Document MGX0xdwoyGZo5NjmK2b3Mk24k

Pursuant to the procedure outlined at the meeting held in Mr. Seigle'a office on December 29, 1933 a meeting of the Haybestos - Johna-Manville Committee for coordinating and standardizing ways and meens of eliminat ing dust and protecting the health of employees engaged in manufacturing operations was held la the office of Mr. 3. X. Williams at 2:00 o'clock on Thursday, the 4th day of January, 1934. The following were present at the meeting: Dr. X. J. Lanza of Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. Mr. M. T. Judd ) Mr. X. ?.Heinsohn ) Mr. 0. H. Cilley ) Haybestos-Manhattan, Inc. Mr. George Pope ) Mr. B. W. Luttenberger } Mr. S. X* Williams Mr. X. H. Pisher Mr. Vandiver Brown ) ) ) Johns-ManvilleCorporation. Dr. Lanza waa advised of the decision of Baybestos-Manhattan, Inc. and John3-Manville Corporation to cooperate in the devising of ways and means of reducing or eliminating dust in various manufacturing operations common to both Corporations and for the protection of the health of the employees engaged in such operations. He was advised that both Corporations had agreed to avail themselves of the generous assistance offered by Metropoli tan Life Insurance Company in solving their problems snd had agreed, as an Initial step in the program, to permit Metropolitan to complete the investiga tion and survey instituted by them in 1929. Dr. Lanza was also advised that the present program contemplated not only the completion of this survey but its extension to cover all of the various plants of the two Companies shioh comprised certain plants that had not been covered by the earlier survey. Dr. Lanza stated that the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company would be in a position to comnanee the contemplated work some time after the first of March. Prior to that time both Companies should provide Dr. Lanza with the following information: (1) The names and locations of the various plants that the Companies desire to have examined. (2) The name of the person or persons at each plant with whom the Metropolitan representative should deal in making arrangements for the survey. (3) Detailed instructions as to the best means for reach ing plants. (4) The type of eleotric current available at the plants (a) Whether alternating or direct currant (b) number of cycles and (c) voltage* (5) Whether or not compressed air is available at the plant. 6) Size of plant, that is, (a) the number of employees to be examined and (b) the approximate amount of floor space CH 0374 involved In operations where dustry conditions might be encountered. The meeting waa advised by Dr. Lanza that the Corporations would be expected to pay or to reimburse Metropolitan for the following incidental expenses: Cl} Cost of transportation of the Metropolitan employees engaged upon the work and of their equipment. (2) The subsistence of the employees in the field. (3) The oost of the X-ray films (Dr. Lanza indicated that he might be able to obtain wholesale rates for us on this item and that in any event the cost would proba bly be less than a dollar per film. Dr. Lanza stated that he waa not certain at this time as to whether the manufacturers of X-ray machines could provide them with portable equipment that would be satisfactory for the taking of the pictures required for this surrey. If it should develop that no satisfactory portable machine were available, it would be necessary either (a) that the Companies provide satisfactory equipment of their own et' eaoh plant location or (b) arrange to bare the X-rays taken by suitable privately owned equipment in nearby towne. In any event it was essential that the same technique be used is the X-rays and he thought it desirable that if possible all of the work be performed by Metropolitan, employees although he realized that this would probably be impossible in cases unless portable equipment were to be used. Both Corporations believe it desirable that certain of their employees be trained in the technique of making dust counts. The Metropolitan Life In surance Company will train employees designated by us in this technique. Tbs training can be done here in Sea York and can be aecoapliahedin from two to five weeksf time. Mr. Til Hams indieated that Johns-Manvllle Corporation, would like to have three men. trained, in thia technique, one to be located at Manvllls, one at Veukegon and one on. the Faoifio Coast. Mr. Judd of Baybestos-Manhattan stated that they would dsalre to have two of their employees so trained. After Mr. Williams and Dr. Lanza bad left the meeting Ur. fisher suggested that it would be highly'desirable to have our Uauvllie representative trainedimmediately in order that they might aseertain as quickly as possible the effi ciency of the equipment that has been installed by Johns-Manvllle during the past few years at considerable expense in. the Manvllle factory for the purpose of ascertaining if this type of equipment should b employed at other plants of Johns-Manvllle Corporation or of Baybestos. In this connection Dr. Lanza pointed out that there was still a good deal to be learned on the subject of asbestos dust including not only the harmful effeotf, if any, upon workers exposed to it but also as to the point at which the quantity of dust in the air became dangerous. The meeting disoussed at considerable length the advisability of engag ing the services of a dost engineer to make specific reoomnendations as to the beet means of eliminating or reducing the dust at those plaoea where the dust CH 0375 count should rereal its presence in quantities likely to be hazardous. Dr. Lanza pointed out that his surrey would indicate with a fair degree of accuracy the spots where the dust should be reduced and that certain Metropolitan repreaentatiTes could specify the type of equipment that should be used al though none of them could qualify as dust engineers to the extent of being able to advise how the equipment should be constructed to meet the varying condi tions which would be encountered. Mr. Fisher pointed out that it was quite likely that no individuals could be found who would know more on the particular subject of dust elimination or dust reduction under the conditions encountered in the as bestos Industry than those employees of Johns-Manville and Raybestos who had, through a process of trial and error, devised certain equipment now being used and whlohlt was thought was successfully coping with the problem. Moreover, these same individuals were from day to day becoming more and more qualified. The meet ing was advised, however, as to the relatively better position inwhloh the Companies would be placed in the event of litigation if they could avail themselves of the testimony of an outside expert of recognized reputation who would state that he had mdB certain recommendations that he considered best for the particular problem and that these recommendations had been followed. Or. Lanza was not certain if there was anyone who could satisfactorily fill these qualifications but stated that he would interview a Dr. Phil Drinker of Harvard In the very near future and would present the prositlon to him and see if he were qualfled and available. It was felt that this point was probably not of excessive importance inasmuch as the testimony either of an outside expert or of a trained expert on our regular payroll could be attacked as having been paid for by the Conqpany. Dr. Lanza pointed out that the Metropolitan Representatives were as well qualified as any to advise the Conq>anles as to the type of respirators to be provided ecqjloyees engaged in dusty operations inasmuch as the Metropoli tan Life Insurance Company had been making a study of this problem. Dr. Lanza brought out that the earlier survey made by the Metropolitan had included one company in the United States besides Johns-Manvllle and Raybestos, namely, Theraoid. He desired to know if it would be satisfac tory to seek the co-operation of thia company In completing the Metropolitan sur vey. It was the consensus of opinion that there was probably no objection to the completion by Metropolitan of its survey in so far as it related to the Thermoid plants but that It would be desirable to, pospone any such action until after he had completed the contemplated survey of Raybestos and Johns-Manville. By that date it was considered at least possible that Thermoid would have joined with Raybestos and Johns-Manville in broadening the scope of the survey. Dr. Lanza will bring up this question again after completion of the survey for Ray bestos and Johns-Manville. CH 0376