Document MJwexJ1RGQpqREB03RY1ok85z

August 30, 1974 TO: G. A. Anderson - Nauoatuck 0. E. Crim - Naugatuck M. 0. Klelnfeld v- Naugatuck Dr. W. D. Harri sA - Oxford J. R. Little - Geismar FROM: B. R. Leach Palnesville Attached is a copy of the Palnesville plant newspaper which will be mailed out in a couple of days toeach of our employees. Included is an article on the vinyl chloride problem. Vie felt it was time for us to of ficially acknowledge to the families of our employees what is going on in this area. We chose this avenue. URL 17633 ; 3RD B. R. Leach BRL:nak Att: INTERCOMPANY CORRESPONDENCE UNIROYAL AIN E S V IL L E URL 1763-4 VOLUME 7 NO. 2 PUBLISHED FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE PAINESVILLE PLANT Paines vide Plant Acts On Vinyl Chloride Problem In January, the PVC industry, including our Painesville Plant, was confronted with a new and serious problem that has very much affected our normal mode of operation. At that time, the B. F. Goodrich Company announced that vinyl chloride (VC) exposure may be the cause of a rare liver cancer, angiosarcoma, in some employees at its Louisville PVC plant. The announcement has triggered an immense effort on the part of industry, government, and labor to thoroughly investigate the problem and take immediate action to reduce employee exposure to VC. Currently, 19 cases of angiosarcoma have been discovered. These diagnoses have occurred over a ten year period among employees who have had long term, high exposure to VC. The Painesville Plant can announce at this time we have no indication of any cases of angiosarcoma involving our employees. Continued On Page 4. First Half Safety Award Program Completed The first half winners in the 1974 Safety Award Program have all been announced following a drawing in early July which completed the awards for the first six month period. The purpose of this program is to promote a constant conscious interest in and awareness of safety. Obviously, the primary reasons for safety consciousness on the part of the employee is the well being of the individual and his family. The avoid ance of pain, inconvenience, loss of income to the indi vidual employee and his family is of major concern to each of us. The Com pany's Safety Award Pro gram is an additional incentive through monetary Bill Nellies, winner of $25 Ssvings gifts. Continued On Page 9. Bond, New Emergency Crews Near Completion Of Red Cross First Aid Training Sixty men have completed or are nearing completion of their training in the First Aid and Personal Safety Course being offered in the plant by accredited Red Cross instructors. Instructors in the 18 hour course have been Norm Walter, Plant Safety Supervisor, Mike Nahorniak, Fire Chief, Fairport Harbor Fire Dept., and Fred Armstrong, Capt. and Training Officer, Painesville Township Fire Department. Bob Mackey prepares to inject personnel air sample into chromatograph. Chromatograph and auto lab computing integrator will analyze air for VC concentration in parts per million. These training sessions started last November and have continued until the present time with the volunteer groups Continued On Page 3. r Dear Fellow Employee: For the past six months, we have been concen trating our efforts on the problem of how to reduce vinyl chloride levels in our plant. Since the announce ment in late January, that vinyl chloride exposure was the suspected cause of liver cancer in some employees at the B. F. Goodrich PVC plant at Louisville, most of the Technical Staff of both the Painesville Plant and Marvinol R & D have devoted full time to the problem of reducing VC exposure. These efforts have been both encouraged and ham pered by visits from numerous Federal agencies -- NIOSH, EPA and OSHA. There is a detailed story on what we have done in this issue of Uniview. All of the plant employees have been involved in some way in this effort. There has been no panic but rather a calm response from everyone that we would do as much as we could within reason while additional information was being gathered regarding the real nature of the problem. While VC levels within our plant were apparently not as high as was common in certain other PVC plants, we have made reductions within the past six months to a fraction of what we found in early February. The changes made are permanent ones and, in fact, additional reductions will be made. For certain jobs where it is difficult to reduce the level, air supplied respirators have been supplied and their use required. Without question there will be additional changes required of us as investigations by government and industry proceed. We will adapt our operations as necessary to the new requirements. This may require changing the way we have historically made Marvinol, but I am confident that such changes will be handled successfully. PLANT SAFETY BOX SCORE July 31,1 974 On The Job: To Date 1974 Disabling Injuries Near Serious Injuries 8 2 Off The Job: Disabling Injuries 6 Total 1973 3 4 3 NEW EMPLOYEES BILL BYRNE: Bill re cently transferred to the Painesville Plant from Joliet