Document 5q5LNBb9yaDjKOD2nLb1ZNo4

MCA Conference Room Manufacturing Chemists Association OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH COMMITTEE March 8, 1977 Washington, D.C. Chairman Christofano presided and convened the meeting at 9 AM. The record of attendance was: MEMBERS PRESENT E. E. Christofano, W. V. Andresen W. H. Baumann (for W. C. Janes'' L. E. Cassidy W. S. Ferguson R. D. Fulwiler L. B. Grant J. W. Hammond E. Q. Hull C. S. Laubly J. E. Long Chairman . N. MacFarland (for W. A. McClellan) C. F. Reinhardt I. Rosenthal (for S. C. Kelton) W. M. Smith J. R. Venable M. Freifeld Hercules Incorporated American Cyanamid Company U.S. Steel Corporation Canadian Industries Limited Allied Chemical Coporation The Procter & Gamble Company PPG Industries, Inc. Exxon Chemical Company Union Carbide Corporation Celanese Corporation Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company Gulf Oil Corporation E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company Rohm and Haas Company Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. The Dow Chemical Company MCA Staff MEMBERS ABSENT M. J. Decerbo J. W. Hollis M. N. Johnson Borg-Warner Chemicals Ashland Chemical Company B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company GUESTS PRESENT T. Ellison R. M. Gelburd D. W. Hi1lman A. W. Lawrence H. L. Northrop R. L. O'Connell C. E. Ross C. T, Sutherland E. Tillman J. A. Young Mobil Chemical Company CIBA-GEIGY Corporation Diamond Shamrock Corporation Koppers Company, Inc. Stauffer Chemical Company Olin Corporation Shell Oil Company BASF Wyandotte Corporation Monsanto Company MCA Staff CMA 060361 OHC - 184 1. Minutes - Meeting March 8, 1977 The minutes were accepted as distributed with the following cor rection: item 7.4, page 180, the American Industrial Hygiene Association has decided to drop the accreditation of occupational health and safety programs,not of laboratories, as incorrectly reported. ii 2. Election of Officers The nominating Committee, Dr. Grant and Mr. Laubly proposed the following slate of officers: Chairman - Dr, Charles F. Reinhardt Vice Chairman - Dr. James E. Long As there were no other nominations from the floor, the above slate was voted in unanimously. 3. Membership The Secretary reviewed the status as including five vacancies on the Committee, since the authorized strength is 24 and there are currently 19 members. Candidates for membership in the chronological order their nom inations were received are: Mr. G. David Kirk, Merck & Co., Inc. Mr. Ralph M. Gelburd, Mobil Chemical Company Dr. Theodore Ellison, Mobil Chemical Company Dr. Charles Ross, Shell Chemical Company Dr. Herbert Northrop, Stauffer Chemical Company Dr. Colin T. Sutherland, BASF Wyandotte Corporation Dr. R. L. O'Connell, Olin Corporation Dr. Ernest Tillman, Monsanto Company Since there are three more candidates than openings on the Com mittee, it was decided to invoke the rotation policy. The Membership Subcommittee, Mr. Christofano and Dr. Reinhardt recommended that Messrs. Janes, Decerbo and Hammond be rotated. The Committee voted without dissent to accept the Membership Sub committee's recommendations on rotation and to recommend to the Board, approval of the nominations of all eight candidates listed above. 4. Health and Standards Subcommittee 4.1 Hexavalent Chromium Mr. Ferguson, Chairman of the Subcommittee, reported that currently other organizations are handling this matter, hence, MCA need only await results. 4.2 Benzene In its recently published guideline on benzene, OSHA has effectively CMA 060362 OHC - 185 educed the permissible exposure level by a factor of ten making it one part per million. Interested companies are forming a group to initiate an MCA Special Project on this chemical. 4.3 Cotton Dust Dr, Fulwiler said the product had not been adequately defined in the proposed standard. OSHA did not take into account all of the literature on the subject, nor did it indicate what industries were to be included. For example, it could be read to cover the paper and other fringe industries. Hearings are scheduled to start April 5 and it is expected this issue will be raised at that time. 4.4 Ammonia Mr, Ferguson believes there is a chance the ammonia standard will be reactivated by OSHA. Should that happen, he feels this group should be con cerned. He thinks adoption of the proposed standard would cause the present fertilizer production and distribution system to cease functioning. He pointed out further that people can endure 200 ppm without effect. The proposed permissible exposure level is based on the comfort thresh hold of a small group of particularly sensitive employees, hence, is unneces sarily restrictive. 4.5 OSHA Cancer Policy The MCA position on OSHA's draft proposed regulations on carcin ogens was presented to the Subgroups on Standards and Policy/Budget of the National Advisory Committee on Safety and Health, February 17, 1977, by Mr. Christofano. In that statement, the following items were discussed: 1. Request for additional time to prepare a more comprehensive response. 2. Opposition to zero level concept. 