Document DG4vVv07qZNNbxabdzQRpBBRn

FRICTION PRODUCTS GROUP Winchester NOV 4 1977 ABEX CORPORATION MEDiCAL November 1, 1977 Dr. F.W. Knoch Director, Medical Department Chicago Office With reference to your letter to Mr. Ralph S. Combs of October 19, 1977, I appreciate your kind words as well as constructive criticism. Our new plant nurse has already had an impact on the accident rate at this facility, and I would expect the incident rate in the "Occupational Injury Incidence Report" to be significantly improved over the next few months. However, your second to last paragraph is somewhat unclear since it is not necessary to wear respirators in any of our plants as we maintain an asbestos fiber count below two fibers per cubic centimeter at all times. Our ability to live within this specification has been verified by our own Medical Department as well as the government, and thus respirators are strictly a safety tool which is made available to those employees who desire to wear one for their own reasons. Recent questions concerning safety glasses and side shields have been expressed by various persons, but partic ularly by yourself during your tours of Winchester and Salisbury. Based on this, I have been attempting to inform myself as to the rules and regulations governing this issue, and I have learned that if there are any, they have not been brought to the attention of responsible individ uals. I think we can assume that we all agree that side shields are safer than glasses without side shields, but so are safety shoes in comparison to regular shoes and hair nets, tight fitting clothes, no jewelry, etc., etc. SPNY 003703