Document 8kmEzOOg66bnn3YmDb26BJDK

FILE NAME: International Harvester (INTH) DATE: 2017 DOC#: INTH057 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Barry Castleman Summary International Harvester/Navistar 71. In 1932, the Industrial Commission of Wisconsin held proceedings of conference concerning effects of dust upon the respiratory system. This meeting was held in Chicago on November 16 and 17, 1932. Among those who attended the conference, as evidenced by the published transcript, was Dr. J.A. Britton, Chicago, Illinois, Medical Director, International Harvester Company. The disease asbsestosis was discussed at the conference. 72. In 1936, a special session of the Illinois General Assembly was convened to consider, among other things, legislation relating to health and safety of workers. One of the bills covered the subject of liability of employers for injuries or deaths resulting from diseases, including asbestosis. Among those that participated in preparation of the bill were employees of various members of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association, including J.R. Allen, of International Harvester Company and J.A. Britton, Supervisor of Medical Service, International Harvester Company. 73. As shown in the membership roster for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) International Harvester had employees who were members of the ASME going back to the 1920's and continuing through at least the 1940's. In the 1930's, the ASME published a journal entitled "Mechanical Engineering," which in had several articles which discussed the hazards of asbestos and other industrial dusts. One such article from 1933, calls attention to the fact that invisible particles of dust are capable of causing harm, are capable of remaining long suspended so as to remain a danger for long periods of time. That same article discussed the hazard of dust becoming re-suspended through sweeping and other activities and calls upon employers to use special care when dealing with industrial dusts, including asbestos. Another article, published in the October 1933 Mechanical Engineering Journal lists asbestos in the first paragraph of the article as an industrial material which is known to cause disease of the lungs. 74. Navistar (International Harvester) through its corporate representative states it was aware of the hazards of asbestos in the mid to late 1960's. In the 1960's, International Harvester states it knew that there was asbestos in brake linings and as a result of information about the hazards of asbestos, International Harvester began testing alternative materials when they became available in an attempt to eliminate asbestos in both brakes and clutches. 75. In March 1972, International Harvester issued an internal memorandum, which discusses OSHA's new emergency standard set for asbestos; that memo characterizes any production operation that is capable creating airborne asbestos dust, such as machining or grinding of brake linings, as suspect. 76. In January 1975, another International Harvester memo was issued about the use of asbestos. That memo indicates that the company has made the decision that sales and distribution operations should also be notified about safety requirements in connection with the handling of asbestos materials. Specifically noted was a potential hazard arising in connection with the grinding of brake linings containing asbestos. Among the safety requirements referenced were respirators, vacuuming of asbestos covered clothing and proper disposal methods for asbestos. 77. In 1975, International Harvester's corporate representative, as an employee of International Harvester, saw an asbestos warning in a box of brakes supplied by an outside vendor to International Harvester. That insert cautioned against creating dust, against using air hoses, recommended the use of dust collection equipment, the use of a HEPA vacuum and wet cleaning, the disposal of dust in sealed containers and respiratory protection. 78. In July 1976, an internal memo was issued by Geoffrey Bacci of the Safety Department at International Harvester identifying hazards related to removing asbestos bushings from tract frames. Per that memo, while removing the bushings and cleaning up the area the operator must wear a disposable respirator and the debris must be disposed in a sealed plastic bag and labeled "Asbestos." 79. In August 1977, J.L. Simons, Safety Supervisor at International Harvester, issued a memorandum which identifies special handling procedures to be followed by employees working with asbestos bushings and brake linings on tractors. 80. On October 12, 1977, a memorandum issued from Mr. Bacci, Industrial Hygiene Consultant, noted that respiratory protection is mandatory for all employees who install new clutch linings and test new clutch discs. 