Document LgQq4ZyzNGyVQKR8G11vGy64z

P. Kotin, II.D. All.loMUSiL f. M. Conner IS] (Mr January 20, 1977 CODIVA BRAKE SHOES As we discussed this morning it is my opinion that Johns*Hanvilie eventually will be forced into the production of asbestos-free COBRA brake shoes if it wishes to retain its dominant place .in the railroad friction material* industry. I b this opinion on the following points. 1, Presently there is a tremendous amount of hysteria end emotion concerning the health effects of exposure to ssvall quantities of airborne asbestos fiber. This has extended to the government regulatory agencies where NXOSfl is proposing an airborne exposure limit of 0.1 f/cc 8 hour TWA and 0.S f/cc ceiling concentration. 2. Experiments by westinghoute Air Brake have shorn that the heat of brake application does not convert all fiber in the' brake shoe to an aiaorphous mineral but that approximately 1% is released to the atmos phere as asbestos fiber. 1. The United Transport Union believes that operating trainmen are being exposed to fibers released from overheated brake shoes, and have requested the Department of Transportation to determine if asbestos- free brake shoes can be ded, This union concern has been conveyed to WABCO and they have recommended to us the development and production of an asbestos- free brake shoe. 4. There is a large potential market !$2.0M) for composition brake shoes in subway use. I understand the mass transit systems in New York City and Atlanta have mandated an asbestos-free shoe. 5. Our major competition, Abex Corp., is presently producing, marketing and extensively advertising an asbestos and lead free composition. A copy of their advertisement is attached. >. Kotin. M.D. Page 2 January 20, 1977 Th* asbestos-containing product- * patantly la superior in performance to our experimental asbestos-free composition and to th* Abex shoe; but both meet th* specifications of the American Association of Railroads. i understand that Chet Sulewski has recommended that JISiE prepare a program to combat this situation, by convincing al1 interested parties that no significant health hazard Is created by the use of the present CODHA shoe, x am afraid that thie would be very difficult to do. ' EMPtjh Attach. CUtx't' sw E. G. WILLCOX . W. BJ reitze J ,, E. M. FENNER* '. ' MAY 12, 1976 iv ' PRESENTATION FOR WA8C0 - COBRA ED FENNER AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF A "DOGAND-PONY SHOW" FOR THE WESTINGHOUSE SALESMEN AND FEEL THAT THIS MIGHT BE SOMEWHAT OF A WASTE OF TIME. WHAT WE WOULD SUGGEST IS THE PREPARATION OF A WHITE PAPER WHICH WOULD REVIEW THE SCIENTIFIC DATA THAT IS AVAILABLE ON BRAKE SMOEj DEGRADATION PRODUCTS. WE KNOW OF SEVERAL STUDIES PERFORMED ON CONVENTIONAL BRAKE SHOES--ONE BY BENDIX CORPORATION, ONE BY THE FORD CORPORATION, AND ANOTHER BY JEREMIAH LYNCH AT NIOSH. ALL OF THESE PAPERS REACH TH,E SAME CON C LUST ON--BRAKE DRUM POLLUTANTS ARE EXTREMELY MINIMAL. I AM ALSO VAGUELY FAMILIAR WITH THE PAPER THAT YOU MENTIONED REGARDING THE TESTS RUN AT RCD ON COBRA. IF YOU WOULD SUPPLY US WITH A COPY OF THIS , PAPER, WE WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY TO PREPARE SUCH A SCIENTIFIC WHITE PAPER. W. B. REITZE fI l < i .3 I COBRA HKAKK Slim: I.M ISS I O.V STUDins' ' ' A review of scientific studies'designed to Pleasure the asbestos Just emissions from the wearing of COBRA brake shoes indicates that fiber release is minimal ami of no consequence to human health. in early 1977, the Industrial Hygiene section of Johns-Manvilie conducted COBRA brake emission studies on the Boston (Massachusetts') Rapid Transit System. The vast majority of rail cars used in that system utilize COBRA brake shoes. Because most of tiiat Boston system is underground, it was telt that potential air contamination would be more marked than in above ground systems, thereby providing o more stringent test. Kith the cooperation of Boston transit officials and representatives from the liestjnghouse Air Brake Division, Industrial hygienists conducted monitoring tests to find both the most representative exposures and the potentially highest exposures. Personal monitors were placed adjacent to operators of the cars, such as the motormen, as well as passengers. Other monitors were placed nearest the _ brakes on the cars, elsewhere in the passenger compartments, a 11,1 on the station platforms. Samples also were taken in the system's maintenance shops during actual maintenance and repair procedures where the exposure potential was the greatest. .4 o4 ;? ji.w^r|f^w^iiupuw. jemurtjt/mjm* j } Analysis of the samples was conducted according to govt-rument f i 1 approved procedures, including analysis by light microscope :. 