Document O35kOakxOr31r31kbGbNEZ5Ge

EMPLOYEE HEALTH/INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE Monitor employee health, determine and monitor workplace factors affecting employee health, and maintain Monsanto workplace environmental standards set in accordance with Monsanto policy on humanexposure limits to protect the health of people at work. PROGRAM 1. Continue to perform industrial hygiene program evaluations at Monsanto locations every 1-3 years. Use findings and recommendations to develop and improve industrial hygiene practice as the state of the art progresses. 2. Achieve and maintain compliance with Monsanto workplace environment standards as required by law or prescribed by DMEH. 3. Monitor employee health by periodic and special examinations in U.S. plants -- and in ex-U.S. locations where not precluded by local laws or customs. Utilize METU ("Medical Van") to perform health surveillance exams requiring special or innovative expertise or where local medical facilities are inadequate. 4. Collect workplace exposure, work history and employee health data in MEHI computer system (except where precluded by national laws). Use exposure and health data to perform appropriate epidemiological studies assuring protection of employee health. 5. Continue surveillance of workplace to identify potential health risks. Evaluate those risks based on current toxicological knowledge and initiate appropriate safeguards to protect the health of employees. STATUS/OBSERVATIONS Program elements for this guideline are mostly in a sustaining mode as shown by the following observations: 1. All of the "Monsanto" plants worldwide except newly acquired or newly assigned locations (i.e., Fisher, RDI, Continental Pharma, etc.) have completed initial data base surveys. All of these locations in the U.S. and Europe, and 90% of the ROW plants in which Monsanto has controlling interest have also completed baseline monitoring for regulated substances, meet Monsanto workplace environmental standards, and are implementing sustaining industrial hygiene programs. The newly acquired or newly assigned locations are currently being addressed in an effort to ensure that all locations in which Monsanto has controlling interest are consistent with Monsanto standards. 2. There were eight OSHA inspections in 1984, down 50% from the level of the past three years. Eight citations resulted from four of these inspections, six of which were exposure related due to a spill of acrylonitrile and a chlorine leak. 3. MEHI is functioning effectively, although added emphasis on quality and timeliness of data entry is needed at some plants. Programs have been started to provide routine useful data for health surveillance and epidemiological evaluadons. The Epidemiology Department has used the MEHI system to develop data to support the Nitro litigation, to prepare health profiles for use in regulatory actions (Queeny), to anticipate public questions (Delaware River) and to identify priority for study. (Revised and Approved: Environmental Policy Committee, June 1985, as Worldwide Environmental Protection Guideline No. 4). MONSANTO ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY STAFF DSW 117714 Page 11-3 STLCOPCB4032251