Document 3QGBnXVgkkVb7EVv1Vg2D334n

ALLIED CHEMICAL CORPORATION MEMORANDUM April 12, 1973 MEMO TO: File FROM: W. A. Knapp SUBJECT: VCM Epidemiological Study Task Force Meeting of 4/4/73 With respect to epidemiological study on vinyl chloride, Dr. Gaffey of Tabershaw-Cooper (TC) answered several questions as to how study will be conducted. Since numbers are quite limited (estimated not over 7500 including ex-employees and retirees) survey will include workers at risk for one year or more. Survey will cover only mortality and cause thereof as taken from World Health Organization (WHO) list of 35 chronic diseases. Survey will cover active employees et al as of December 31, 1972. The information required (to be extracted mainly from employee record files) will be date of birth, date of hire, job history, and estimate of exposure. This last item was the subject of considerable discussion briefly recounted below. Where employment has been terminated, TC will want last known address. They make discreet contact via form letter to discover whether former employee is alive or dead and, if dead, cause of death. They have had close to 95% success in past in locating death certificate. Only 3-4 TC people see original records in our files after which it goes on coded cards and further identity is lost. T-C personnel will visit the plant, photograph desired information from personnel cards and return cards to their proper place. It is important that they have full cooperation to do the job quickly and efficiently. There will be notification before they arrive so that records will be available. It would seem feasible that cards could be pulled from the files before TC personnel arrive. AS I 000016798 File 2 April 12, 1973 Criteria for degree of exposure are not well delineated. The levels "light", "medium" and "severe" mean different things at different plants. Except for ac cidents, exposures in PVC plants are very much higher than in VCM plants and low at PVC plant might be considered as severe at VCM plant. This question may be resolved by industrial hygiene experts via job descriptions and knowledge of what the job entails. Job descriptions were used in the acroosteolysis study. WAK:md W. A. Knapp AS I 000016799