Document Le79zXqw2me5bXN5wyLjz8Oq

FILE NAME: Asbestos Textile Product Use (ATPU) DATE: 1974 Mar 1 DOC#: ATPU033 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Raybestos-Manhattan Memos RE McGill Study of Asbestos Safety Garments C .v w v C 1_A, C > '* *, 1 *' .m y V . r * . V y ' i ' * i . ' J l # *itf 1' b v * ri * \ 0- - -i- - C -0 n ft *.-%: ^ #*Oj L m li piv iS'C* j-a l c c a t i t .n TO: Messrs. P. G. Dolan J. t: 1r* > "i ^ M. 1*.1 n 1J V * iw W . s. Simpson I. K. 'caver SUBJECT: McGill Study of Asbestos fety Garments March 1, 1974 The final repdrt on Phase I of the McGill study Dr. Gibbs in response to questions I raised are sets of photographs, not reproducible by Xerox, John Magenheiner has one set, I have the other. and comments by attached. Two are available. I call ycur particular attention to the recommendations cn nates II and u , engineering improvements are essentia: if the products are to be acceptable under the existing federal asbestos standard. The management cf Plant 2, referred to in Dr. Gibb's report, has been advised that airborne asbestos fiber concentrations in the breathing cones cf men wearing asbestos garments in their plant exceeded the threshold limit value cf 5-fibers per cc for an 8-hour workaday and that concentrations over 10 fibers per cc, which exceed the excursion level of 10 fibers per cc permitted for a 15-minute period by the U.S. Occupational, Health and Safety Administration standard, were also observed. Immediate action, in the form of engineering improvements, is necessary to insure that P/M products comply with 05:iA standards Attachments CC: Messrs. J. J. M.-genheine: J. T. Trai.nor John 11. Marsh cm t so mmzmmm Raybestosgjplanhattan ________ Advanced Research Laboratory_________ DIVISION and LOCATION to: J. H. Marsh - Bpt. date: March 4, 1974 SUBJECT McGill Study I have discussed the possible direction of continuing work at McGill with Dr. Gibbs. He has a number of interesting proposals relative to the distribution of fiber size and fiber geometry to carcogenicity. This type of project would involve significant expenditures for information which will be of value at some indeterminable time in the future. This work should be done, but R/M is not in a position to fund this type of project from initiation to completion. I would think that R/M should definitely participate in this type of research as a member of AIA/NA, ATI or just as an interested party. We do have access to the test chamber at McGill and a good working relationship J with Dr. Gibbs. We also have a problem in that we know that safety garments are capable of producing unsatisfactory dust counts. We have documented the problem with Dr. Gibbs and he could document the solution either in the field ' or using the dust chamber. * The only possible solution for conventional fabric appears to be aluminizing the inside of hoods and the outside shoulder area such that the breathing zone is not exposed to open asbestos fabric. However, filled Novatex has demonstrated its low dustiness for which safety garments appears to be a perfect application. Besides a decrease in dust counts ' during use, I'm sure that the Novatex would decrease the asbestos contamination of workers ^clothing after the safety garments are removed. I discussed the possibility of aluminized conventional with M. Scowcroft a few months ago; he felt that it would be too expensive and also make the hoods too hot. He thought an increase of chemical surface coating would help, but I don't ..think this would be satisfactory. The use of filled Novatex does pose an additional problem in that the fillers themselves are capable of producing poisonous gases upon thermal decomposition, e.g., neoprene could produce hydrochloric acid or possibly phosgene and nitrile could give off hydrogen cyanide gas. I have asked Dr. Gibbs about testing fabrics for emission of these gases at a McGill laboratory. His -initial feeling was that they could do it, but he is checking into it further. )I would recommend then, as you suggested in your memo of 3/1/74, that M. Scowcroft and J. Hawkins,consider immediate engineering improvements of conventional fabric. However, we should produce a commercial aluminized and filled Novatex (as per J. Trainor's memo to J. Orzechowski of 3/4/74). 'JH /:00704 M -1 a? tf ^LAlNTin*