Army Ammunition Plant in Joliet, Illinois, This plant is operated by the Chemical Division of Uniroyal, Inc. for the United States Government, Bill will be working as Maintenance Supervisor in the Machine Shop. He held a similar po sition in Joliet, DORIS SI L VA ROLL Doris recently joined Uniroyal as Sr. Stenographer in Area 1 Services, a part of the Technical Department. Doris resides in Ghardon and has recently worked for an attorney there. She is a North Royalton graduate and attended Kent State University and Lakeland Community College. Doris and her family will be moving to Madison. PROMOTIONS JOAN CALVIN: Pro moted to Personnel Super visor responsible for Bene fits Administration, Plant Manning and Uniview, Joan joined Uniroya! in 1969 as Secretary to the Industrial Relations Manager, She sub sequently was promoted to Sr. Insured Benefits Clerk and worked in this capacity until this latest change. BARBARA JACKSON: Promoted to Sr. Typist in Industrial Relations. Barbara became employed at Uni royal in January of 1972 as Receptionist and Switch board Operator. Barbara's main job duties will be em ployment and personnel records. URL 17635 Vinyl Chloride Problem our first monitoring data collected in April. Continued From Page 1. Building air monitoring is being checked in 42 loca Employees at the Painesville Plant, as well as the general tions where samples are public, are well aware of the VC problem through the being collected and read on amount of news publicity and the activities initiated at our a daily basis. This is done plant and the industry. It is important that employees and with an instrument which their families know of the actions the Painesville Plant is taking to reduce employee VC exposure and preserve the health and safety of all plant workers in regard to this problem. OSHA ESTABLISHES "TEMPORARY STANDARD": The Federal government, through OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), established an "Emergency Temporary Standard" which sets the guide line of rules and regulations which the Painesville Plant and all PVC manufacturers must follow. Within this standard, OSHA has established a ceiling exposure level at 50 parts per million; an ambient air and personal monitoring program; notification requirements to employees of VC exposure; a protective equipment requirement; and various other measures to be taken related to this problem. reads directly the level of vapors in the air. The personal sampling in volves collecting 10 minute air samples of the at mosphere from an em ployee's breathing zone, analyzing the samples on a chromatoaraph analyzer, Ray Mundie monitors ambient air at a fixed point in Area 1 Finishing Department. ana so determining the employee's direct exposure to VC concentrations. From these samples, the plant can put together a "job profile" which indicates the various job functions where probable high exposure exists. Each job classification in the plant is being monitored on this basis to compile these "job profiles." The results of these twc While the "Temporary Standard" is in effect, OSHA has sampling programs are discussed on a frequent basis with prepared its "Proposed Permanent Standard", has con the plant workers. ducted public hearings on the "proposed standard" for industry, labor and government to express formal com ments and objections, and has initiated plant inspections to assure industry compliance of the "Temporary Standard". OSHA will publish the "Permanent Standard" in October. PAINESVILLE PLANT ACTION PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT PROGRAM: Irt most incidences, VC concentration levels can be reduced through leak detection and improved operating procedures which the plant has initiated. Some solutions, however, will involve longer-term engineering projects. Where VC levels cannot be immediately reduced, it is imperative that employees be protected from high VC exposure. Since January, the Painesville Plant has put forth much time, money and effort in working toward reducing employee VC exposure and providing personal protective equipment in those areas where VC exposure exceeds the 50 parts per million ceiling level. First, and foremost, the plant is providing the employee with a supply of breathable air in areas of high VC concentrations. To date, 180 continuous flow air supplied respirators have been issued to employees. The continuous MONITORING PRO GRAM: The plant monitor ing program is directed at air is supplied by the plant air system, which is purified to a quality of breathable air through a filter canister. This provides the necessary breathable air to the employee who both air monitoring and is required to wear the air mask when he must work in an personal sampling of em area that exceeds 50 parts per million of VC. ployees. This program gives the plant the necessary data to determine those areas where employees are ex Other protective equipment includes coveralls and gloves, which help reduce the employees' contact with any VC; and dust respirators, which reduce PVC dust exposure. posed to VC over 50 