Document 3eOMe8VoVxk5ZVjdw0a387V6n

, BEGoodrich, INTER-ORGANIZATION CORRESPONDENCE NAME FIELD POINT or AKRON DEPARTMENT & BLDG. No. TO Mr. John L. Nelson Cleveland Chemical FROM SUBJECT Akron Dept. 0020 - Bldg. 5-H DATE YOUR LETTER THIS LETTER 7/14/67 UHL 17 COMPANYd2riiWl Owsls lau\i I believe it important that we obtain sound information on the inhalation exposure of our polycleaners in all of our Plants. Over the years we have secured some of this information, principally as it relates to vinyl chloride, but 1 do not regard the quantitative data too reliable because of the unavailability, until recently, of good analytical procedures. Since late 1965,. we have been sampling polymerizeils at Louisville on an occasional basis by techniques that Louisville and I have agreed upon. These studies have been designed principally to evaluate exposures in Geon 222 polys from the standpoint of both vinyl and vinylidene. This data I regard as reliable. On several occasions during the past year, we have studied in detail the polymerize exposures in our Welland Plant. This was done in order to provide data to the Ontario health and labor authorities in an effort to rescind the sentinel require ments that have been in existence at Welland for a number of years. We were successful in getting this rescinded. This data also I believe to be reliable, bu again it relates essentially to vinyl chloride only. I believe our polymerizer data in all of our Plants is necessary for the following reasons: 1. To provide us with the knowledge of any differences that may exist, and thereby perhaps assist in explaining our hand cases. (Air-supplied masks have been worn by the polycleaners of Welland since the Plant opened, and at most, there is only a very mild suggested case of hand disease). 2. To obtain sound quantitative data on personnel exposures with respect to the general problem of vinyl chloride or vinylidene chloride systemic toxicity. This problem is becoming more important and 1 envision increased activity by governmental agencies to lower the current threshold level of 500 ppm for vinyl chloride. Hopefully, the studies can be designed to include information not only on vinyl and vinylidene, but also on other compounds that may be quite relevant to the hand problem. Techniques for doing this will have to be developed. to Welland studies have been made by collecting small vapor samples in evacuated tubes and transmitting these to Mr. Decapita at the Development Center for gas chromato graphic analyses. As 1 indicated, the Louisville studies have been made at the Louisville Plant using a special sampling bomb, and using gas chromatographic techniques. Because of the equipment and analytical techniques required, I am unable to carry these out in my own department. W Q O BFG63625 i It is my recommendation that we begin these studies promptly and have the analyses made by Decapita at Avon Lake. We will supply from here the necessary sampling tub|es and provide instructions to the individual plants on sample collection. I do not believe it will be necessary for a member of my staff or myself to personally collect the samples, but we will wish to audit the procedures on our regular Plant visits. I would hope that Mr. Dowell could also assist us in doing this. I believe the analyses should be centered in one Laboratory in order that consistent results will be obtained, and for that reason I believe Mr. Decapita is the proper choice. I am enclosing copies of all of the results that have been obtained at Louisville, as well as a summary of those from the Welland Plant. mj ccl Dr. Rex H. Wilson Enclosures W.E. McCormick cOa) b "H* BFG63626