Document NeZbOG4VKYxKeyOBae9myyXQE

FILE NAME: General Dynamics (GED) DATE: 1971 Feb 1 DOC#: GED013 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo - Insulation Shop Ventilator cm> SfflteW U . EKW3A3SK3M f B i& ssra ss ssswsr PRIVATE TOs fko;& FJ-H su b jec t MEADSANfMiM j . J \ Gagnon} >ept, 3 9 K. H. Secor, apt. 412 0-2568 in s u la tio n Shop V e n tila tic p .' b a t s F4el2b-Mru~aKryHS1-,7l1~9o7413 The q uestion reg ard in g company sa fe p ra c tic e fo r th e m a o f asbestos products arose as the r e s u lt o f an MIC request, to the C o nn ecticut State apartm ent o f H ealth to in v e s tig a te our procedures. A fte r su rve yin g our in su la tio n , shop, the s ta te In d u s t r ia l H y g ie n ist, M r. John 0 . Pearson, suggested by le t t e r to t h is d iv is io n , th a t we vacuum cle a n th e shop flo o rs ra th e r th a t sweep them w ith a broom. Ha suggested th a t -we hook in to our e x is t in g vacuum system ; however, our v e n tila tio n o f t h is shop c o n sists o f lo c a l exhaust v e n t ila t io n which d isch arg es d ir e c t ly in to .he sh ip yard atmosphere, \$ d urin g the la s t th ree y e a rs, a g re a t d eal of a tte n tio n has been brought to focus on. the use o f asb e sto s. The concern fo r the use o f t h is mate r i a l has re state d -fro m an in cre a se d in cid en ce of .m esotheliom a, a form of lung can ce r. V ary l i t t l e is known about the mechanism which in it ia t e s m esothelioma except th a t the asbestos fib e r s m igrate to the outer p e rip h e ry o f the .lu n g , Once--lo d g e d -in -th e sie so fe h e liu m j the-inetehafcion p erio d "may beras lo n g as t h ir t y years b efore a laesotheliom a develops. The e x is t in g v e n t ila tio n system w hich was in sv & Ila d in the In s u la tio n shop i s the re s u lt of' h avin g reco g nised the danger in h e re n t in the use of a sb e sto s-co n ta in in g m a te ria ls . I t affo rd s- the men w orking in th at shop adequate p ro te ctio n from exposure to asbestos f le e r s . However, I have suggested to Facilities and Plant Engineering that the existing ventilation system be modified to th extent-thafa-xiust eollee- tion unit be installed to eliminate the exhaust of asbestos fiber into ' the shipyard. This suagestien. is based upon *-.hs fact that we may have * created a greater health hazard than the one we tried to eliminate. The -- "r""' lack of response to this complaint will lead. to,m^tteafcuaL..gnnfTMvn.n, ---. ^tsrrwlth'The `i5 M O T s u s p e e i we would be severely criticized by the .. State.J^paxtamt of Health if this condition w*s brought to their attention^' .. ' Approved TRSTT------ Roberta 'VHjoSfZCtOi-tT*,.., . ,,,r.*.''A ' -M; J -/row ~!" i "^HBWwvti^SCi V * *, * **' EB-L.UND-011354