Document O3d7v7rqOnyabVLy4rXX7ENEe

FILE NAME: Abex (ABX) DATE: 1977 Nov 10 DOC#: ABX159 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Abex NY Office Letter to Mr. Iwarsson with Response to Nov 1 Letter. Discussion of Respirators & Other Safety Precautions & Reference to Subtext 'i ' /h & i / / Mr. B. Iwarsson/ FPG - Winchester N E W YORK OFFICE j NOV 1 4 1977 ABEX CORPORATION M EDICAL ^ P L A IN T I F F 'S November 10, 1977 Reference your letter of November 1, 1977 to Dr. Knoch. As I read your letter there seems to be more said between the lines than in the actual printing. ' It isn't necessary to comment on the respirators and I agree we do a credible job in maintaining control of asbestos fibers. The fact remains that respirators are available for health reasons and in the rare instances where control ma y momentarily be out of limits. . On the matter of side shields you seem to need a law or regulations to justify their use. On this basis we don't even have to wear safety glasses at all in many areas. It is the objective of our Loss Prevention group to have side shields on safety glasses mandatory in all Abex plants. To this end we are well on the way The comparison you make in your third paragraph is cer tainly relative but not relevant. It is attitudes like this in top management people that cost Abex in excess of two million dollars in workmen's compensation in 1977. You state "and I trust if there is a push for safety glasses with side shields, a significant cost item, that there is enough information available to substantiate this item being em phasized and stressed before other concerns". I read that several, times to be sure I was seeing the right words! Considering the cost of "picnics", "Information meetings", etc., all excellent programs catering to employee relations in the attitude area, the cost of giving added protection to their eyes can not be significant. It is to be noted that all references to cost do not cite a specific figure. If you are not going to follow the recommendations of our Loss Prevention people please say so in so many words and be specific as to tne reasons. There certainly is an area of discussion on any SPNY 003700