Document OR8MvJ32wxG93GaExeLmENoQ

FILE NAME: Uniroyal (UNIR) DATE: 1959 Jan 9 DOC#: UNIR011 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo from US Rubber Co. RE Health Problems in the Asbeston Operations - Hoganville United States Rubber Company "1230" PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT UR 1 0 ) January 9, 1959 TO: Hr. Vesley H. Graff Manager - Safety, Health, & Fire Prevention FROM: Frederick V. Sands Industrial Hygienist SUBJECT: Health Problems in ttfo Asbeston Operations - Hoeansville The following report is a brief sunnary of the highlights of the employee health problen due to exposure to asbestos dust at the Hogansvilie Plant. Jb*oa the date of the first operations of the asbeston plant at Hogansville, In 1941. there was realization of a potential health problen due to asbestos dust inhalation-- a disease referred to as asbestosis. This is a disease sinilar to silicosis, but it has been believed to be of some what slower development. With the available information on asbestosis in 1941 on hand, it was felt that ve could operate the plant safely if we could maintain a linit of dustiness in the air below 5 million particles_ per cubic foot of air (the standard recoraended bv the U. S. Public Health Servl ce). and provided we developed an adequate nedical program. IVom the beginning, plant management instituted a three-pronged attack on the problen: (1) evaluation of plant dustiness (2) engineering control (3) preventive nedical program 1. EVALUATION OF PLANT DU5TIUZSS Through numerous v i z i _s in the ccrly days of this operation, our office assisted in setting up a standard dust-counting procedure and in training plant staff in sampling techniques. (Appendix A ) The original dust counts rede in 1912 shoved that the limit cf 5 million particles per cubic foot of air was yvredea. In the opening and picking operation, for example, the concentrations ranged from 22 to 75 million particles per r bic foot of air; while in the weaving operations in 1942, the dust concentrations varied from 4 to 12 million p a x t i d e s per-cubic foot of air. Later on, in 1942, the operations were transferred to the new building, and additional dust control surveys were made with the result that several new fan installations with high capacity and local exhaust ventilation were installed. Further improvements an ,the_ engineering control of the dust were made through 1943 and 1941 with the result that the dust concentrations in the opening and picking operation were reduced to 7 to 16 million particles per cubic foot of air ty 1947, ^ and the counts in the weaving operation were almost down to the 5 million^ ^ ! j r level. (Appendix B.C,r) 2 Continued e n g i n e e r i n g te c ^ o io .-ic -.i ^ r o ^ n ^ ^ ^ ^ ft M E ^ t 5 S 5 S i a . p " ** f " 2 r<:r.Tyf-?.TVG COliTHO! ' With the d.U ecqired in the dust .tudle, engineering * t a f :f , ^ ^ a s s i s tanca p ro c e ss. T-g al exha*- v e n tila tio n on I develop a number c f changes la t Individual nachines eonwaouTM* change involved the^use__3p Pt . n V n v to dust reduction. k 3r / i L i m e n t on the cartin g machines, sl ^ d 'T ^ f ^ c ir c u la t io n . UP* "pendlx^r^ i M ^ t i o ^ n e a s u r e s are still being studied^ 3 WDTGAL PROGPAjj ` * progr of n e d ie e lp r o t e a n ? % & " initiated. In the originalVograa,^ nurse and were interpreted by the J v a i P . . I t soon developed J a t ; enTlfforts were made that this was not too satisfactory TM d i o l o e i * t n** Tr.-e-- > Georgia, to find a radiologist. Doctor G^ady, ^ A difJiculty d c v c l ^ c d , r c r i t f t o r.d .11 the j D e u t "j" *. ~ t .ble L visit the hovever vith this Procedure in that B o o t _ . " tions uith the employees' plant regularly to % * " S o o however, that Doctor Grady found medical examination. It ^ a 9 *e reSult of his x-ray interpretations, several cases of early s***1 h suspicious x-ray plates sent to Ve, in this office, arranged *obft^ ' * t h ?t_ on the pneumoconioses m i s ^ n . Per.dergrasSj an ^ ^ ^ f ^ e s e ^ a y plafes was invaluable. ^Philadelphia. m s t h e eases st loot dlstohee. However, there was also t h e P TM * 1" S r e r a s s visit the plant to discuss the Ve l a t e r arranged to have * 0j e ^ o c a l physicians and plant nanage- vhole problem with Doctor Grady and the lo caa pny ,, e a t e r coordination Tt. As . result of thisting. " " L,d the ptosi^L enin.ticn cf vas needed between the radiological the employees1 condition. J the employ... in order to *" J S t L a W u ^ ^ . Ttie resulted two years ego * . . . A h e xnrevtlates tut e' of lung disease. _ ^ T- *. rnurse of the past two years ^ e t w WellsJas^cone a^erj elaborate of the abesten situation -- J j si: people with definite and o f the limit of 5 million particles Furthermore, he questions the .*Jd yH l9 inclined to reconnend ins-ead per cubic foot of air as a nethod of controlling the a tine-concentration lieu \ asbestos dust exposure. (Afp**i>r " ) Over th. period of the played . port in errsnging for ,1 groups : 3 i. a ttf f l g ; s a th^Diilsion^f Industrial Health for the Georgia State Departsent of i!!i?h He fSthir aisted t.e plant in the training and cheeking of in the dust-counting techniques. His office was available m f e * dust exposure,. Hi* iff. .r>..el TlsltS t. tb. Uut. Upp>dis ) _ v1Tr^tion of America. Ine. This group was called result^? its recozaendatiohs, many changes were node. (Appendix Z ) - -.--- 1 Denartmlnt. We in this office worked closely with representatives*of th e ^ n S ls tio M n jln e e r in t TM P free. th* ,e r7 ning of the operation at Hogansvilla. (Appendix ) IS iiS s S i H i: hr s a to Doctor Wells, of Kevnan* (Appendix J } the medical control program. (Appendix K ) SHMMAHT to ruraiT, the Textile Division hss f n th. 1 7 token .ton to r e d u c e ^ ^ A complete medical program Statlsties or. dictions in the dust concentrations over the years. ? libi E . L - ie h t l e - m o f ad d itio n al aeaaures vhieh we are f ie ld in the hop.' th a t vr aigh y taTg found th at our experience not now talcing in pedicular, i. feeing , B ]trm 1 , not problem et tkejr eu Jeroef ifti BIiS m Io m held 1th th.1T Medici A ( ,t th.ir plnnt eloo. ^ . cto, ^ . . ^ t M t-.nh.rtmU .it ^ ^ ^ t0 etudr the prohlea with then* Divlelch can be reached. * FVS:MB 1 1 C, liOv .