Document Ozqpj3Kq55XYqjJG3nZ3noj3Q

CHEMICALS J^ INTEROFFICE// LAKE CHARLES INDUSTRIES TO FROM A. T. Raetzsch DATE March 30, 1976 H. B. Lovejoy, M.D. SUBJECT VCM Exposure to Women I have received Mr. Widing's memo this date regarding revision in the VCM Medical Guide Lines. Drs., Grant, Dehn and Beil have discussed this matter with me professionally and I believe we are all in agreement that women may be permitted to work where VCM is manufactured, handled and processed with a reasonable amount of safety. It is Dr. Grant's opinion that VCM exposure to females may be harmful but that our VCM environment monitoring program has provided evidence of excellent control, and therefore the area is safe. In general, I am in agreement with Mr. Widing's memo but I would, much prefer to have women who are not pregnant and who do not expect to become pregnant while working in that area. I am enclosing a revised text for informing employees that I would prefer. cc: Taylor Ludden SL 085063 Recently, there have been several newspaper articles that suggests a relationship between vinyl chloride monomer with a higher incidence of miscarriages. This study was conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety apd Health, the U. S. Center for Disease Control's Bureau of Epidemiology and the University of North Carolina's School of Public Health at a plant that has three separate operations PVC Manufactureng, PVC Fabrication and the manufacturing of rubber tires. Based upon available details of this study, there is mixed opinion within PPG concerning the quality of the data, the techniques employed in gathering the data and the interpretation of the data, however, we feel that it is in the best interest of our employees to alert them that this information has been published. Miscarriages are common occurrences among women in the general population and can be caused by many factors. There are some women who have quite a number of miscarriages and can never actually carry a baby to term. Our medical and environmental results continue to be encouraging and it is unlikely that such adverse health effects would occur due to the low levels that are encountered in day-to~day operations by our employees. If you or your spouse, however, are experiencing difficulties in this area, it is recommended that you arrange to discuss the subject with the plant physician. SL 085064 CHEMICALS INDUSTRIES TO J.M. Davis FROM Hv^Lovejoy, M.D. /INTEROFFICE LAKE CHARLES DATE March 23, 1976 SUBJECT Vinyl Restrictions Recent requests for visiting people to enter the Vinyl area have made me re-read the Vinyl Standards. Our previous interpretation has been that "authorised personnel" meant everyone who would enter the restricted area. The standard is not specific, but might be interpreted as people who work regularly in the area. As we are now running very low levels of Vinyl in the area, I would feel that we might relax our restrictions and permit visitors or possibly ser vice personnel to enter the area.for only a few hours. It might be wise for me to have a short personal interview with these people and this might then satisfy OSHA requirements even though laboratory tests would not have been done. I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Feel free to circulate this to whomever you think should see it. cc: O.M. Davis F. Ludden mg SL 085065 Tgf INDUSTRIES PPG INDUSTRIES, INC -ONE GATEWAY CENTER/PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA 15222/AREA 412/434-2349 ROBERT E. WIDING, Vice President Operations, Industrial Chemical Department March 22, 1976 MESSRS. D. B. Dailey/A. C. Ellsworth A. G. DeMarco/K. W. Richardson A.5- J- Lambillotte/J. W. Moore T. Raetzsch/T. G. Taylor G. C. Strickler/L. W. Piester SUBJECT: Revision in the VCM Medical Guidelines On October 16, 1974, a copy of the "Occupational Safety and Health Work Practices Guidelines for the Manufacture, Storage and Loading of- Vinyl Chloride" was forwarded to you for your review and comment by Mr. John Clapperton. There have been questions raised as to the validity of the data that prom pted the position taken in the original guideline - Section V, Medical, paragraph (d) (7) which states: "In view of preliminary results of animal toxicology studies, it is recommended that no woman who is pregnant or expects to become pregnant be employed directly in vinyl chloride monomer operations or in areas where vinyl chloride exposure may result." After considering the scientific data now available, reconsidering the re sults of the animal studies and the results of our VCM Environmental Moni toring Program which has provided evidence of low worker exposure to VCM, it is the opinion of the Chemical Division that we should no longer pro hibit female employees from working in areas where there is a potential VCM exposure. Accordingly, our Division policy is now to permit women to work in the areas of the plant in which VCM is manufactured, handled and pro cessed. Each facility should modify the VCM Guidelines to concur with this position. It is also recommended, that each employee who is assigned to the VCM area receive, at the time of his initial placement in the VCM area and annually thereafter, a training program that states the potential hazards of VCM of SL 085066 Revision in the VCM Medical Guidelines Page 2 March 22, 1976 both male and female employees potentially exposed to VCM, information con cerning the possible effects of VCM on the fetus either of the wife cf a male employee, or a female employee who is pregnant. Attached is a suggested text for informing the employees of the possible genetic effects of VCM. R. E. Widing /cl g Attachment cc/wa: Messrs. L. B. Grant W. B. Graybill/L. F. Sargert W. R. Harris J. F. Knott H. C. Twiehaus/F. C. Dehn/Z. G. Bell G. M. Zapp SL 085067 Recently, there have been several newspaper articles that suggests a rela tionship between vinyl chloride monomer with a higher incidence of miscar riages. This study was conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the U.S. Center for Disease Control's Bureau of Epidemiology and 'the University of North Carolina's School of Public Health at a plant that has three separate operations - PVC Manufacturing, PVC Fabrication and the manufacturing of rubber tires. Based upon available details of this study, there is mixed opinion within PPG concerning the quality of the data, the techniques employed in gathering the data and the interpretation of the data, however, we feel that it is in the best interest of our employees to alert them that this information has been published. Miscarriages are common occurrences among women in the general population and can be caused by mental stress and physical excertion which are just two of the many factors that can result in this condition. There are women who also have quite a number of miscarriages and can never actually carry a fetus due to physical problems. Our Medical and Environmental results continue to be encouraging and it is unlikely that such adverse health effects would occur due to the low levels that are encounterd in day-to-day operations by our employees. If you or your spouse, however, are experiencing difficulties in this area, it is recommended that you arrange to discuss the subject with the plant physician. We intend to gather more details and as this data becomes available, you will be so informed. SL 085068