1 j1 and transmission electron microscopy. Overall, the fiber levels found at the'various monitoring stations could not he easily i distinguished from-those existing in ambient air samples taken in five areas in and around Boston, &on*c of the eiimplc? contained less asbestos fiber than was found naturally in the air outside the city, livery reading was at least SO tines lower than the . permissible exposure levels set by the federal Government to ^ protect asbestos workers. And, in the majority of samples, the 1 asbestos fiber levels actually were hundreds to a thousand times lower than OSlI.A's occupational exposure levels. In some instances, 1 A ihcic was iiu detectable level of asbestos fiber in the areas i monitored. . This series of monitoring tests was in relative agreement with : similar studies conducted in 1971 by the host inghousc Air Brake Division. Their study was run on a dynamometer in Wilmcrding, , Pennsylvania and simulated various service conditions. Tour different test phases were runt (1) Passenger car simulation; (2) Commuter run simulation; (3) Grade simulation; and (4) Heavy freight simulation. Material worn from the brakes was submitted for chemical and electron microscope analysis and separated into airborne and non-airbornc fractions by air clutriation. a In almost all cases, less than 1 per cent of the original asbestos i fiber in tlie formula remained as recognisable chrysotilc fiber in the wear dust. Additionally, in every instance, less than 1/2 -- ----------------- -------------------------- , i ji. ^ * ; L; - . - "" ' "i"iuLii^wwswwrwHwiw'v *atym\ f / of one per cent cf the original fiber remained as recognisable in Use fraction of the dust that is potentially airborne. from a -health standpoint, there is no medical evidence to indicate that the minute amounts of asbestos worn from brake slices is of any consequence t-o human heal th .'.'However, persons involved in - the repair, maintenance or replacement of brake linings containing asbestos should take precautions to prevent dust generation and inhalation. Use of appropriate respiratory protection nay be . necessary in such instances. Air blowing procedures should never be used to remove dust; the use of a vacuum system is recommended. Grinding equipment . should be ventilated with exhaust systems. Compliance with.proper work procedures H should prevent dust generation and exposures,: - I -d { PERSONAL TESTS ASBESTOS l' j.mcn COUNTS EDJ'.BEP: LOCATION . VOLPNP , TITc-ru 1*J-A -- Pl-D , Pl-C --n _ ri-r. rn-A r.ocornan/HGuard Car No , " K H Metorir.an/Ouard Car 'Io. M. 1518 15^3 2 Ifi 264 240 2G0 330 220 200 P2-C P2-D -- T2-Z . ' 44 M " 240 2 GO 330 -- P3-A Outside Car No. 1518 - 218 P3-I3 P3-I)' P3-E " Hear Brake 262 *1 2 4 0 It 320 * 270 P4-A Passenger In Cat N- 1513 r^-n ` " 216 264 P4-c r4-n -- P4-e H " H 240 2 TO .330 P5-A Park St. Station-Ctr. of rii-R P5-C 1'5-D -- i>r>- e rri-r PA- A TO-I) 1' G--C P6-D -- P6-E rn-r P]a tform ** H " . M M Park $t. Sta.tion-So. H r H w " End IB 0 ino lflO 180 120 30 1 fifl 180 180 180 120 30 l'7-A P7-I3 P7-C -- P7-n Park St. Station-Mo. End H H H 60 56 60 58 -- P8-A Cabot Car H0u5e-Inspecti.cn pR-n Area h 356 250 ]' FI -- C -- P^-A PO-U PfJ-C enhot * car M M iiouso-l-:. 170 Ma int. Area300 250 170 . DATE RESULTS F/ce 3/2 ?/77 a.0Q3n 3/27/77 . j / 0.0062 3/ 7 Q / 7 7 0.0069 3/29/77 0. 0063 3/29/77 3/29/77 0.0050 0. 0075 3/29/77 0.0032 3/29/77 0.0034 3/29/77 0.0050 3/29/77 0,0025 3/29/77 0. 