parts Employees have also been advised to practice good per million. It also gives the personal health habits to help in minimizing VC exposure. plant the opportunity to These include daily showers, no food consumption in VC analyze the progress of re ducing VC emissions, and consequently, the lowering of the level of VC exposure to employees. To date, the plant has been successful in reducing VC concentrations by an estimated 60% since BiH Booth pint personal air temple beg on Dave Hilston who will wear this for ten minutes before air is analyzed on chromatograph. Process buildings, and daily change of clothing. All of these precautions contribute to reduced employee ex posure. MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM: It is impor tant to the Painesville Plant and its employees to determine if in fact we have any employees with liver problems that can be associated with high VC exposure. In EMERGENCY CREW Continued From Page 7. meeting every morning for a week on their day shift over a period of approximately three months. The men in Area 1 finished first in March and the last Area 4 group is just completing the work. Everyone who finishes the course and passes the final exam will receive a Red Cross Certificate which is renewable after three years by taking a refresher course. The purpose of this program is to provide a minimum of seven people per shift in each Area who are trained to render emergency first aid care until outside rescue assistance arrives. A similar group is being planned for the day shift. Norm Walter reports that he expects to have at least 70 men trained for emergency first aid care before the program is completed. We are fortunate to have about a dozen men in the plant who have extensive emergency care experience because of their volunteer work with various fire departments in the area. -'s.. Bill Nellies applies closed chest heart compression on mannequin ResusciAnnie while Crawford Heavner administers mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration. Sr., Delmas Pringle, William Layman, Esper A. Shoop, William Koreen, Ray M. Lawver, John Brown, James D. Merrill, John H. Hallam, H, W. Hutchinson, Gary L. Johnson, Arthur F. Woidtke, Edward Janos, William F. Jamison, Tom A. Rich, Monroe E. Adams, Charles Novosel, Melvin Hamilton, Otis Argo, Maurice G. Dopp, David Binnig, Richard Poling, Paul E. Oakman, John W. Calvert, G. W. Fishell, Michael Nahorniak, Edwin L. Kruter, Jr., Gerald C, Skytta, Elmer M. Kish, Carl A. Layman, Joseph J. Marn, Thomas H. Norris, Michael Thorsen, Arthur Schupska, Bill Nellies, Sr., Crawford Heavner, Donald W. Davis, Carl A. Shaulis, John J. Getzy, Terry A. Butram, Dale W. Means, A. Ross Tobul, John H. Crawford, Sr., John S. Rusnak, Franklin D. Huffman, L. B. Whipple, Willis E. Messenger, Mike J. Ondercin, John C. Miller, Jr., Walter L. Henry, Kenneth G. Pollock, Donald A. Radcliffe, Elwood O. Davidson, Jack Crouse, Jim Molnar, Louis Davies, Larry Dowler, Thomas Chiappone and John Crawford, Jr. UHL 1 /tio *~J Upon completion of this course by everyone, additional and continuing studies have been planned to further develop their knowledge and skill. The advisory committee for this training program has been comprised of Neal Schenk, Volunteer with the Painesville City Fire Department, Bob Sutch, Captain, Grand River Fire Department, and Mike Nahorniak, all employees of Uniroyal -- along with Chief Fred Guthleben and Fred Armstrong, Painesville Township Fire Depart ment. Names rf individuals who are completing the initial Dave String, Maurice Dopp. Dick Poling. Charhe Novosel, Jim Doyle, Tom phase of t program are as follows: Charles W. Yankie, Rich, and Bill Jameson review first aid equipment and techniques. VINYL CHLORIDE PROBLEM Continued this regard, the plant began a medical surveillance program in May, consisting of a personal medical questionnaire, brief physical examination related to the liver, and blood tests to determine liver function normalities. 420 active employees and 10 retirees have gone through the medical surveillance program to date. Employees who showed any liver abnormalities whatsoever, are being given extended blood and medical workups to further determine the cause of the abnormality. The plant's medical surveillance program calls for the six month retesting of those employed in VC operations for more than 10 years and for retesting of all other plant employees on an annual basis. In this way, the plant can be reasonably assured that no employee is being affected by VC exposure and that our precautionary measures to reduce VC exposure are in fact doing the job. ENGINEERING CONTROL PROGRAM: We believe that the primary solution to reducing employee exposure to VC is by reducing or eliminating VC emissions to the operating areas. The Technical and Engineering Depart ments have initiated many projects to meet this objective. Leak detection throughout the operation is now being used to track down the source of any high level of VC. Most often this will be a valve or flange which needs quick attention by Maintenance to