81. In November 1978, Dr. D.S. Janetka, Industrial Hygienist, issued an internal memorandum regarding bulk sample taken from a clutch disc box. That memo identifies analytical result was done of a bulk sample with amosite and actinolite asbestos dust taken from a clutch disc box. That memorandum discusses the fact that all previously stated precautions must be followed. 82. International Harvester has stated, through Mr. Shuman, as corporate representative that International Harvester did not have a policy to send out information about the hazards of asbestos to mechanics. 83. International Harvester has not been able to locate any witnesses or documents that show it undertook to provide warnings before 1982. The first precautionary label or statement which International Harvester has been able to locate, relating to asbestos, is a statement which went out in certain service manuals in 1982 but which does not recommend wetting down brake dust; does not recommend using respirators; does not recommend against using air hoses; it does not discourage dry sweeping and cleaning. From dec. filed 2/16/17 in Lepore case, San Francisco AID FOR INDUSTRY I'RCED ON DOCTORS SjK nl tn TlIfc NKR' YUllK liM tS _ ..Jti AV to/i iMtK'* f/M 'A i> m w V iA l. . u 7 . IVM. PiuOur*. Mi>4wi;IN`e'j>s;JeJ H it New Y o u ltnrIXSI -2M?J I*. 2' Hazards in the Occupations of 15,000,000 in U. S. Stressed . at AMA Congress CANCEft . FACTORS CITED 3,000. Delegates at Cleveland; Also Hear Paper on Nutritional Needs 3pwis3 to THfHsW Y eix T o n s, j CliEVBLXND, Jan. 6 --The health of 15,000,000 Americans en g a g e d in hazardous occupations 1b the direct' responsibility of the medical' profession. This was em phasized today by Dr. R, L..Sensentch. Of South Bend, Ind., prssiIdent-Iect of the A. M. A., in an .address at the congress on indus trial health of the American Med ical Association. Adequate measures should be taken to safeguard- the- work er from exposure' to excessive amounts of harmful substances, he told the detente*. Dr. W. C. Hueper of the Warren Institute for Therapeutic Research, New York, likewise warned indus trial physicians to be on the looklout for new types of industrial cancers resulting from use of new ly developed chemical and physical 'agents which have carcinogenic (cancer-inducing) properties. The 3,000 delegates who are at tending-the. four-day meeting also heard Dr. Robert S. Gtoodhart of New .York stress the need for greater attention to the nutritional factors, of the industrial worker. In another session. Dr. Alvan L. Baraeh Of New York discussed modern .`treatment for inflamedbronchial tubes and sinuses, slid an outline of the- activities of-re habilitation. services of the. Vet erans Administration was pre sented by Dr. Donald A. Covalt also' of New York. "The Individual and bis health are' of interest to the m ed ica l pro fession, not only throughout all his acUviUes.but also throughout all the years of his life," Dr. Sensenlch declared. , "Different ages present' different problems, capaci ties and Varying restrictions as to 'activities." I Dr. Hueper declared that the ,known cancer-inducing agents with which workers come. into contact were ultra-violet rays,- x-rnys and rays from radioactive substances, compounds of arsenic, chromium, nickel, and, perhaps, berylliums asbestos, tar, pitch, crude oils and greases prepared from petroleum, benzol and certain benzol derivatives such as betanaphthylamine and benzidine. These may act upon tHe body, Dr. Hueper explained, through di rect contaat with the skin or through Inhalation or ingestion. Further, he declared that the study of the causation of Indus trial cancers would facilitate recognition of "the environmental origin of other cancers in man re lated to factors associated with certain diets, medicines, medicinal devices, cosmetics, habits, customs, climate, contaminants or air, water and soil, foodstuffs and, since re cent years, procedures of warfare. Aerosol Therapy discussed Dr. Baraeh, who la associate professor of clinical medicine at, the College of Physloians and Sur-* geons of Columbia University, In a round-table discussion on the upper part of. the respiratory tract, de scribed aerosol therapy, as the use Of on atomiser or `spray, to de posit small particles of drugs in: the bronohial tubes and air cells! of the lungs. Penicillin Bprayed into the lungs helps many respira tory infections, he said. In this respect, he ddded, that .treatment of chronic sinusitis in adults' and children appears to be ,"one of the most important thera peutic Uses of penicillin aerosol when it is combined with a method of creating negative pressure of the nasal passages." Dr. Goodhart, who is scientific director of the National Vitamin Foundation,' Inc., declared the spe- > cial and general nutritional prob lems of industrial workers can be solved only through the active co operation of many different per sona and agencies in the plant, the community .and .the home. "By no means the least ot these, in either case, are the practicing physicians of the, community," he asserted * R w o W M tf wilh p*rmlMIW! M 3 copyright o-Mtr. fu rh w raproductf cn woNtltfld vrtfliout ptm -tafon.