3. Need for risk/benefit analysis in each case. 4. Lack of wisdom in permitting Secretary of Labor to ban car cinogens where in his opinion, substitutes are available, 5. The need for a better definition of carcinogens. The next meeting of these NACOSH Subcommittees is scheduled for April 5, and an additional MCA statement is planned for that time. 4.6 Health and Standards Subcommittee 4.6.1 Lead and Mercury Mr. Ferguson read a statement supporting the use of guidelines for these products which he felt should not become part of the law. In addition, he presented a draft statement to be forwarded to OSHA on this subject. The Committee CMA 060363 OHC - 186 requested that this material be distributed to them for further consideration. 5. Work Group on Health Protection Methods The Chairman of this group. Dr. Fulwiler, reported that since the group had no specific assignment, it will be held in a stand-by status. Dr. Northrop raised an issue regarding the OSHA requirement that persons wearing a face mask must be physician certified. However, this was not referred to the captioned work group nor is any immediate action on the matter con templated. 6. Revision of Safety Data Sheets 6.1 Alternates to Salt as Emetic Dr. Reinhardt reviewed the situation. OHC does not especially favor the use of ipecac. Nevertheless, following consultation with "experts", Dr. Reinhardt proposed a statement which included as key features the use of a finger in the throat or syrup of ipecac. The OHC accepted this recommendation. LAPIC on the other hand, remained opposed to the recommended use of ipecac, even as an option. An attempt is being made to resolve the difference between the two Committees on this point. 6.2 Phenol Dr. Hull reported that a communication from the British shows water and polyethylene glycol solution about equally effective in treating phenol burns. The BIBRA report referred to will be published soon and the preliminary summary,obtained in advance,is to receive only limited distribution. Again, Dr. Hull and the other members of this Task Group agreed that rapid treatment and scrubbing are most critical in phenol burn cases. In view of the above, the recommendation to use water could be continued. However, although the question was raised about how warm the water should be, it was not resolved. The Committee will again consider the matter and make recommend ations regarding changes in the present Safety Data Sheet for phenol. 6.3 Steering Committee on Chemical Safety Publications Dr. Jay Young, who recently came to MCA as Publications Manager following a distinguished teaching career, was introduced to the group. He des cribed the renewed MCA commitment to update SDS's and other publications and keep them current. Dr. Young plans to involve outside reviewers, who will be specialists in industrial hygiene, toxicology, material handling and other specialists such as physicians. Plans are to get SDS's reviewed on a three year cycle and it is expected this will be accomplished within two years. 060364 OHC - 187 7. Proposed Special Projects 7.1 Joint APl/MCA Study - Mortality of Petrochemical Workers A draft interim report by Dr. Tabershaw was reviewed by staff members of API/MCA and Tabershaw's organization. The feasibility study for which Tabershaw was commissioned is continuing. However, preliminary indications are that the classical approach to epidemiology of identifying only cohorts exposed to specific chemicals and comparing them with unexposed groups may no longer be practical. Instead, his proposal is to photograph all pertinent health records of all employees at locations where specific chemical clusters are known to be produced. The first such cluster it was agreed to investigate was the benzene grouping. Plants at which petroleum derived benzene was manufactured or used have been identified and visits planned to specific ones so that the status of their records can be evaluated. A final report is expected by the end of March, Indications are that participants in an MCA Special Project on benzene currently being organized will want to fund and take over the MCA interest in this joint project with API, so far as benzene is concerned. 7.2 Tumor Registry If the data base suggested by Dr. Tabershaw is, indeed, collected an expanded version could form the basis for a tumor registry according to Dr. O'Connell. Since Dr. Tabershaw and some others now feel the establishment of such a data base is inevitable, Dr. O'Connell recommended that the question of how best to establish a tumor registry be held in abeyance until the outcome of the Tabershaw proposal is known. 7.2.1 Meeting with National Cancer Institute Representatives at Houston Mr. Christofano reported on a meeting, January 13, in Houston, Texas with representatives of MCA, NCI and University of Texas System Cancer Center. Dr. Peters of NCI said that the Institute has the funds but not the authority to get at the data which is in industry's hands for the establishment of a tumor registry. A cooperative effort by MCA and NCI in this area was therefore proposed by Dr. Peters. The question of what possible legal problems might arise in collecting a data base was raised. Mr. Christofano agreed to contact the Legal Advisory Commit tee in an effort to get an answer. It was generally recognized that some coding would be required to protect the identity of individuals involved in a study. Dr. O'Connell agreed to prepare a draft of a communication on this subject. 