correct the problem. Some times a change in equipment has been required to give a permanent solution. Leak detection is a constant program. Grant Fishell, wearing air line respirator, emerges from poly after cleaning. Building ventilation was improved quickly by removing some side panels to allow more air circulation through operating buildings. This prevents a build-up of VC if there is a very small ieak. We have begun the design of improved forced ventilation systems including fresh air supplied enclosures for various operating buildings and provisions for winter operation. Solvent cleaning of reactors is being re-investigated as a possible major improvement. This system would enable us to circulate a solvent through the reactor to clean it when required, thus greatly reducing the number of times a reactor must be opened. We know that opening reactors and cleaning them is a major VC emission source. ^ ^ -* e* co Other projects being investigated are instruments to continuously monitor the 42 locations, improved reactor ventilation, and modified operating procedures to reduce emissions. Bill Layman dons respirator to open poly. IN SUMMARY The VC problem is a critical situation both to the health and safety of our Painesville Plant employees and to the continued PVC operations at this plant. Management has made, and will continue to make, a concentrated effort to reduce vinyl chloride levels in the plant. Employees have demonstrated their cooperation to do whatever is possible to reduce VC emissions and to take precautionary measures when exposures exceed 50 parts per million. While this problem has required additional expenditures, much extra employee effort and many changed work practices, with a continuation of the effort shown so far we will attempt to meet any reasonable operating standards which are set. Golf League Finishes Season By Rol Loy Bowling League Forming Teams Preparation is underway for the upcoming 1974-1975 Bowling Season. This year's league officers. President, Joe Chiappone; Vice President, Jim Jackson; and Secretary, Clyde Locher, are hoping that each department in the plant will field a team. The Golf League wrapped up the regular season with Team 1, Ed Murray and Tom Koch, champions of "A" Flight with 91 Vi points. Dave Trubisky and Mike Ondercin finished second with 87 points. "B" Flight champions, Bob Pentek and Fred Smith, saw their enormous lead vanish, but managed to hold on to win with 92 points. Team 10, John Kohli and Harold Grapatin, finished with 88Vi points and Team 9, Bill Rumbaugh and Paul Beach, finished third with 88 points. Highlight of the season was the team of Jim Reho and Rol Loy/Lloyd LeBaron, which was matched up for the third year in a row and finished half way up the B Division this year after finishing dead last the previous two years. Joe Chiappone, Clyde Locher, and Jim Jackson. Last year's league champions from Maintenance, Earl Simmons, Melvin Hamilton, Crawford Heavner, Joe Chiappone and Dick Kallay beat out Finishing on the last night. The Process team took high series and high team game honors with 973/2627 respectively. Clyde Locher, on one of his "hot nights", rolled a 247/638 for individual high game and series honors. Results from the Dayton Journal Herald Industrial Tournament have not been finalized, but our Uniroyal teams finished out of the money. Dust off the old bowling ball and spend a night out with the guys. Sign up no.-^ nd represent your department. Pentek Smith The double elimination "round robin" tournament is in progress. This is an individual match play tournament, where each hole is won by low score and the most winning holes wins the round. With the handicap systei-i being used, everyone has a shot at winning. A champion should be named by late August. On July 20, at Erie Shores, there were 56 golfers attending the "steak outing". This was one of the best turn-outs in many years. Kim had the low gross "A" Flight round with a 79. John Kohli had the "B" Flight low gross with an 18 hole low gross of 82. Dwight Baker had an Eagle 2 on the pat 4 no. 7 hole. Dwight used a driver and a 5 iron for this seldom achieved honor. To quote the West Virginia Gentleman, "A blind pig can always find an ear of corn." 1 Safety Awards Continued From Page 1. The Safety Award Program is organized in the following manner. All employees are divided into four different work groups. Drawings are held monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and annually for each work group that has not experienced a Lost Time or NeaSerious injury in that time period. Six Month Safety Goal Reached All of the people working in Area 1 Process, Finishing, Lab, Water Pump House, and Pilot Plant are to be congratulated for 6 months work without a Lost Time Accident. This is a fine achievement and one for which they can all be justly proud. Monthly awards are S25 Savings Bonds, quarterly awards are S50 Savings Bonds, semi-annual awards are for a S100 tire credit or credit at a Uniroyal store. Should the plant accident frequency for 1974 reach 11.0% or less, awards of a