Document 3NxEqrdnvy9Kz2R18o05N799O

/ COWANS t 0 $ C 0 A N t National Institute of Health Claims Review Section, OFM Bldg. 31, Room BIB-10 Bethesda, Md. 2001A Last week we sent to you a public statement by The B.F.Goodrich Company concerning our investigation of the deaths of three employees at our Louisville, Kentucky plant from a rare form of liver cancer, and the possible connections between these deaths and their work over a number of years in our PVC polymerization operations. Later search of available medical records revealed that a fourth employee had died from the same cause, angiosarcoma of the liver, in 1968. Our public statement on this case is enclosed. At the time of issuing our first statement on January 23, B.F. Goodrich provided all data we had at that time to the Kentucky Department of Labor, representative of the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). These agencies are currently investigating these cases, are carrying out industry wide epidemiological studies, and are in contact with European governments with major FVC industries. We are continuing to co operate fully with these agencies. Also cooperating with the government are 19 producers of vinyl chloride monomer and FVC under sponsorship of the Manufacturing Chemists Association, 1823 Connecticut Ave. , N. W., Washington, D. C. -20009. This group is sponsoring lengthy and in-depth toxi cological and epidemiological studies on vinyl chloride and workers. OSHA has called a hearing to investigate this subject further. For your information, we are enclosing a copy of the Federal Register, BFG22740 r / PPP page 3874, January 30, announcing this hearing. One of the stated "purposes of this hearing is to determine whether OSilA should issue revised work standards. As yet no definite connection has been established between these four angiosarcoma cases and any of the some 50 chemicals which may have been used in polymerization of PVC or its compounds at our Louisville plant. Vinyl chloride monomer, a chlorinated hydrocarbon, is a primary suspect due to the fact it is a major raw material of high volatility to which our employees have probably had the greatest ex posure. It should be pointed out that searches of medical records at our other five plants have revealed no similar cases, and no others in the United States have been reported. As you may know, some residual unpolymerized vinyl chloride monomer remains in commercial polyvinyl chloride polymers and compounds. The levels in Geon resins, plastics and latexes range from virtually un detectable levels to those high enough to suggest the possibility of detectable vapor concentrations in closed storage or in some pro cessing steps, such as heated mixing equipment. >' : B.F.Goodrich is not in a position to recommend specific precautions for your manufacturing operations. However, we believe you will want . to review your own procedures and take appropriate action. We would like to poi.r out that the present investigations are con fined to polymerizati-'r operations, where the amount of vinyl chloride, the starting monomer, is much higher than it would be in any process we know involving finished polymer or compounds. In our plants we have reduced exposure to levels below 50ppm of vinyl chloride. It is not the intent of this memorandum to state that the cause of angiosarcoma of the liver is exposure to vinyl chloride monomer but to point out to our customers that small, variable amounts of this raw material remain in the polymer in unchanged form and that it is one of the suspected chemicals. We will do our best to keep you informed on this subject as investi gations proceed. Sincerely yours. E.B,Osborne/ja BFG22741 903 w o LOUISVILLE, Jan. 29 -- B.F.Goodrich has received, at its request, a preliminary report indicating that the cause of the 1968 death of a former employe here has been tentatively identified as angiosarcoma of the liver. The cause had previously been reported to the Company as an unspecified type of cancer of the liver. As part of its continuing Intensive investigation of available medical data, the Company last week requested a review of the findings from an autopsy that was performed at the time. Identification of angiosarcoma as a cause of death can only be determined by autopsy or from hospital records when surgery is performed and a pathological examination of the affected organ is made and reviewed. The Company has virtually completed a preliminary review of insurance death records of all former employes in TVC operations. To date no similar cases have been found. A program of medical tests for all other employes is in progress. The Company will voluntarily provide to the National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety and the Kentucky Department of Labor any significant new information as it develops. <12833003 1-2974 BFG22742 NOTICES DEPARTMENT OF LA30R Office ol the Secret .try POSSIBLE HAZARDS OF VINYL CHLORIDE MANUFACTURE AND USE Request for Information and Notice of Fict-Find.eg Nearing Notlee is hereby riven that the Ocrupnii'/iia! Safety and Hcal'.ii Admin istratis:! Is re-rite-`.ins iufoimaLun on l>ossib!c hazards associated s.i'.h the manufacture and/or use ol vinvl chlo ride 1. iduroethci:.-. CI1en1k.1l Abstracts Service ItcvLtry Number 750141. Hie Administration requests informa tion !n-.-ludlnj:, but not necessarily lim ited to: w<1i) Ta hiiev tuojxAiciriitty; 0o1f vt iiniivyil cchulioorniduec,: (2 > Tlic tux icily of other chemicals Involvrd in the manufacture and use of vlnv! rliloridr; <3) Tltc technologies Involved In the production and use of vinyl chloride: (4) Employee populations potentially or actually capon'd to vbiyl chiuridc or other chemicals, and involved in the pro duct Ion and,or use of vinyl cldondc: (5) Epldcmto'odcal studies of ellocts of vinyl chloride and other clicmicals used In tlic manufacture or use of vinyl cliloriilc on populations, employee or otherwise; and Wlvethcr the available Information warrants tti.