Document EqjGwD2XanDRVG79VM1JkXy9N

Ms. Judy Spencer Legal Department Industrial Commission of Ohio 246 North High Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 RBt OD 24348-22 Ollle Newton Chevrolet-Parma Plant General Motors Corporation Parma, Ohio Dear Ms* Spencers On Pebruary 25, 1986, an industrial hygiene investigation was conducted at the Chevrolet-Parma Plant to evaluate Mr. 01 lie Newton's claim of occupationally induced chronic obstructive airways disease* This investigator worked with the legal firm of Baughman and Associates Co., L.P.A., which is representing the employer, Chevrolet Parma* A number of attempts were made to meet with a representative of Baughman and Associated at the Chevrolet-Parma plant prior to the rebruary 25, 1966, survey date. At the plant this investigator met with Mr. Pill Sharkey and Ms. Jane Wilson* The Pressed Metal, Transmission, and Prop Shaft plants make up the Chevrolet-Parma complex. Automatic transmission for rear wheel drive cars sre made in the Transmission plant, drive shafts are made in the Prop Shaft plant, and sheet metal parts are made in the Pressed Metal plant. Thousands of employees work at these plants. The claimant worked in both the Transmission and Prop Shaft plants. Company records indicate that Hr. Newton worked approxi mately 33 years at the Chevrolet-Parma Plant. A copy of his employment record is supplied with this report. There are no more job description records available for his work history prior to 1968 other than that on the employment record. During those years his main job classifications were Machine Operator r~nerel, Machine Operator Special, and Machine Operator Precision winder. This investigator was told that precision grinding probably would have been done on an automatically fed machine with a wet The Industrial Commission of Ohio Division of Safety and Hygiene 248 N. High St Columbus, Ohio 43215 f8ehamF.Cs(mslS^OovemoreUoB,rST.Uneeif.lndu>lrWCaiwwliilonCI>Mniiig^HuguW<tVVCh,lrM0or9,&8m>e.Mnbr ACSliaSfelim^eLeSC>WlL>ieSmi>ytM<wSrJe>wA.Pciis><i8ew>^Hyglw8up<irtnlxWn<*ljOOG*f9Wy.AMWttn<Supwin<>o<a>t OD-24348-22 - Ollie Newton Page 2 grinding wheel. The operator of a machine of this type would not be doing band grinding on a dry wheel. A review of the Division of Safety and Hygiene's files revealed a March 4, 1971, report of a claim investigation done at Chevrolet-Parma. This claiaant had worked as a Machine Operator froa 1953 through 1969. Excerpts froa the report are as follows* "It was stated that the grinding operations were done with a liquid coolant, with the exception of 2 or 3 days on one dry grinding operation. The grinding and drilling machines were hooded and provided with ducts to an exhaust systea. There was no evidence of dust reaching the operator in any of these operations. There is no silica involved in any of the grinding or cutting processes." "Since there was no dry grinding or any other apparent source of dust in the air, taking a dust count was not indicated." It is not known bow well these stateaents correlate with this investigation. Proa 1S68 through 1975 Mr. Newton was in a number of job classifications. Proa 1976 through 1985 Mr. Newton worked aainly in two departments, one in the Transmission Plant and the other in the Prop Shaft Plant. Proa 1976 through 1979 Mr. Newton was a job setter in Departaent 25 of the Transmission Plant. Upon speaking with his supervisor this investigator was told that Mr. Newton was a job setter on the Scan air tester machines. Be was responsible for keeping the machines in operation. The Scan air testers use air pressure to test finished transmission housings for leaks. The claimant would replace seals if necessary and work on the ma chines if the transmissions are not lining up properly. The Scan air tester machines do not appear to be a source of significant airborne contamination to the operator or job setter. During the limited amount of time that this investigator spent in the area of the Scan air tester little or no airborne oil mist or fumes were seen around these machines. Air monitor ing was attempted by this investigator but for reasons beyond this investigator's control air monitoring had to be terminated. This investigator was asked by company representatives not to have the samples analyzed and has complied with this request. This investigator was given a copy of a report where the General Motors Corporation's Industrial Hygiene Department conducted air monitoring in Department 25 on January 5, 1983. Sample results for total particulates and oil mist were within acceptable limits. Although air monitoring was conducted ir Department 25 an air monitoring result for a job setter on the Scan air tester is not present in this report. A copy of the report is being supplied. 