Document NEkG5BY0oMYyZ5MnQBdL2Jg38

FILE NAME: Union Carbide (UC) DATE: 1974 Apr 2 DOC#: UC318 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo RE Visit at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Dept of Community Medicine to Discuss Asbestos Exposures of Tape & Joint Workers S-UC-177 P la in tiffs E x h ib it ( / irr .**; n n zrT O .n UNiorTcARBloT^PORATION MINING 4 W H S DIVIS.ON P.0. 80X 579 5^ r i: i v' THE DISCOVERY COMPANY NIAGARA FAILS, N. Y. 14302 April 2, 1974 ILL: 716-278-3375 Mr. F . H. Zimmerman National Gypsum Company 325 Delaware Avenue B u ffa lo , NY 14202 Dear Frank: The report o f our meeting with Or- S e lik o ff which we discussed this morning is attached. I don't see any reason you ' with Ed Fenner and I also agree that any s o r t o f general d is t n b u 4-U r. AT A /N & __ .U ^ k l w n n t Best regards, H .B. Rhodes HBR/cam Attachment Mining and Metals Division Niagara F a l l s , NY 14302 A pril 2 , 1974 MEMORANDUM VISIT AT MT. SINAI HOSPITAL, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE TO DISCUSS ASBESTOS EXPOSURES OF TAPE JOINT WORKERS MARCH 29, 1974 Those Present: For Mt. S i n a i : Dr. Irving J . Se lik o ff Dr. Arthur N. Rohl For AIA/NA: , Mr. Frank Zimmerman (National Gypsum) Mr. Joe Volk (National Gypsum, Ind. Hygiene) Dr. H .B. Rhodes (Union Carbide) The meeting lasted about l^hours followed by a short tour o f th e ir f a c i l i t i t e s . I t was a pleasant low-key discu ssion . We mainly lis te n e d and asked leading questions. Mt. Sinai F a c ilitite s Their f a c i l i t i t e s , although q u ite crowed and clu tte re d due to an impending move to new quarters, contain an impressive array o f new so p h isticated equipment. They are s e t up to obtain the follow ing inform ation on any chosen p a r tic le in a f i e l d : 1. Electron micrograph photo. 2. X-ray d iffractio n pattern-(crystal structure) 3. Chemical analysis (electro n probe)? 4. Scanning E.M.photograph. The procedure is rapid and routine so i t can be applied to large numbers o f p a r tic le s . Dr. S e lik o f f agreed th a t th is was a problem but did not see any way to s o r t out the exposures. They are-apparently not going to worry about i t in th eir presentation o f the data. Vlork P ractices Dr. S e li k o f f made a strong push fo r work p ractices on the basis th a t there is no p ra ctica l way to monitor the thousands o f construction s ite s throughout the country. Work p ra ctice s in his mind should control the dust le v e ls to zero or very clo se i t , not merely meet the allow able TWA. Dr. Rohl was asked what recommendations he would make for work p ra ctice s on the basis o f his f ie ld te s tin g experience. Dr. S e lik o ff immediately stated that they did not have the background to make any recommendations beyond that o f c o n tro llin g the dust a t it s sou rce, i . e . remove the asbestos from the mud. He stated th a t one manufacturer had to ld them they were going to do th is and seemed to be under the impression th a t i t did not present any serious tech nical problems. The function o f asbestos in the mud was explained together with the very real tech n ical problems in fin din g a replacement th a t would give a mud with com petitive performance. I f i t were easy i t would have already been done. We mentioned the use o f resp irators to control exposure during sanding. Dr. S e lik o ff f e l t th a t respirators did a reasonable job and did not seem opposed to th is approach. He also indicated th a t i f i t should be adopted and education program through the unions might be p r a c tic a l. S i l i c a Dust During Sanding Dr. Rohl has analyzed the dust samples co lle cte d fo r s i l i c a and in a t le a s t some cases has found q u ite high le v e ls . They do not seem to be p a r tic u a lr ly alarmed over th is fin d in g but do plan to look in to i t fu r th e r . Some d e fin ite statement may be expected in about 6 months. Acceptable TWA Lim its Dr. S e lik o ff was most emphatic th a t "The chance th a t the two fib e r lim it w ill survive in the new regulations is remote". He state s th a t there is lo ts o f evidence to show i t is too high and nothing to show th a t i t is adequate even to protect a ga in st a sb e sto sis. This position merely r e ite r a te s other public statements he has made. The need fo r AIA/NA to be prepared with th e ir own documented p ositi is obvious and well-known. P roh ib ition o f Smoking Frank Zimerman asked whether the evidence s t i l l supported a regu lation o f "no smoking" 1n areas where workers are exposed to a ir borne asbestos fib e r s . Dr. S e li f o f f is stron gly in favor o f th is posi tio n and w ill supply backup evidence i f requested. H.B.Rhodes March 29, 1974 4 B lind Notes to Hr. Thurber and Mr. flyers 1. Frank Zimmerman mentioned that one the b iggest problems with the removal o f asbestos has to do with can s t a b il it y in cold weather. Without asbestos there is a pronounced tendency fo r an inch or so o f water to c o lle c t at the top o f the can. This is very d i f f i c u l t to s t i r back in . 2. Much o f Dr. Rohl's te s t work appeared to be with United States Gypsum muds (ready mix) in the New York area. I was unable to oet any confirm ation but i t is e ith e r they or National Gypsums' Matteson ..* L . p4*ntHshat to ld Dr. S e lik o ff about the a sb esto s-free mud. rhffVTrTfS*ed~~ Mr.* Byrne to have Mr. Norris ta lk about the su b je ct again with United S ta te s Gypsum a t an appropriate tim e.