8. Liaison 8.1 Safety and Fire Protection Committee - 1977 Workshop Dr. O'Connell, Cochairman for this year's Workshop has already started working on the program. Although an overall theme for the Workshop has not yet been chosen, Dr. O'Connell plans to use the theme of women in the workplace for the oc cupational health portion. It was noted that Western Electric had conducted an ex tensive study on that subject and their report might be helpful. Another possible source of background material on this theme is the Ergonomics Committee of American OHC - 188 Industrial Hygiene Association. The Secretary noted that as a result of his new assignment, he would have to attend both S&FPC and OHC meetings in September and therefore the schedule for the Workshop and Committee meetings had to be rearranged. The Workshop will now be held Thursday, September 8 and the Occupational Health Committee will meet Wednesday, September 7. t Mr. Christofano reviewed the contents of a letter he wrote to Mr. A. C. ! Clark, February 15, discussing potential conflicts of meeting dates and possible 1 limited availability of the Secretary. Mr. Freifeld has recently been assigned | responsibilities for the Safety and Fire Protection and Labels and Precautionary | Information Committees, in addition to the OHC. It was felt this situation should be monitored closely and additional action taken if needed. 8.2 Visit to United Kingdom - Week of May 9 Some details of the planned trip were reviewed by the Secretary who will distribute the proposed agenda when received from the Chemical Industry Association. 8.3 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - Proposed Creation of Industry Liaison Post The Secretary reported on a visit with Dr, Finklea, Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, as part as a group of industry repre sentatives. It was suggested that a position be established at NIOSH involving liaison of that organization with industry. Such relations are now at a low ebb and it was thought that if a person with industry experience and ready access to Dr. Finklea were in such a position, industry liaison with NIOSH might be greatly improved. Dr. Finklea agreed this was a desirable goal and methods of implementing it were discussed. He promised to look into it and get back to the leader of the industry group, Mr. Tisse of Organization Resource Counsellors. 8.4 American Industrial Hygiene Association Previously, the AIHA had decided to discontinue their accreditation program, Dr. Long reported. This decision is now being reconsidered. 8.5 NCI Liaison - Clearinghouse The Secretary reviewed the structure of the Clearinghouse which includes in addition to the Steering Group, Subcommittees on Review of Bioassay Protocols, Chemical Selection, Review of Results and Hazard Evaluation. Several representatives of industry associations meet informally with Dr. Tom Cameron of NCI every six to eight weeks. At the last such meeting attended by the Secretary, a mammalian cell transformation test was described. This screening test, although, somewhat more expensive and time consuming than the Ames test, is thought to have advantages over Ames, particularly since it deals with mammalian cells rather than micro-organisms. The test itself is currently being checked at several laboratories so that an idea of reproducibility can be obtained. It is hoped that within two years that phase will be completed and it will be ready for more widespread use. ( CMA 060366 OHC - 18" 8.6 Chemical Regulations Advisory Committee Dr. Ellison reported this Committee was working closely with EPA which is preparing a straw list of chemicals which are in commercial distribution and use. The proposed regulations governing the testing of commercial chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act are still being developed. 8.7 Inter-Committee Work Group on Environmental and Health Effects of Materials This group, Mr. Laubly said, had addressed Department of Transportation proposal HM-145. The MCA position developed by the group is that DOT should not es tablish regulations regarding the environment and health since these subjects are covered by other government agencies. Rather it should confine itself only to matters dealing with transportation. 8.8 Inter-Committee Work Group on Cargo Information Cards The Secretary indicated this group had been organized only recently and had started the task of setting priorities as to which cards should be reviewed first. 8.9 Request from Labels and Precautionary Information Committee LAPIC's Subcommittee on Chronic Effect Labeling recommended adoption of OSHA's proposals with regard to labeling carcinogens. However, they asked for the uidance of OHC in regard to teratogens with a specific question, "Are there dose esponse and routes of exposure relationships with respect to teratogens that can be applied to precautionary labeling?" Since OHC members had not had time to consider this question pre viously, it was suggested that responses be requested at a later date after the question had been distributed in written form. 9. Schedule of Future Meetings July 14, 1977 (Note change from previous schedule) September 7, 1977 (New Orleans, also Workshop September 8, December 7, 1977 March 8, 1978 1977) The meting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m. MF :ec Minutes Subject to Approval May 12, 1977 Milton Freife Secretary Occupational Health Committee CMA 060367