Document MJL8dgErJkVKK43nN1gzZreOy

FILE NAME: Railroads (RR) DATE: 1938 May 21 DOC#: RR042 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: M em o Stating Respirators Can be Purchased Some Situations Barry Castlemars Railroad File CD-ROM Document # RR DATE Type of Document published report from journal trade publication advertisement article proceedings from annual meeting published abstract from conference unpublished report unpublished presentation meeting agenda minutes report letter government report industry warning information book excerpt le g a l___________________ Bloomington, Illinois Hay 21, 1938 Mr. C.M. House: 2e: your letter 5/16/38 quoting Mr. Voorhee's letter of May 14 advising that financial conditions prevent purchasing respirators at this time. I have just finished re-checking our requirements with present forces according to the Illinois Act and also according to the instructions in B & 0 Joint Circular Ch. of M.P. &E. #SB152. According to these instructions we should have the respirators listed on the attached sheets. I note Mr. Voorhees says ''However, if there are any situations here the hagard is particularly serious, for which exceptions should lie made regardless of our financial conditions, I am willing to provide the protection recommended." As I understand it the chief reason for making this investigationwas to detmine tow many respirators would he requiredyto comply with tie Illi nois Occupational Diseases // / Act and to avoid payment of penalty for failure Jeo do so. The data I have handed // h you is "based soley on the instructions contaipell in the ^ct. As a matter of inform#./ // tion B & 0 Circular SB152 mentioned above g^V'es instructions to practically the !! same effect as the Illinois Occupational Diseases Act. The chief hazard, it seems i' ll to me lies in the chance of he^ng sued > / the state for failure to q^iply. So j far as as immediate hazard to/the health of any employees is concerned, conditions are no different now fromwhat/ they were a year or two years ago, and personally I do not feel that I could pick out" any particular cases which could he considered immediately hazardous from that standpoint. If the State/Factory Inspectors have taken exception to the lack of //respirators at any particular point, it mi^xt he wise to furnish respirators in these //cases if it is necessary ty do so in order to avoid suit. I feel that since the B & o 1 instructions also call for respirators as listed above, they should he furnished when consistent. E.v;. Seniff / Y~