3 i. CD-24348-22 - 01lie Kewton Page 3 For about five years prior to retirement Hr. Newton worked as a job setter in Department 29 of the Prop Shaft Plant, during this job be was responsible for the operation of the ID grinders. These machines operate automatically and grind out parts used on universal joints to bouse bearings. These aachines use a soluble oil as a coolant which is flooded over the parts being machined. This area is enclosed by a plexiglass shield during operation. A Job Setter is responsible for setting up these aachines when they are not in operation. While the machines are running the Job Setter remains in the area observing the operation of the ID grinders. During the limited asount of tine this Investigator spent around cbe ID grinders little airborne visual emission was observed. Personal air monitoring was attempted in this area but it had to be terminated prematurely. Again this investigator was asked by company representatives not to have the sasples analyzed and has complied with this request. This investigator was given a copy of a report where the Ceneral Motor's Corporation's Industrial Hygiene Department conducted air monitoring in Depart ment 29 on January 8, 1985. Samples results for total particu lates were within acceptable limits. The sample in Department 29 was an area sample and not a personal saapla* A copy of the report is being supplied. It must be pointed out that these values represent condi tions on the date of this survey* and the degree of their appli cability to any long-term situation can only be determined by a professional well versed in the practice of industrial hygiene and/or occupational medicine. Use of these data in an effort to establish or eliminate cause-and-effect relationships with regard to disease or illness must be done with extreme caution* and then only by an individual who fully understands the many inherent variables. Threshold limit value? refer to airborne concentrations of substancas and represent conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed day-after-day without adverse effect. Because of wide variations in individual susceptibility* however* a small percentage of workers may experience discomfort from some substances at concentrations at or below the threshold limit; a smaller percentage may be affectod more seriously by aggravation of a pre-existing condition or by development of an occupational illness. When concerned with exposures to cutting fluids it is important to mention concern over potential exposure to nitrosamines. Mitrosamines are considered to be human carcinogens. Recent literature indicates that nitrosamine'a . 00-24348-22 - OTlie Hewton Page 4 aajoc route of entry into the body is through skin absorption. An insert is supplied concerning nitrosaaines and the types of cutting fluids that say contain nitrosaaines. Additional inforaation concerning oil aist exposure is also being supplied. Conditions in both Departaents 25 and 29 have not changed significantly over the past few years. An employee pre-eaployaent physical is being supplied with his report. Respiratory protection has not been used in either department for the jobs that the claiaant did. In summary Mr. Bevton worked approximately 33 years at the Chevrolet Paraa Plant. For the latter 10 years of employment at General Motors Mr. Sewton worked aainly as a job setter in two department. Although visually airborne contaainants did not appear to be prevalent in these departaents Hr. Hewton did work in areas where aetalworking fluids are used. Coapany air moni toring results of these areas did not indicate levels above acceptable liaits. This investigator attempted to conduct air monitoring on the date of this survey but coapany representatives requested that sampling be terminated. Based on the limited amount of information this investigator has concerning this claim Mr. Hewton appears to have worked around aetalworking fluids, he probably bad skin contact with these fluids and may have pccasionally inhaled airborne aists. TJP/klp Xnsertss Copy of Mr. Hewton*s work history GMC Industrial Hygiene Surveys MSDS-soluble oil JOH article "Antimicrobial Agents for Water-Based Metalworking Fluids" April 1981 Documentation of TLV-Dletbanolamine JOH article "A Study of Mortality# Symptoms# and Respiratory Function in Humans Occupationally/Exposed to Oil Mist* July 1970 , JQM article "Respiratory Symptoms and Lung Function in Oil 1David Rounbebler and John Fajen# H-Mltroao Compounds in the Factory Environment (Cincinnati# Ohio# National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health# 1983) pp 41, 64. <r ti 00-24348-22 Ollie Vevton Pag* 5 Mist-Erposurts Workers" Jane 1982. AZBA article "Respiratory response of guinea pigs to oil aiata" August 1979* - RECORDS CERTIFICATION I, the undersigned, an aaploye* of the Bureau of Worker*' Coapensatlon, do hereby certify that the nleroflla iaageo on thla reel of nlcrofila or nleroflcbe are conp'et* end accurate reproduction* of the original record* of the __ _ a* accuaulated during tho regular course of business, end thee It Is the established procedure of this departaent to aicrnfSla Its records for permanent file and to dispose of the original records after nlcrofila reproduction* have been sade.