Document 6wyzJzj4Z1q3zp104rn4DRDoE

Mr. Mr. H. K. Ball Continental Refining Company Artesia, Sew Mexico Sew York Tulsa Decsaber 18, 1944 AIRMAIL - PERSONAL Lear Oscart We are attaching hereto copy of Cliff Lenington's report on his activities for the past week. As you know. Cliff spent hie entire ties at the Conti nental Refining Company's plant in Arteeia investigating the exposure of several men who were repairing a 10,000 barrel leaded, gasoline tank. Also attached you will find a copy of the Arteeia Advocate for Thursday December. 14 which discusses this tank cleaning exposure. I think you will agree that this was handled very well on the part of the newspaper. If -there are any further articles in the newspaper we will see that copies are sent to you. Cliff's report is complete and we believe coverB the "gap" in this story. ' Undoubtedly the report and the findings of the Medical Department will fully complete this storyso that we will know what to do in the future to prevent the recurrence of such a situation. iRo will definitely keep you advised as to any further developments# 4 Yoursvery truly, HRB/har, Attach. cct Dr* R. A. Rehoe - Personal - Airmail f<B 0021476 ***-*-I I *.#> | > , |;i: ~ r ' l , 4-* 7,. ^;/ "t *r fe iSSs^"*' '* ,*'- 'ifci - '*,, ,'-:2..h$ k7 , ,7-*- . Jiim&irS*V^ecoired a cbli'lr^9 ntin,'l^t`l Oil Commi. .,--------- j' i-A -. .;-?&*'informed no that :;PourRf*'er worWng in a u4^ikiS bsenfpreciously cleaned '. and was fininhod- nor****. Illl.y which cleaning was observed andi-.repprtfd ,^y;n*.. 9fo** `>:w/V'V'*, ',*:' a , >r.; :*' . . /This week I mailed you a detailed supplementary report after reccivin,- U. ? -v-~__ ~~ H is#.r; swl v. nnia.w4a n.. " fl+.*rtVin* t.Virt hwa< nn =._____J . .. fSpWJSfc? * thelJr attewpi at ..diagnoeia ^Hey'decided, tor cftll raft in regard to the poKC.biiity of lead poisoning and especially since' one' case'.was. becoming patticulurly ceric ,2. was for this reason that they contacted me and 1 in turn contacted our Yulen { fficj ,,?/. fdilcb,resulted in Ur* Stroup's above mentioned consultation with the iotterin L&briw toriea* n f ;The fbrgojng resulted in Dr* Schradin malting a trip accompanied by no, to Arteeii., h. , - > In the ; following paragraphs 1 will attempt' to ..-explain in detail all the ecnc: ticno surrounding this tank and hope that in some way wo xalgxt hit upon That r.rtually haj.- $ *7 pened to these men.'Possibly some of the other Safety Engineers upon reading theco circumstances might hays some ideas or experience in regard to any of the eontUtior.o /r i. .which occurred. I sn not going intodetail in regard to the physical condition cf ii;/' thenbove patients as that.'id strictly up to Dr* Schraiin/. A 1 sen it v:y concern in *f}?l this matter lias in the condition of the tank ,/the procedure used in cleaning the * % tank and what ever information 1 gained on ray .last ;trip thoro after the ropai rn had I'l, been almost completed and' how' this- work-.had. been:,carried out and what if anythin.1: : had occurred that was unusual. '*>'. 1 -' W'-'" . ' A. . ' .. stated* nbnve we'.started this/tank cleaning on November the 27th and finished it V.'_nbvoabor :tho 29th* .Let me make, it > clear here that thi3 tank was cleanod for tho pur- ,]t/ pose of pouring concrete only* They were difinitely informed that this Yank was not lif j lead, free; and consequently was unsafe for any typo of hot work. Let mo digress fro : ^ f'theidubjset. a moment and state here that.in my opinion, and ay-reports will bear U/i out, e tenk is nevor load free unless it: has been snnblasted* this 1 meoi'i absolute ' safe for any type of work. I do consider'certain types of cleaning as being ante for [. certain types of work and I state now that in my opinion this tank was cafe for the *, vtype of work to be done and ay examination on my..second trip back boars ne out in U.r. T'\the bottom of this tank was safe to be worked on in tho orthodox manner, and for what f they euid they were going to 10 Ht 0021477 N 24591.01 This t nk cleaning progressed without incident and all oafbty prenutionn wore eboerved. Wo finished the cleaning in the evening and the tank bottom was dry that is the sludge hed been removed and the bottom owaped with fullers earth. They turned in the ofcoan that niht and according to their reports tho bonk was steamed the nig)to of the 29th and JOth. Than the tank lay idle one day and than tho atom woe again on the night of December the 2nd and was steamed alt day and night of the 5rd The tank lay idle until the 9th of December when they started work. Before work started the tank woo tested for gae and waa found to bo gas free*. Thirteen men entered the tank to pour the con,'creto. Four sen out of theoe thirteen57 were hospitalized and ono of these men, Itaey ' Nobles was one of the original^twktoloanoro and ho woo dismiBsed from, the, hospital after one day* At noon two of the iaen complained that they wore not feeling 'well and ; the above Huey Nobles was one of thorn and he did not re-enter the tank and ia now well, the othor K. l.# Bynum, the men who bocano moot seriously ill-and finally died re-entered the tank said finished the days work. The complete list of the men end their condition will be forwarded to you by the Medical Department end there is no need for my duplicating it, however,, if you eo request 1 have It available* This was a 10,000 barrel tenk with a curved roof and had been in service 25 years end was inetoiled second hand. It hnd a 25" manhood, ono 4" and 6* opening at tho opposite side from the canhead, ono 4"; and 6" opening ort the roof* This tank did not have a water draw. The bottom leaked but not sufficiently to drain Off tho steam condensate, so before work was started n hole had to to punched in the bottom so tha water could be drained, ifhen Ur* Gillespie , Db, Schradin and .1 looked at the tank for the purposo of finding leaks there wac no evidence of ouch leaks. fC you know it waB first thought when hearing of ihie accident that the condition of this tank bottom was so bad that there night have been a possibility of sludge oozing through the bottom and time causing o hazard. Upon examination this condition has bean olioinatod entirely. Tho only thing that they did in their procedure in repairing this tank that I personally have had no experience with and which nay or cay not have co: tribute! to the accident wno that m nir hoso connected to their compressor waa in stalled in the tank opposite from the manhood the idea of which was to give the men more tr while they worked. Now, os 1 sec it there are several possibilities connoc with this'procedure. Teat wore made and our Hedical Department will evaluate them. A far as the cleaning end the repair of this tank is concerned there wee nothing tfmt was done that was not in accord with our known rules and regulations for safe7 If there fere any questions in your mind which 1 hove not answered I would epprecis hearing from ycu* There are so many things concerned in s situation of this type t it is difficult to report th su If ycu, with mere knowledge than I, have any criti of my handling of this affair from start to finieh, it would be Hilly appreciated. I had the ease situation to arise I could not do differently and my main interact is in tho prevention of a re-occurrence. 0021478