023 ' 3/29/77 (1.0R31 3/29/77 11. D. * 3/29/77 C.0077 3/29/77 0.0O30 3/29/77 0.0076 3/29/77 . M. D. * 3/29/77 3/20/77 0,021 0.0032 3/29/77 0.0050 3/29/77 3/29/77 3/2V77 3/29/77 3/29/77 3/29/77 V?V77 3/29/77 3/29/77 3/29/77 3/29/77 3/29/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 "* 0.014 0.009.1 o. o n y l 0.0091 0.021 0.027 0.0091 0.0046 0.O091 n.nifl 0.0091 0.027 0.014 0.059 N. D. * 0.043 3/30/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 H. D. * 0.0033 0.0097 N. D. * .0.0033 N. D. * * None Detected HIGH VOLUME TESTS su.'-'av system asbestos fiber COUNTS tlUMJER LOCATION Ul-A (i 1-n Inside Car No. 1510 " 111-C " 111- O " in-!-: " >12--A Pari; St. Station-No. End 112- 13 " H2-C H2-D M " 112--C 112- F 112-0 " 113- A 113-13 ' 113-C 113-D Ambient Air-Cabot Yard " " "* VOLUME, TmJ 90.6 63.7 70.5 01.3 100. A 94.3 02.9 31,4 19. 6 10.3 19. 6 19.0 726.2 167.3 97.9 81.6 . DATE 3/29/77 3/2?/77 3/29/77 3/39/77 3/29/77 3/29/77 3/29/77 3/29/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 3/29/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 3/30/77 RESULTS F/cc P,^017 . 0.QC19 0.0020 0.0019 0.0031 0.0033 tf. D. t;. d . H. D. N. D. 0.016 K. D. 0.0002 0.0037 0.0040 0.0030 * None Detected rri /Ul Johns-Manville Interna! Correspondence To Frct-ii Cop'H. Sjb|i c. L. Swillnw - 1-flh V, F-. Volkodrtff - blp F. 01Ovid l o - R6D 0<r March 16,1978 P. Kotin, M,D,. -1-06 . V, 8, Reit ae - 1-06 . V , L, Graham - 3-05 * - J, P. Leineweber. - 1-06 s. Spe i l - R6D s. B. Spncer - R6D . COBRA BRAKE EMISSIONS STUDY, BOSTON SUBWAY SYSTEM, TEM ANALYSIS OF NINE SAMPLES,, M-109 summary Nine s a trip l e s were analyzed hv TEM for chryaocil* fibers on Mlllipore filters by direct transfer method id connection with COBRA Brake Emissions Study, Boston Subway System. Free fibers were detected in U samples, Clumps with chrysotile fibers were detected in 7 samples. The fibers arc essentially fibrils'with an average diameter of 325 A and an average length of about 0 - 231-jairi. For samples containing chrysotile, the F/ec values range from 0.0501 to 1.0863 and clunps/cc range from 0,0752 to 0.4345. - REFERENCES `. A. Hand written letter to J. P. Leineveber from , Bulava, April 5, 1977, Subject - HBTA Samples, 8. Letter to W. I. Graham from G. L. Swallow, May 20, 1977* on COBRA Brake Emissions, Boston Subway System. C. Letter to G. L, Swallow from E. J. Bulava, June 29, 1977* same subject.- D. Letter to G. L, Swallow from V. E, Wolkodoff, July 1, 1977, Interim Report, COBRA Brake Emission*, Boston Subway System. E* Letter to G, L. Swallow from V, E. Wolkodoff, July 8, 1977, Addendum to Interim Report above. TEXT On July 14, 1977, G. L. Swallow, J, P, Leineweber and V, E. Wolkodoff met to determine which additional sample* were to be analysed by TEM to supplement the above letter-ceporta. Nine samples were selected and analysed ueing ch nw Philips EM-600 uVio^cae all previous sampler were analysed using the RCA EMU 3-B without benefit of high magnification, high resolution, good beam penetration, electron diffraction and energy dispersive spectrometry for analysis of elements based on X-ray*. Sample identification is presented in Table l. C. L. Swallow - 1--06 March 16, 1978 The method used for the preparation of TFM ^rids is the same as r cited previously but with an additional step o i rt t i n i a i n g the Millipore cut-out on the Cu grid by exposure to methyl ethyl ketone (approximately 15 ninutes, cold-finder trap) and then placing the ,ri.d conventional sohxJet extractor for final filter dircstion * by hot acetone fumes for 15 minutes. This method was used to negate as much ns possible rip-tear reactions between organic compounds trapped in the air sample filter and nomal ` acetone digestion. Athene-type 200-mesh TEM copper Grids were employed and a arid opening, or window, measures 81 by B1 /jib. Ten or twenty windows, selected completely at random, were systematically viewed at nominal 48,000X mognification. Previous data submitted to you on this study were based on morphological charncteristics of ehrysotile asbestos whereas with the new Philips EM-400, only fibers positively identified by electron diffraction, often