Document 5LNOagyr6jzK6gz5kY4OZw7JN

n \j 0 T> '4 T . Boston, Mass. June 13, lyHO Mr. Oscar B. Lewis Dear Oscar: When Doctor Schra&in and the w r i t er v i si st ed the Ei ch fi el d plan t i n Providence, we learned t hat a tank was t o he cleaned sons t ine i n the fut ur e. Dr. Schra&in suggested t hat we send a complete report of t h i s tank cleaning to you r sel f with a copy to Dr. Kehoe. Shis clean ing was supervised hy Mr. Fred Mee&er of the Baytonne t erm inal. The tank i?i question lias "been in leaded gasolin e ser vi ce for some time, and was cleaned ei t h er one year or two years ago. At t hat time we were not n ot i fi ed of t h i s cleaning and were t her efor e not pres ent . I t was necessary to gas fr ee the tank i n order to put a new seal around the fl oat i n g r oof. I t so happens t hat t h i s tank i s loca ted near a coke plant and considerable dust had set t l ed down around the edges of the tank on the bottom r i n g. The seal s were removed to gas fr ee the tank and af t er t h i s men were permit t ed to go in side and remove t h i s coke dust . They were standing immediately under the opening between the roof and the side of the tank. The r oof, o f course, was in bottom posi t i on and the opening v?as ju st above the heads of the men. Mr. iaeeder did not deem i t necessary to have the men wear hoseline masks (blower type) as he f el t t h at t hey were get t i n g adequate ven t i l at i on . We pointed out t hat we wouldn't t ake the r esp on si b i l i t y of sending a man i n the tank without the proper ai r l i n e equipment, and he agreed t hat i n case the sludge was removed, ai r l i n e equipment would be used. We st ayed on t h i s job fo r two days to see whether or not he would remove the sludge during the subsequent operat ions. A ft er making sever al gas t est a throughout the tank from the top, i t was found unnecessary to remove t h i s sludge, and a water bottom was put i n . I t was then considered safe fo r the men to work on top with cut t ing welding equipment. Several times during the removal of the dogs and the shoes of the old seal , i t was necessary for the men to go i n side of t he tank. Mr. Mee&er considered the tank was w ell ven t i l at ed , and t hat the men did not need ai r l i n e masks fo r t h i s operat ion. W are passing t h i s along for your inform at ion. 0022572 Very t r u l y yours, M. A. Taylor