color TV or credit at a Uniroyal store or a vacation trip for two -- a S500 value, will be awarded. Also, should the plant reach the 11.0% frequency rate a S10 gift certificate will be given to each employee. Jack Porter, General Foreman, Area 1, reports that voluntary attendance at Quarterly Safety Meetings has been 100% showing a genuine interest in safety on the part of these individuals. Porter feels very fortunate to have reached this mark and hopes that everyone will be able to extend this record. Winners in the first half are as follows: Monthly S25 bond winners were Harold Whitehair, Ken McCoy, Dan Gyure, Paul Oakman, Fred Cornell, Bruce Mramor, Jim Palo, Roger Engle, Bob Anteloppe, Carl Carpenter, Art Tobul, John Getzy, Bill Nellies, Sr., Dick Lefelhoc, Lou Davies, Otis Argo, Emery Hogya, Clayton Smith, Don Juist, Carmen Stanziale, Chuck Yankie, Russ Kalina, John Rigby, Dave Hilston, Charles Kirsch, Jerry Skytta, Dei Pringle, Mike Kish, Howard Bell, Bob Sutton, John Calvert, Billie Head, Howard Potter, Jim Pohto, Mike Ondercin, Harold Grapatin, Henry Jackson, Phil Ruggiero, Ernie LMIe, Gordon Jayne, Bill Katona, Howard Hutchinson, Quarterly S50 awards went to Dave Trubisky, Fred Nelson, Don Mayse, Frank Geistle, Chuck Hauser, Bill Armstrong, and Jack Crislip. Lucky $100 winners were John Mihalik, John Brown, Voyne Johnson, Herman Smith, Del Pringle. Area Supervisors Al Schrauft. Pol Loy, Pay Mundie and Bob Starkey, fervently hope safety record can he continued. Dividend On Uniroyal Stock Announced A dividend of 17V2 cents a share on Uniroyal common stock was declared by the Board of Directors. It is payable September 25, 1974, to stockholders of record August 26, 1974. URL 17640 Herman Smith, John Brown, and Delmas Pringle have won S100 gift certificates in the 1974 Safety Award Program, Published By And For The Employees Of UNIROYAL, INC. Painesville, Ohio Joan W. Calvin, Editor Telephone (2161 357-7574 (Ext. 231} June/July, 1974 Safety Awareness Working In Paracril On June 27th and 28th, the combined Process and Finishing Departments of Paracril celebrated 1000 days without a lost time accident. This excellent production safety record is a fine accomplishment for the men who work in this department as well as for their families. This 1000 days represents 32,000 man hours of safe operation and they are now working to better their best previous record of 1126 days. KNOW YOUR BENEFITS Broader Opportunity To Win Uniroyal Scholarships New rules will provide children of employees a greater opportunity to win a Uniroyal Scholarship, starting with students taking their PSAT Qualifying Tests this fall, 1974. Ten scholarships will be awarded each year. If there are fewer than ten finalists, enough high-ranking non-finalists will be selected to fill the quota. The July-August issue of Uniroyai World carries com plete details on the newly revised rules. Also, full details will be given in anew leaflet which will be available, along with a new application form, at the Industrial Relations office by the end of September. November 15 is the deadline for submitting completed applications to the Uniroyal Foundation in New York. Kevin Carter, son of Jack Carter, Painesville Purchasing Agent, was one of six Uniroyal scholarship winners in 1972. URL 17641 Winnie Briski, Jim Kuinane, end Dale Means enjoy coffee and donuts in Salesroom Best Buyscelebration of 1000 days safe operation in Paracril. Area Foreman S. B. Fifield remarked that it is difficult to pinpoint what goes into a safe operating record but that the quarterly safety meetings and continuous safety awareness on the part of the individuals involved seems to be working in Paracril. 1974 Photo Contest For Employees Uniroyal World has announced its third annual em ployee photo contest. All full-time employees of Uniroyal and subsidiaries world-wide, except professional photographers, are eli gible. Each entrant is limited to one photo of any size, color or black and white, print or slide, taken during 1974. The plant salesroom now has men's winter jackets. These jackets (see picture) have a nylon shell, acrylic fill, quilted lining and fleece collar. A good buy at $15.00. A shipment of winter style Keds shoes was re ceived recently, including the PIP oxfords. End of summer buys in clude men's ^nd boy's long sleeve shirts -- $2.00, boys CPO's - $3.00, men's knit vests -- $4.00 and golf sup plies including a fine line of capeskin golf gloves. Doris Oberg arranges display of new jacket available in the Salesroom for winter. Prizes will be U. S. Savings Bonds - first prize, $75; second prize, $50; third prize, $25. Runners-up will receive honorable mention certificates. Each entry must be accompanied by an entry form found in future issues of Uniroyal World or a card with name, plant or office location and department, model of camera and type of film used. BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 6 MADISON. OHIO Deadline is December 1, 1974. Send ail entries and any inquiries to Editor, Uniroyal World, Oxford Management Center, Middlebury, Ct. 06749.