Document 8jjDKrLzwppvNz887X9bvY2Z

FILE NAME: Shipbuilders Council of America (SHIP) DATE: 1970 Oct 29 DOC#: SHIP002 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo to Accident Prevention Committee RE Insulating Materials as Health Hazards . ( SH IP B U ILD ER S COUNCIL' OF ABVSERBCA L ` K \ 1730 K STREET N. W. WASHINGTON, O.G. EOOOQ EOE|33S-77EE O ctober 2 9 ,` 1970 To:,' A ccid en t-P rev en tio n C o m m ittee ' *' .S u b ject:' '' Insulating M aterials a s Health H azards . On O ctober 15 a m eeting sp o n so red by the Mount Sin ai School of M edicine, New York City, w as held to con sider health h azard s created by the r is e of insulating m a te ria ls in sh ip y ard s. 1T he C o u n cil w a s in v ite d to b e r e p r e s e n t e d a t th is m e e tin g . M s s r s . K a r r y H o w ard an d N ew t W h itm an , 1B e th le h e m S te e l C o rp . - and M r. A ustin Shean, Todd Sh ipyards C orp. w ere p resen t on . .b eh alf of the C ouncil. ; 1 ` ; E n clo sed fo r your inform ation a re the m inutes of this .m eeting and a com plete lis t of those in a tte n d a n ce ^ , ' M r. H ow ard h as consen ted to re p re se n t the Council a s a m em ber of the ad hoc group re fe rre d to in the m in utes. ,* ' iC-t.i'S'r :***''*Y `V... " - .' V`.-- ''r. *?*i1 ,,\r . V^ -v ' __ \ i *17 _ * "'' ..x,` , ' . ->- ` i , C*.' ..'... ` . '.-''n* _**>*/' 'A-,w '"V ,,r*S t- ,l. . w/i- V - ... . . V i -y;V'- E n c lo s u r e s ... ,vr'Jv -yt -rr,y. 1' /.*,", , ' v-'* .`J h,,i -V , ; ->v hhv ...- 'i'v T'! . Assistant to'the President -Ajl PLAINTIFF'S f EXHIBIT SBCASOOh r W v ---- The C ity U n iv ersity of New Y ork ; O ctober 15, 1970 j ' ' Minutes of .Meeting on Use of Insulation Materials in Shipyards ` ' The meeting was held October 15, 1970 at Mount Sinai School- of'Medicine for the purpose b considering health hazards created by' the use of insulating materials during ship construction, refit or demolition; to ascertain what procedures for controlling- hazards had been instituted or were planned; to determine what activities should be undertaker, to reduce exposures in this industry to toxic substances; and to disseminate information. A list' of participants and organize- - tions represented is attached. ' .. Dr. Selikoff-reviewed the data on the biological effects of exposure to asbestos which have been developed by clinical and epidemi ological studies of insulation and shipyard workmen. The records show' that, in addition to asbestosis, this group exhibited significant ly elevated incidences' of lung cancer and mesothelioma. Actions should be taken promptly to correct conditions, with particular em phasis on reducing peak exposures as it is considered that these are especially significant as a cause of injury.' ' ' : ' Mr, Reitz opened a discussion of environmental conditions in shipyards by relating observations made in visits to many operations in'the United States. He pointed out that removal of insulation producori largo amounts of dust and that this operation was. done by many dil!foroftt 'trado'w . Similarly to building construction work, mixing mor tar and handsawing operations also created considerable dust. Some .dust reduction measures were in use in almost all yards, but no yard was utilizing all procedures, Many operations were similar to those observed in-t h e 1building construction industry during surveys by the ` field.staff'offthe',Insulation Industry Hygiene Research Program. Dr. I ' Barboo stated that conditions which had prevailed in Navy shipyards were similar to thos.e found in private facilities. An intensive con " trol program has been, instituted in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard involving substitution of materials containing lower percentages of T\ asbestos, use of local exhaust ventilation, control of waste handling and use of personal protective equipment. Regulations covering use ' of asbestos-containing materials are being prepared and will be dis tributed to all Navy shipyards. ` Dr. Nicholson described the health protection progx-am which is in operation.at the Devonport Dockyard at Plymouth, England. The main emphasis of this program is on use of personal protective ' equipment, isolation of operations, housekeeping and substitution of materials. There was considerable discussion of contrQl procedures which have been, or could be, used. Substitution of materials contain ing reduced amounts of asbestos, use of plastic bags for mixing mortar, use of downdraft tables for hand-sawing work, provision of respirators and disposable coveralls were all mentioned. It was apparent that procedures were now available which would greatly reduce peak exposures to dust and that the most complete program in operation was that of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. ' ' Mr. O'Neill stated that the U.S, Department of Labor was re sponsible for health and safety in ship construction and would be draft ' i nn regulations covoring this industry. The regulations will not con cern such itoms as work practices but will establish health-and safety s t a n d a r d s , 1 1The question of the most productive course of action was dis cussed by Mr, Holaday. In appeared that sufficient knowledge was avail able to permit"development o f recommendations fo r control procedures. These recommendations would be developed by an 'ad hoc committee / composed of. representatives from each group having an interest in or responsibility for ship construction, refit or, demolition. Hopefully, xhis committee would collate information and produce recommendations for consideration by the groups concerned. The Environmental Sciences * i * Laboratory, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, would sponsor this work as part of the insulation industry hygiene research project. The con sensus of the meeting Was that this procedure was feasible and should be followed. The-suggested time for completing this task was three months,'at which time another general meeting would be arranged. . ' Dr. Selikoff expressed his appreciation to the participants . i F '. \ \ 1and. the meeting adjourned. , . `-V' A ' 'Vv 7> f ' L/** r*i a I October 15 / 1970 -Participants in Meeting on Control of Hazards created by Use of Insulating . ' i Material in 'Shipyards " , . \ . - . . ; ` 1 I ' -*. , - r| 1 ` " *! . - U.S. Navy'Department -- Bureau of Medicine & Surgery - Dr.'George M. Law.ton, Director, Occupational Health- Division . . ' Dr. .Samuel Barboo . s , ' Mr, Carl A. Mangold, `Mead, Industrial Hygiene Branch, Medical Depart- 1; - . , ' , ment, .Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington * ' ' K ' ' - , * -t- .. ., * ` ` J ` 1 ^ . ` ' ' U.S'. Department of Labor, Bureau'of Labor Standards' ' "Mr. John P.':O 'Neill - ' '' ' * ' ; ' Shipbuilding Council of America ` ' Mr. Harry Howard, Tech. Assistant to the Vice President for . - Shipbuilding and Ship Repair, Bethlehem Steel M r '. Newt Whitman, 'Chief Environmental Health Chemist, Bethlehem , Mr. Austin Shean, Director of Safety, Todd Shipyard Corp. Steel Johns-Manvilie Corporation , Dri F . L . Pundsaclt - ' 'Mr .'E,' Fenner ' ' M r.'C.^Ernst . ' Mr,.,W, R ain es V^.-.V'/'V Mount Sinai ' ` "... . . .- Dr. Sclikoff ",' , 1 Dr.' Heimann ` -'.-.DrNicholson'.>-j ' Mr^iReitze ; . "'j ...... ; Mr'. Holaday ' : f ,International"Association of Heat & Frost Insulators & Asbestos Workers : :MrV;'James '-Mulhern, : ' . ' i