Document EkQ1vBDXDQ6vdkn3X6V2G6bx

. NEWS 2:4:74 zene or the benzene - based materials from the free mar awareness that this was the third death of its kind "war The Goodrich report "gives us a head start on finding if there ketplace, utilizing them inter nally or bartering them away for items that may be [otherwise] ranted a thorough investiga tion. . . Goodrich, under the law, was is work-relatedness in these deaths, and in finding suitable standards if there is." unavailable. . .. "The regulations as written duty-bound to notify Kentucky health officials. But the firm Operation candor--"We were provide the oil companies with: was not required to notify required by law to notify Ken relief in securing their feed stocks," Mr. Fass continues. NIOSH or to release notice of I tucky officials," says John Bell, the deaths to the press. Goodrich's director of external "The theory goes that if these feedstocks are secured, then And the fact that they did is somewhat unusual. NIOSH in communications and public af fairs. "But those reports are they will take care of the down stream market." But to Mr. Fass, the situation "is somewhat akin to the lamb in the lion's den." formation officer Dick Wilson says the voluntary report was "unique. "In our experience--and this dates back to June 1971, when privileged. Not a matter of pub lic record. "So our decision to notify NIOSH and to make a public an nouncement was based not on the institute was first set up-- legal considerations but on prac this is the first voluntary alert tical matters. Goodrich's warning ) we've received." "The evidence was complex, could save lives / Because the petrochemical in dustry has been with us for fragmentary, and inconclusive. Nonetheless, we wanted to tell "MEDICAL EXPERTS at the Na- | about 20 years--and the three our employees what is going on tional Institute for Occupational ! who died worked around vinyl and not make them rely on hear- j Safety & Health (NIOSH) are j chloride an average of 20 years j ing everything second-hand, or I I luiiniiig computer cnecKs or --ivir. wuson is concerned that I getting fraomAnfflru ' medical records and autopsy re- ! the industry might soon see more j from unreliable sources," he ports from a number of vinyl j such cases. says. chloride plants across the U. S. Spurring the investigations was a report in January that since 1971 three employees of j j j j HMO: a health care option B. F. Goodrich Co.'s polyvinyl i your firm will have to offerchloride plant in Louisville have j died of angiosarcoma of the | liver. Angiosarcoma, Goodrich doc- ii j BUSINESSMEN may soon find HMO option need not be offered tors explain, is a fairly rare form ! HMOs are an old idea whose until the contract expires. of cancer. And a determination j time has come. Another condition on the that the Goodrich illnesses were j Starting next year, many offer: an employer won't have indeed caused by the work en- | employers will have to offer to pay more for the HMO al vironment would no doubt lead their workers the option of ternative than he already does to a revision of federal stand health maintenance organiza for current health insurance ards for working with vinyl tion (HMO) enrollment instead ! plans or Blue Cross/Blue Shield. chlorides. of traditional health insurance. f "If HMO benefits cost more, and The reason: a little-noticed j the employee wants it, then it is Who told?--Although the last section of the Health Main- up to him to pay for it," Wil employee died in December, | tenance Organization Act that j liam McHenry, the U. S. Cham Goodrich did not receive an au- ' President Nixon signed Dec. 29. j ber of Commerce's economic topsy report until mid-January. The legislation applies to j security manager, advised na And although all five of the firm's vinyl chloride plants were firms covered by the minimum i tional and state chamber person wage law and which have an ! nel this month. TO09 TrlZ operating well below levels pre scribed by the government--the Louisville plant at only 10% of IoloIc TX- --------- - - - Johnson, Goodrich's director of environmental health, said average of 25 or more employees Further, the option will apply in a calendar quarter. For some only if there's a qualified HMO : companies, however, the effec- : in the area where employees i .... >uu ui iu jdiiuaty uve. its up to the secretary of | I 1975. If a firm has a multiyear ; the Dept, of Health, Education j health contract in force then, the [ i Welfare (IiLW) to determine | \ 20 February 4. 1974 / Industry Week t