- issuance ol nn Einrrrency Yemjiorary Standard, or the commencemem ol a msul-tr ritirniAkimr under mc- tlon r.bl ol 'he Occupational Safely and Health Act. Written data may be mailed or deliv ered lo Ihc Oflice of Standards. Attn: Docket OSH-3G. Ocrunalicnal Safety *i5**l'1 trctlon. Room 203. 1720 N! Street K\V. Washlnrlon. D.C. 20210. not Idler than February 20. 1374. The data will be available lor public in- dpcctlon and copy.ur et the OSH A Public Reading Room. Room 27?.. 172S VI Sheet NW_ WaMduaton. DC. 20210. Oral presetnotion ol data will also be received by ait admini. rvtive law Judge at an lnlormal fact-finding hearing be ginning at 10 r.jn. e d.t . on Pnday. Feb ruary 15. 1974. Conleiei.ee Room E. Dc- tmcntal Auditorium. Cov.oiituUo-. Avc- partmental Auditorium. Constitution Avenue KW.. bcti.-ecn 12lh and 14 th Streets. Wnhirpea, D.C. Persons rteslr.ne to appear a*- the liear- lny must Ate v.i hj. Ooedeli. Aim: Dock et OSH-J6. Ofllce 01 Standard^. Oc*upa- tlonal Ealety m-d H- alth Aiirr.t:'i>:retion. Room 233.172C M Street NW.. Washing ton. D.C. 212;r. a t riiten police cl In tention to appear, in triplicate. Notice aliould be fited as soon as post-ibic. but will be accented by me Ma-ca remen: OfTi- ccr r the hearing tanll tt:e pre-hearing conference begins. The notice should atatc: The name and address ol the person wislune to usocur; the capacity In which he wii! app.-.r: and the approx imate aniMutt of ti.nc req ii'cd ler liie presentation. The r.-'-tirc should also in clude, or te a:eotnoinlcd by. a brief statement ol the presentation to be made. lVrlnnh-.g at 9:30 a.m.. ed.L. on FebMruiaarv I1t5. 11A9T714. Ithhae nrraeasi-ildfliinrar AA AdmIlnmiIs* tratire Law Judsc v.i'l hold a r:e-hearins conference in erd.-r to establish the ortii r and time for the prerenta'ions, and in order to -t'*te an;, other matter relat in': to the rii-rerdfr.-s Tile ora* proceedings shall be reported verbatim. The u * of prepared statements by witnesses t.s encouraged Ai: documents that are intended to be submitted should be submitted lit triplicate <orilnal and f.vo copies1. The cdm'nl-.tratlve law Judge shall have all the lov-trs ncces-nry or appro priate to conduct a lair and full iufurmol hearing. including the pov sir: <i To regulate the course of the hear ing: (bi To dispose of procedural requests, objections, and comparable matters: tel To confine tiic presentations to matters pertinent to the requested in formation; <di To rcrulate the conduct of those present at the hearing by appropriate means: tel In his discretion, to question and permit questioning of any witness: and Hi lit his discretion, to ko-p 1 he record open for a reasonable stated time to re ceive written data lrum any person who has participated in the oral proceeding. Following tlic close of the hearing, Iho presiding olllrcr shall certify (lit record thereof to the Assistant Bccre'nry ui Labor lor Occup2L01r.1l Salt-ly auid iioulllL Signed at WasliInjUin. D.C., Ulis 2SUi day ol January 1971. Jotik H. STUNara, Assistant Secretary ol iJtbor. (m Doe. 74 2004 Hied 1 S$-74.S:1S aiu| ---------------------------------------------------------- KottAi etctiTte. vol a*, no. it--tvtONtsosv, ttMUt.tr ao, 1*74 BFG22743 2-/t7f 3 ^. Bob Downey Yesterday, February 26, Peggy Schmidt, PLASTICS TLCHLDLOGY, 212-?364iS0C, 3xt 265, in dew York, called and said she was working on an article for April issue. She had the following questions: How does 3FG view the pricing situation currently, how about rest 0" year, n-xt five years" Has PFS raised prices since decontrol? At what capacity 1? l-ootirieb operating? And any comments cn rest of industry. \Jhat about projections on 3FG capacity for rest of 197u and possibly next five years? Any comment 0.1 availability of feedstocks. She says rrices se<r> to depend n o., availability of fe--Gstpcks. She is questioning makers cf P7C, polypro, polyethylene, and polystyrene. Die would like to get an answer this week as her deadline is next week. She would rrefer to talk to someone in anthjrity with the answers as she may have more specifL questions upon 'hat is said. I told her that someone -ould get back with her before Friday, TOOf f t S Z Z r 100.006 EpcarI CElLAACSTTOAMMCEDRCS APPLICATION FORMULARY GENERAL-PURPOSE MOLDING COMPOUND ASTM D 2000 LINE CALL OUT RECIPE Epcar 545 N-330, HAF black Zinc oxide Stearic acid Flexon 766 TMETD Tetrone A Sulfasan R Sulfur Total 3BA620 A13B13B14 100.0 80.0 5.0 1.0 40.0 1.5 0.6 1.5 0.4 2300 COMPOUND PROCESSING PROPERTIES Compound Mooney, ML-10, 212F 54.0 VULCANIZATE PROPERTIES, Cured 20 Minutes, 320F Original Stress-Strain Tensile strength, psi Elongation, % 300% Modulus, psi 2390 430 1520 Shore A2 Hardness, pts 62 Compression Set, Method B, plied 22 hours at 158F, % 22 hours at 212F, % 23.0 30.0 (Molded plug, cured 28 min.) 22 hours at 158F, % 22 hours at 212F, % 13.0 200 Tear Resistance, ASTM D 624, ppi Die B, w/grain Die C, a/grain w/grain 300 185 185 Oven Agd 70 hours. 100C 2400 335 2250 69 BFG22745 B.F.Goodrich Chemical Company / 3135 Euclid Avenue., Cleveland, Ohio 44115 / A division of Thesa data ara based on taats believed to ba reliable- They are given only for your information and no warranty, express or implied, it mada as wa cannot guarantaa the results of operations not undar our direct control. Tha information in this publication ia not intandad as psrmission or reeommandation to practica a patsntsd invantion without permission of tha patent owner. .B.E Goodrich/ 7102-AA ZOO