Document DzLB14mnvzb9dNwJL5V3nKoQ

PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT DUP-1382 BUCKS COUNTY COURIER TIMES MARCH 23, 1*7* hairless plant tested for cancer WmiatniMOTlNlKliCaMTCww causing agent. TlaH IfTV Vaenm cleaning recently consulted a specialist, who found lung cancer After the opera By Bill B**4 Conner Timt Staff Writ* Nicholson adds the brake linings tion. the victim's lawyer prepared a should be cleaned with a vacuum or claim against U S. Steel, only to re wet cloth to koep asbestos particle* ceive an offer to settle out of court Asb*stoa fiber* from pipe wrap* from becoming airborne. "That was a rare reaction.' Lupini plagt tad brake llntni* could cauae The plant spokesman says wet says of the corporation's quick offer 1 lua| cancer la worker* and retiree* of cloths are used, and pro-drilled brake "Usually they tell us it (theailment) Is U.S. Steel'* Fairies* Work*. shoes are bought as another precau emphysema (and Is not job related) ' On* Fiirte** Hill* man, a 22-year tion. (Without the drill holes, worker* The plant spokesman denies the worker who haadled asbestos at the would have to drill through the asbes victim's illness Is related to asbestos Fills Township plant, ha* won a set tos shoes, resulting in asbestos parti poisoning He calls the settlement a tlement from the corporation after cles.) "workmen's compensation matter' cancer eialmed part of on* lung. The chilling characteristic of as The settlement provides the disa And a federal agency *nd the larg bestos poisoning, Nlcbotson says. Is a bled worker CIS a week. It also ac est local steelworkers' union are prob ing the asbestos level and employee health at the mill. A Fairies* Works spokesman de nies workers' health I* threatened, saying, "We take the necessary stepe to make sure our people ere protect ed.' And be says the former steelwork er's lllne** la net related to atbeeia* 20- to 30-year dormancy period. In oth er words, workers inhaling the canccrcausing fibers would not suffer from the disease and could not detect it for two to three decades. "The lower the exposure, the lower the risk The higher the exposure, the higher the risk.' Nicholson says 'We don't know the threshhold for asbestos knowledges hts disability was caused by an "industrial disease.' Lupini says. "I foci sorry for the man.' the local president adds. 'But this is a break through In Industrial disease ` To guage the asbestos problem. Lu pini called in the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, poisoningAsbe*tea, a known cauae of cancer and other respiratory disorder*, has been used in Fairies* Works since the plant was built In the early ISMs. An asbestoa tap* la wrapped around steam pipe* throughout the plant, workers say. And the substance Is contained la brake linings on cranes, they aii Workers are safe as long at the as bestos in the tape and brake lining* re main! Intact, aays Dr. William 4. Nicholson of the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City. But once ih* asbestos breaks Into microscopic fibers and becomes air borne. It challenges workers' health. "Dismantling of pipe* wrapped with asbestos can cause high casscentrationsfof fiber*)),' Nicholas* says. "Usually the asbestos pipe wrapping is covered by canvas, painter metal.' Such outer coatings do sot exist in the plant, worker* claim. "There used to be a coat of Mack paint on the pipe*, but that chipped when cranes hit them.' a worker re calls. "it (the paint) baa peeled off It's a long time since they were black.' The plant spokesman responds the asbestos Insulation Is covered. And when the pipe* are repaired, "slope are taken to protect the worker at the law specifies to koep exposure to a minimum.' Another worker says brake linings are cleaned with an air gun, which "blows the ssbestos onto the floor. It Just sit* there In the dirt and grease.' Nicholson decrlbes the same proce dure as common practice In cases where asbestos poisoning hat been found. His staff at Mt. Sinai's environ mental laboratory, headed by Dr. Irvlaf ] Sellkoff. Is considered the pioneer and authority on the cancer- (how long a worker must be exposed to fibers to contract cancer), so the best thing is to eliminate it ' Dormancy period It Is the dormancy period which worries local 4*ft*officials. "It takes 20 to 30 years for the as bestos to show up and affect people The plant opened in IS32 (27 years ago)' officials say "Men who worked Jn the plant all their lives and who have retired could have it (lung can cer) ' The best thing to do is get a check up.' they add The local did send 2S workers from the sheet and tin division and so men from central shops to local doctors for X-rays. Only four of these cases, ex amined three months ago. resulted in "abnormal' X-rays and required more tests, says Al Lupini Local taSS presi dent. But one of the doctors -- Dr Solo mon Kominsky of Rolling Lane. Red Cedar Hill. Lcvittown -- says asbestos poisoning may nut shnw up on one-dimensional X-ravs Other tests would be needed, he aadKominsky refuses to discuss the steelworkers' cases he has handled, citing the confidential doctor patient relationship. Results of the supplemental tests in the fqur "abnormal' cases are not ready. Lupini adds Wars* against panic The local president is leery to start a "panic among his i 500 members, other plant workers and former em ployees Yet an operation custing a man .< lung and the ensuing settlement with management are making Lupini wonder how serious the situation could be The worker -- a turbine mechanic whose name the Bucks Counts Courier Times i- withholding a: his request - known as OSHA Air samples OSHA investigators sampled air throughout the plant about six -weeks ago, says Walter Wilson, director of the Philadelphia office. Results will be compiled within SO days, he add*. OSHA's limit as established by the federal Environmental Protection Agency is two fibers of asbestos per cubic centimeter of air within eight hours But a scientist al Franklin In stitute in Philadelphia calls OSHA's standards and detection techniques outdated r Victor Damlano says OSHA's guidelines were established from re search In asbestos plants only, not oth er types of manufacturing Air sam ples are taken, and the number of fibers are counted This procedure n accurate for an asbestos plant, where all fibers would be asbestos Damtano explains Butin s steel plant, the fibers collected can- nut be distinguished Franklin Institute docs have two types of electron microscopes to sort out fibers But O.sHA inve-ttgsinrs use a more primitive light microscope winch cannot show the difference be tween fibers Damtano >a> "OSHA has dragged ns feer.' the scientist criticizes "It doesn't have ambient air specifications There hav been trouble in schools, but it tOSHAi has nc tigures for school kids (to be subjected to asbenu-i Damlano points out the Philadel phia School District ha- established limits more stringent than OSHA's. The Franklin Institute does pru ate analyses -uch |i the -tudy it did for the Nr-hammv Smoot District in 1977 Thai vtudv gave the district a clean bill of health after a-bc-io ceilings had been painted to cui down fiber- in the air DUP 1110932 DU 054926