Document Exp75opmbmYVRg5a6qX2nKbdL

FILE NAME Caterpillar CAT DATE 1982 Apr 13 DOC CAT057 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Memo RE Notification of Delavan Employees about Exposures During Packaging of Parts | CATERPILLAR TRACTOR CO | PLANT | DEPARTMENT ATTENTION | ee te MORTON DATE PLANT OR OFFICE April 13 1982 Morton DEPT ___ Parts Distribution CC G. W. Broadbear B. Carter Ghelardini i East Peoria Labor Relations ~ MPDC Safety ~ Delavan G. W. M. E. E. A. J. R. E. W. E. H. S. H.R. A. H. V. N. N. L. L. Grawey Kale Kelley Kerner Kinser M.D. Mastronardi Parrott f Trantina M.D.M.D. Ward Weede - Medical ABID - Medical ABSC M MPDC Processing - MPDC Labor Relations & Medical ABSC , - MPDC MPDC Safety Benefits 2 MPDC Filling & ABSC 2 Medical 8 MPDC Operational Planning Scheduling Medical ABID - MPDC Administrative Safety AB3B CONFIDENTIAL from1974 to 1982 during the processing parts containing asbestos fibers The 1981-82 analysis of fibers from the parts assembly as well as from the samples of " during processing assembly and pack- employee time weighted averages TWA for The 8 hour TVA values are less than OSHA's cubic centimeter cmbut greater medical surveillance testing of 0.1 fibers personal samples on February 16 1982 disclosed that fibers which means employees employees breathing zona were asbestos the 8 hour TWA of 0.41 fibers was almost all asbestos on each personal sample 21001913 010 000 J. C. Harris - 2- April 13 1982 with Caterpillar is obliged to advise and provide the employees medical testing -- annually during exposure and lastly tion i.e. leaving the job class or if engineering posure The medical testing consists of administration history questionnaire chest Xray and pulmonary breathing breathing ) all of which can be done at the Morton Parts Distribution Center Medical Divi- employees sion Initial investigation suggests that 7 retired and 11 active employees have had the 2A21 job classification at Jelavan since 1974 and may have performed the operation exposing them to asbestos Caterpillar's Caterpilar's Aurora Illinois Plant had a similar situation arise about six years ago when the Plant Engineering cleanup crew was exposed to asbestos when The disposing of residue from a clean no overexposure brakeline drilling riveting operation The Aurora Plant administered medical testing to active and past ( ) employees who had performed the Plant Engineering cleanup job entire riveting operation was moved out of the facility to subcontractors I suggest that a presentation for the exposed hourly workers and retirees if available be constructed by myself with critical input and fromMorton Parts critical : be - Distribution Safety personnel The presentation presentation would Morton Parts Distribution Center senior Jack Ferguson's Parts Operations management group with of these sessions by Industrial Hygiene 6.0 Relations Peoria area and Parts Operations atendace Safety The presentation to the hourly workers would be attended by the exposed work- ers as well as those managers deemed appropriate by Labor Relations but hopefully including a representative from each of the above mentioned depart- ments and groups given the preview An alternative would be to have separate Neu one discussions between Dr. attendance and each employee with no outside The presentation would include 1. 1981-82 Delavan asbestos exposure data as in Table I. 2. Where this exposure fits with the OSHA standard as in Table I. 21001914 010 000 J. C. Harris 3 : April 13 1982 3. Medical tests to be done What -- Health history questionnaire Pulmonary function test Chest Xray Whom -- All active and past possibly exposed employees Where ~~ MPDC Medical Division When -- Within several weeks of the presentation This will be a final exposure termination test if the process is moved out of the facility to a supplier 4 Why Dr. Neu feels there is a minimal health hazard to any of the employees who have done this job - All the scientific studies discuss various amounts of as- bestos fibers on a daily exposure basis for at least 25-50 years of work time as being the necessary amount of asbestos exposure to cause asbestos lung disease fibrosis and cancer If we did some simple mathematical calculations we can see how minimal the present and past Delavan workers exposure has been compared to the asbestos developed workers in the scientific studies who have related lung disease asbestosa-sbestos- If present Permissible Exposure Limit is 2 fibers 8 hour TWA -- the law -- then 5 week x 52 weeks x 25 years = 6,500 work days in 25 years Instead of 2 fibers for 25 years = 50 years we'll say 2 fibers for 6,500 work days = 13,000 fiber If present OSHA medical surveillance level is 0.1 fibers 8 hour TWA then 5 week x 52 weeks x 25 years = 6,500 work days in 25 years Instead of 0.1 fibers cm we'll say 0.1 fibers 6,500 days for for 25 years = 2.5 6,500 work days years = 650 fiber- 21001915 010 000 J. C. Harris ~ 4- April 13 1982 If Delavan exposure level is 1 man worked 2 days every 3 months since 1974 then 8 year x 8 years = 64 work days in 8 years 0.5 fibers for 64 days = 32.0 fiber If Delavan exposure level is 9 men worked 2 days every 3 months since 1974 then 8 year x 8 years = 64 work days in 8 years 64 work days men = 7.1 days in 8 years 0.5 fibers for 7.1 days = 3.55 fiber If Delavan exposure level is 18 men worked 2 days every 3 months since 1974 then 8 year x 8 years = 64 work days in 8 years 64 work days men = 3.6 days in 8 years 0.5 fibers for 3.6 days = 1.8 fiber The Delavan exposure which was likely at 3.6 fiber divided by 13,000 fiber OSHA was 10,000 = 5,000 of the suggested safe time exposurbey OSHA The Delavan exposure which was likely at 3.6 fiber divided by the most conservative most protective exposure limit found 650 fiber NIOSH was 1/200 of the suggested safe time exposure by NIOSH 1/400 if all 18 men performed job equally since 1974 This means that the Delavan workers were exposed to 5,000 of OSHA's protective limit and between 1/200 and 1/400 of the most conservative suggested limit which was NIOSH's which even the most critical asbestos researchers would agree is protective Almost all thos ' workers who have asbestos lung disease mentioned in scientific studies have had exposures well over 13,000 fiber . which is OSHA's protective limit The Delavan employees must be advised to avoid smoking To quote Irving Selikoff et al an asbestos researcher who interprets the scientific studies on asbestos most favorably toward workers It 21001916 010 000 J. C. Harris ~~ April 13 1982 seems clear then that lung cancer is uncommon among asbestos insulation workers who have no history of cigarette smoking and that if the risk is increased such an increase is not great It is interesting to note that a asbestos smoker has twice the chance of developing lung cancer as does a smoking asbestos worker However a smoking asbestos worker has 10 to 14 times the chance of developing lung cancer as the smoking asbestos worker 5 To eliminate the exposure Caterpillar is going to have this pro- cessing assembly and packing done by a supplier starting in August 1982 I would appreciate your commentast the preview session you beforobr efoe re if it seems appropriate Attach 21001917 21001917 Analysis apdwessaqey. peuosuaSgLTOSAD SNaONNOG: ado: saxopduy, Sh TB f) ajdues(S0ysaqy vaqis oS, ying f0skag) SLA J wsuLvgUD 40; SquEg STA[euy) NONE 70 puo/sged q0t-b8 = NONE 2 = ney (WAL 80-100 unoH eAa7 g) Tin 49861. Air