with EOS chemical analysis, were counted. Previously, clumps were essentially opaque but now with exceptionally greater penetrating power, considerable time and effort were spent on these masses to confirm the presence of ehrysotile. The d* f i r\i t i cm n f fr^e- rhrvBoti 1* fiber ie one that i* truly isolated and has been confirmed positively by electron diffraction. Clump is defined as a mass of -material moderately to tightly knit and from which or within which one or more, usually many more, ehrysotile fibers can be detected morphologically and confirmed by electron diffraction and/or eds (energy dispersive spectrometry) No statement is made or implied as to the nature of these masses. However, clumps with ehrysotile are significant, and are. included in the computations separately. The purpose of these analyses is to detect and quantify ehrysotile regardless of its morphology and dimensions. Table 2 summarizes number of windows read, and number of free fibers and clumps encountered. Refer to Figure 1 which shows a typical free ehrysotile fiber measuring 291A by 0.29^ /jn And Figure 2 which is the electron diffraction patte rn of this particular fiber. A somewhat typical clump with cliryso tile fibers is shown in Figure 3. In the readings the analyst is pi agued with fibers or fiber masses (Refer to Figure 3) which p rove to be non-asbestos, electron diffraction patterns are very very weak and not indexable but definitely not ehrysotile aabeet os, and chemically characterized by several elements none of which predominate.. By EDS it is not uncorrmoa C. L. Su.il low - 1-OS -3- McTrch 16. 19 7? foe the spikes to be very weak and include Ca, M, Si, ttg, Na, Fe and other elements. No statement, is made *s to the nature of this material * . A summary of Results of greatest interest to you is presented in Table 3 (F/cc, etc). All chrysotile fibers encountered were measured and are listed in Table 4. vtn NB 7801 p 6-9 NB 4580 p 60, 61 NB 4S73 p 11-14, 17-20 t L. i Vb4e b fti -J N i tS am ple H-JC h ig h v o lu o e sam ple! c o lle c te d TABLE 2 Frpr rrysfi I 1 in<> chrysotile fibers and clumps with chrysotile encountered in TF-M Analysis, COBRA Brake Emissions Study, Boston Subway System, March 29 - 30r 1977. , Sample NO . P-2D P-3D P-4D P-5D P-6D P-JC P-S8 P-9B H-3C Nu. n TEM Grid Openings (81 by 31 ajh) 3<:anniH nt 48.000X 10 10 20 10 10 10 10 10 10 No. of Free Fibers Encountered i NO ND NO 9 5 ND 11 ND No. of Clumps Encountered 2 8 3 6 2 i ND 4 ND ND None Detected >*Tnr*.p^:larTar*.^.p*.^rvr-njyy^yrrir t1*1? TABLE 3 Summary of Results by TEM Analysis, COBRA Brake Emissions Study, Boston Subway System. March 29 - 30, 1977. Sarny 1l* N'o . P-2D P-3D P-4D P- 50 P-6D P-7C P-88 P-9B H-3C Free fihrysotile T i be r-'/cC 0.0501 ND HD ND 0.6513 1.0863+ HD 0.5735 ND Avg. Fiber# Dioni-tcr, A 208 - 636 1207** 328 Avg. Fiber l-t*n Rtn , .Aim 0.249 - 0.231 . 3.244** 0.189 " Clurnp s/cc 0.1002 0.3259 0.0752 0.4345 0.1448 0.2172 ND 0.2085 ND * Only 60 liters of sir filtered through sample. **High values due to presence of one relatively large fiber with diameter of 5000 A and length of !5.334 >ura. If this large fiber is not taken into account, the average diameter is 259 A and the average length is 0.22 ,,/ura. ,a NB. One micrometer " 10,000 A TABLE 4 Disinter and length of each free Chryaotile fiber encountered in itM Analysis. Sample No. p-zr> P-6D E`~ltS P-9B Diameter, A 208 i. 250 2. 624 3. 360 4. 630 5. 4 78 1. 291 2. 208 3. 225 1. 464 2. 312 . 3, 416 4. 400 5. 208 6. 200 Length, Ain 0.249 0.244 0.237 0.223 0.415 0.256 l 1 i 1 1 i 1t tri i I *l ii lt i i 0.292 i 0.145 0.201 0.203 0.312 0.206 0.208 0.145 0.312 i 1 l 1 l li i i l 1 1 t l 1 l 1 1 i l ji i Diameter. A - 6. 362 7. 520 8. 2 70 9. 229 " 4 . 312 5. 5000 " 7. 420 8. 290 9. 2 70 10. 350 n. 225 - Length v .unj - 0.219 0.208 0.110 0.169 * 0. zso 15.334 " 0.104 0.115 0,175 0,190 0,110 - tt \ Fig. 1 , t tltTijil Cfta* JUt-ijC M .A FREE CHRYSOTILE FIBER, 291A BY 0.292yum, SAMPLE NO. P-7C ltM-0221 I20.000K 'OX mv* Fig. CLUMP OF NON-ASBESTOS FIBERS. SAMPLE NO. P-SD TEM-0199 120.000* l 1 r^TF1.. --"rif