILDERS COUNCIL OF AMERICA 1730 K S T R E E T N. W . W A S H I N G T O N , DC. 3 0 0 0 6 a 2 0 H|3 3 S -7723 A ugust 29, 1969 TO: AJLJL D E L E G A T E S SU B JE C T : M a r itim e R e s e a r c h &s D e v e lo p m e n t B r ie fin g , S ep tem b er 10, 1969-, in v ita tio n to attend M ost of you are aw are of the W oods H ole C on feren ce on M aritim e R esea rch and D evelopm ent, sp on sored by the M aritim e A dm inistration and held during July 1969. Many of you p articip at ed in it directly. , By letter dated A ugust 27, a copy of w hich is enclosed, M r. G ibson has in vited m em b ers of our C ouncil to attend a b r ie f ing on resu lts of the C onference. T his w ill be p resen ted from 2:00 to 4:30 P . M. on Septem ber 10, 1969 in the M ain A uditorium of the M ain C om m erce B uilding. We have been in form ed that sep arate in vitation s are not planned to be m ailed d ir e ctly to our m em bers. You w ill note that the date co in cid es with the date of m e eting of the Board of D irecto rs of our C ouncil. E d w in J M v --ffuOlT Pre sident PLA IN TIFF'S EXHIBIT | SBCA 5017 SH IPB U IL D E R S C Q U ^ K L 'O F AMEF36CA . " ! ' 1730 K STREET N. W, * WASHINGTON, O.C. 20003 2021330-7722 O ctober 29,' 1970 To: , ' A c c id e n t "P r e v e n tio n C o m m itte e ij . , , " ` Su bject: ' In su la tin g M a te r ia ls a s H ea lth H a z a rd s . On O ctober 15 a m eetin g sp on sored by th e Mount Sinai School of M edicine, New York City, w as held to consider health hazards created by the r ise of insulating m aterials in shipyards. The Council was invited to be rep resen ted at this m eeting. M ssr s. H arry Howard and Newt W hitm an, B eth leh em S teel Corp. and Mr. A ustin Shean, Todd Shipyards Corp. w ere p resen t on behalf of the Council. 1 ' E n c lo s e d fo r y o u r in fo r m a tio n a r e the m in u te s of th is m eeting and a com plete lis t of those in atten d an ce^ 1 1 ' Mr. Howard has consented to rep resen t the Council as a m e m b e r o f tjhe ad h o c g ro u p r e f e r r e d to .in the m in u te s . A ssista n t to the P resident The City U n iversity of New York ; O ctober 15, 1970 j . ' Minutes of Meeting on Use of Insuiaxion Materials in Shipyards'' The meeting was held October 15, 1370 at Mount Sinai School, of'Medicine for the purpose b considering health hazards created by' the use of insulating materials during ship construction, refit or demolition; to ascertain what procedures for controlling hazards had been instituted or were planned; to determine what activities should be undertaken to reduce exposures in this industry to toxic substancesj and to disseminate information. A list of participants and organize- tions represented is attached. ' . 1 Dr. Selikoff.reviewed the data on the biological effects of exposure to asbestos which have been developed by clinical and epidemi ological studies of insulation and shipyard workmen. The records show that, in addition to asbestosis, this group exhibited significant ly elevated incidences'of lung cancer and mesothelioma. Actions should be taken promptly to correct conditions, with particular em phasis on reducing peak exposures as it is considered that these are * ( especially significant as a cause of injury, ' ' ' Mr. Reitze opened a discussion of environmental conditions in shipyards by relating observations made in visits to many operations in the United States, lie pointed out that removal of insulation pro duced large amounts of dust and that this operation was, done by many difforont trades. Similarly to building construction work, mixing mc-r- tar and handsawing operations also created considerable dust. Some dust reduction measures were in use in almost all yards, but no yard ' >. * i was utilizing all procedures. Many operations were similar to those I Barboo stated that conditions which had prevailed in Navy shipyards were similar to thos.e found in private facilities. An intensive con trol program has been instituted in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard involving substitution of materials containing lower percentages of ,\ asbostos, use of local exhaust ventilation, control of waste handling and use of personal protective equipment. Regulations covering use of asbestos-containing materials are being prepared and will be dis tributed to all Navy shipyards. ' Dr. Nicholson described the health protection program which is in operation.at the Devonport Dockyard at Plymouth, England. The main emphasis of this program is on use of personal protective ' equipment, isolation of operations, housekeeping and substitution of materials. . There was considerable discussion of control procedures wi.'dch have been, or could be, used. Substitution of materials contain ing reduced amounts of asbestos, use of plastic bags for mixing mortar, use of downdraft tables for hand-sawing work, provision of respirators and disposable coveralls were all mentioned, It was apparent that procedures were now available which would greatly reduce peak exposures to dust and that the most complete program in operation was that of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. ' i ' Mr. O'Neill stated that the U.S. Department of Labor was re sponsible for health and safety in ship construction and would be draft ing i-egulations covoring this industry. The regulations will not con cern such items as wo**k practices but will establish health and safety standards. ' 'The question of the most productive course of action was dis cussed by Mr. Holaday. It appearou that sufficient knowledge was avail able to permit development of recommendations for control procedures, J These recommendations would be developed by an 'ad hoc committed' composed of. representatives from each group having an interest in or responsibility for ship construction, refit or. demolition. Hopefully,. This committee would collate information and produce recommendations for consideration'by the groups concerned. The Environmental Sciences Laboratory, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, would sponsor this work as f ^ part_of the insulation industry hygiene research project. The con . sensus of the meeting was that this procedure was feasible and should be followed. The-suggested time for completing this task was three months,'at which time another general meeting would be arranged. i ' ` t . , Dr. Selikoff expressed his appreciation to the participants i ,, . \ 'and. the meeting adjourned. " . ' S ' .. ' . -1 , . ; ' ` '` '< k ' / ~, ` - " m i i, ' *i ' i :` i a ' . V *" - i. *l. I , ^ October 15 / 1970 -Participa'nts in Meeting on Control of Hazards created by Use of Insulating .. / - Material in Shipyards . . A \ U.S. Navy Department --- Bureau of Medicine & Surgery - . 1 - - Dr.'George M. Law.ton, Director, Occupational Health Division . Dr..Samuel Barboo ' x Mr. Carl A. Mangold,'Head, Industrial Hygiene Branch, Medical Depart- * 1 , > . ' ment, .Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington U.S, Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards ' 'Mr, John P. O 'Neill ' ' ' - ' Shipbuilding Council of America ' ' Mr. Harry Howard, Tech. Assistant to the Vice President for . : Shipbuilding and Ship Repair, Bethlehem Steel Mr. Newt Whitman, 'Chief Environmental Health Chemist, Bethlehem Mr. Austin Shean, Director of Safety, Todd Shipyard Corp. Steel Johns-Manville Corporation Dr. F. L, Pundsack ' 'Mr.'E. Fenner ,* * '1Mr. C, 'Ernst .' - '' `Mr...W, Raines Mount-Sinai ' - ' ' ' . ' . Dr, Selikoff *' / . . ' ' ' ' . ' .Dr. Heimann ' . j/.D r ..N i c h o l s o n ' ' .. *.Mr',-Reitze T " : '- " " . . Mr. Holaday "'-H ' ' ' . ' - ''` ' ,International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators & Asbestos Workers '';Mr',''James'-Mulhern'