Document BmwREdZzr5GKwRKxG26v0XJX

FILE NAME: Eternit (ETN) DATE: 1976 Dec 22 DOC#: ETN002 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo from Johns-Manville RE Visit with Dr. Klaus Robock m Johns-Manville To: P. KOTIN, MD Date: DEC. 22, 1976 From: i . B. REITZE Copies: . B. MORENO Subject. VISIT WITH DR. KLAUS ROBOCK - ETERNIT MY VISIT WITH KLAUS WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE. HE REVIEWED IN QUITE SOME DETAIL THE ETERNIT MEDICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND THEIR WORLD-WIDE OPERATIONS. HE IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF SETTING UP MEDICAL FACILITIES AND INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE CAPABILITIES AT ALL ETERNIT LOCATIONS GROUND THE WORLD. THIS INCLUDES INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE CAPA3ILITIES AND MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS AT ALL LOCATIONS. KLAUS DESCRIBED WHAT I CONSIDERED AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM, AND IT CERTAINLY WILL BE INTERESTING TO FOLLOW THE PROGRESS WHEN THE IMPLEMENTATION GETS FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. ETERNIT IS QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT OPERATIONS IN THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BECAUSE THEY STRONGLY FEEL THAT IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ASBESTOS HEALTH PROBLEMS AND THE ACCOMPANYING REGU LATIONS, PUBLICITY, ETC. WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC. HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE HSSE HAS FULLY MET ITS RESPONSIBILITIES IN REVIEWING CONDITIONS AT OUR VARIOUS OVERSEAS LOCATIONS, PARTICULARLY MEXICO AND SOUTH AMERICA. AS SOON AS TIME PERMITS, I WILL MEET WITH MR. MORENO TO SET UP A PROGRAM TO CORRECT THIS. KLAUS AND I DISCUSSED IN SOME DETAIL THE NEW DEVICE FOR MEASUR ING WORK-PLACE FIBER THAT HE DESIGNED AND E. LEITZ IS MANU FACTURING. WHILE FROM AN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE POINT OF VIEW I CERTAINLY AM NOT SOLD ON THIS DEVICE, I BELIEVE WE WILL SOONER OR LATER BE FORCED INTO USING A DEVICE OF THIS TYPE IN OUR OPERATIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC (BEAUDRY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS). I HAVE REQUESTED G. L. SWALLOW TO INVESTI GATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THESE UNITS FOR TEST PURPOSES. DR. ROBOCK AND I THEN TOURED THE ETERNIT PLANT AT DSSELDORF WHERE HIS OFFICE AND LABORATORY ARE LOCATED. WE OBSERVED THE ASBESTOS CHARGING OPERATIONS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE UP TO OUR STANDARDS, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT WHAT ONE WOULD CALL IN A BAD SITUATION. P. KOTIN, HD DEC. 22, 1976 PAGE 2 DR. ROBOCK THEN ESCORTED ME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ESSEN. HE HOLDS A PROFESSORSHIP THERE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE. I WAS ABLE TO TALK WITH HIM ABOUT HIS RESEARCH WORK WITH MACROPHAGES AS WELL AS TOUR THE INHALATION CHAMBER LABORATORY. DR. ROBOCK HAS KINDLY OFFERED TO ASSIST OUR EUROPEAN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENIST SHOULD ANY QUESTIONS ARISE. AS SOON AS OUR INDUS TRIAL HYGIENIST/ JULIUS BREDERODE, IS OPERATIONAL/ I WILL SUGGEST THAT A VISIT BE SET UP WITH KLAUS AT THE DSSELDORF ETERNIT FACILITY. KLAUS HAS PROPOSED THAT A MEETING BE HELD IN AFRICA IN ORDER TO NOT ONLY MEET THE AFRICAN INVESTIGATORS BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY TO LEARN WHAT RESEARCH THEY HAVE DONE AND WHAT RESEARCH THEY MAY HAVE IN THE PLANNING STAGES. DR. ROBOCK FEELS THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT BOTH YOU AND GEORGE WRIGHT, AS WELL AS MYSELF, BE PRESENT SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IN DEPTH THE MEDICAL AND INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE AREAS. DR. ROBOCK HAS COME INTO POSSESSION OF A GROUP OF DEMONSTRATION X-RAYS REPORTEDLY PREPARED BY THE UICC COMMITTEE WHICH FURTHER DIFFERENTIATE AND CLASSIFY CHEST X-RAYS AT THE LOWER LEVELS OF CHANGE. HE WILL BE IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH GEORGE WRIGHT REGARDING THIS. ALTHOUGH KLAUS IS LOCATED AT THE DSSELDORF PLANT, HE REPORTS DIRECTLY TO HERR SCHMIDHEINY AND HAS COMPLETE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MEDICAL, INDUSTRIAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FOR SWISS-GERMAN-BELGIAN ETERNIT - WORLDWIDE.