Document MGx24eBe46GEypa42m61K4DQz

GRACE P&C CHRON Construction Products Division 0364US4 August 8, 1977 TO: J. W. Wolter FROM: E. S. Wood SUBJ: Libby Safety - re Wolter Memo to E. S. Wood 7/25/77 cc: R. M. Vlning B. A. Eschenbach PERSONAL and CONFIDENTIAL Without putting a complete damper on the proposed Libby safety program for 1978, I want to make clear my personal attitude toward this issue. In my opinion, the tremolite problem, both in our finished product and in the Libby work environment is the only safety \ problem at Libby which we can afford to accord top priority to in 1978. This is an issue which strikes at the very existence of Libby as a viable operation. I do not want this goal diluted by competing safety objectives for 1978. Therefore, I am not prepared to endorse or fund a major general safety program at Libby for 1978, or to agree to safety goals (such as beating the national average) which dilute our tremolite reduction efforts. Whether we should, some day, reasonably aspire to accident rates in Libby that are 2 or 3 times better than the national average becomes a matter of what it costs to get there. I am not prepared to endorse this goal even on a long-term basis without a fuller discussion of the costs as well as the benefits. issues ly, your first "attitude" problem on the general safety falls in convincing your boss. ESW/CGR 15034568