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AP00033962
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Richw H. Fulton. Mayor
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J. M. 3iS"CV/'SH. MO.. REGISTRAR
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AP00033963
HUMAN RESOURCE SYSTEM EMPLOYEE DATA - 30 April 1984
Total number of APCI employees Total number Allentown employees
Total number Chemicals Group employees
Calvert City employees
Controller Business areas
17 2
Manufacturing_____________ 538
Total number Calvert'City employees
16,804
3,922 1,944
557
Pace employees Customer Svcs.
4
Controller
22
Business areas
23
Manufacturing ____________ 387
Total number Pace employees
436
Medical System Employee Data - 12 June 1984
Allentown employees active in medical system 1,559
Calvert City " " '* "
"
558
Field team M " " "
M 3,003
Pace
" " ""
"
464
T-town Shop
""
__________ 61
Total number employees active in medical system
5,645
Employees active In VCM physical system (Includes contractors)
Allentown
Fit for VCM
144
Unfit for VCM ______________33
Total Allentown Employees^1n VCM physical system
177
Calvert City
Fit for VCM
398
Unfit for VCM
___________ 120
Total Calvert City employees in VCM physical system
518
Pace
Fit for VCM
410
Unfit for VCM_________________ 47
Total Pace employees in VCM physical system
457
Earliest medical records on computer
1971
1974 1975
* 1 employee
- 431 employees - 701 employees
1
> J
All VCM records - physicals started at other sites in 1976.
NTK:bmw 6/13/84
AP00033964
AP00033965
Memorandum
AJR ./* products ;
TO. FrC^Ti Ca:e-
F. J. RYAN R. E. GAQQMSKl 26 OCTOBER 1984 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
3ect 3sc< c>\ CHEMICALS MANUFACTUSIHS/5987
cc: A. E, Greene H. 3. Ortega (139) h. L. watson
J. N. Norwood P. L. T. 8r1an
R. C. Sander J. T. Wharton
BACKGROUND
As indicated to you In June of this year, , a PVC worker at
our Calvert City Plant, died on 28 October 1983 of Illnesses which were Initially diagnosed as cirrhosis of the liver (non-alcoholic). Subsequent
evaluation by Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Indicated'the condition to
be angiosarcoma of the liver. The family of
recently gave
permission to have the autopsy materials evaluated by Fenton Schaffner, H.O.,
Chief, Division of Liver Diseases, the Mount Sinai Medical Center, New Vork, N.Y. On 27 September 1984 a confirmation of the diagnosis of angiosarcoma of
the liver was made. This Is our first case of angiosarcoma.
To date there have been 110 cases of angiosarcoma found worldwide with 35 of these being In the United States. Angiosarcoma Is a rare form of cancer that has occurred among a small fraction of persons who had been exposed to
vinyl chloride monomer over a prolonged period at very high concentrations. The prognosis of the Illness Is fatal; analysis of the cases that have
occurred worldwide Indicates that VCH exposures that may give rise to this
disease were generally In the range of hundreds of parts per million (ppm) and
occasslonally even above the thousand ppm level. The exposure conditions which led to HHHHlHI Illness are believed to no longer be present In our operations. Currently our VCM`exposures are limited to 1 ppm or less.
WORKMENS COMPENSATION CLAIM
After her husband's death, HHIHH filed a workman's compensation claim. Air Products Is maintaining weekly compensation payments to M mm Now that we have confirmed the cause of death the claim will be fully resolved.
|ls 60 years old and, at an actuarial life of 14.1 years and a weekly benefit of $138.83, will receive $102M during her lifetime. Since this case Involves two employers, we anticipate that the state of Kentucky will pay the bulk of the claim, reducing APCI's total liability to less than $25M. APCI's Legal Department will resolve any outstanding claim Issues as soon as possible.
AP00033966
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PQTENT1AL FOR FUTURE ILLNESS
This case Will be classified as an occupational Illness, fatality. started working in PVC In 1963. At that time, the harmful effects of high continuous exposures to vinyl chloride and the Incidence of angiosarcoma were not recognized. His early work history Included that of reactor cleaner, one of the Jobs now recognized to have the highest exposures and Incidence of angiosarcoma. Exposure levels at that time are believed to have been several thousand ppm for long periods and are many orders of magnitude greater than today's levels of less than 1 ppm. Few Industrial hygiene controls were In effect at that time; the principal concern was the flammability of VCM.
APCI has about 75 persons with vinyl chloride exposure history approaching or past 20 years, with another 35-40 nearing the 15-20 year
bracket. Based on the worldwide Incidence rate of angiosarcoma In heavily
exposed workers whose work history predates 1974, we would expect not more than one additional case of angiosarcoma may be found among our workers. There are no routine (non-lnvaslve) diagnostic techniques which are effective for early detection of this disease, nor are there any known successful treatment procedures.
CONTROLS IMPLEMENTED TO PREVENT VCM OVEREXPOSURE
Starting In 1974, there have been many engineering controls Implemented to control exposure. We believe the risk to the health of the present workers Is very small. Among the controls which have been Implemented are the following:
a) Prohibition of discharge of vinyl chloride to the atmosphere. b) Closed system operation with purging and verification before opening
any vessels to the atmosphere. c) Incineration of any purge or off gases to destroy vinyl chloride
content. d) Development of "large reactor" technology which have reduced the
number of places where leaks can occur. e) Stripping of PVC product to reduce the free vinyl chloride remaining. f) Use of on-line monitoring systems together with warning signals to
give notice of any leak In the breathing zone. g) Implementation of a 'rigorous respiratory protection program to be
used In conjunction with on-line monitoring and leak patrols. h) Use of leak patrols to quickly address even minor leak sources. 1) A medical program which though non-specific for detection of
angiosarcoma Is designed to permit Identification of those Individuals who may be pre-dlspased to liver abnormalities and may be at greater risk If they work with vinyl chloride. j) Changes have been made In PVC technology by the development of solvent cleaning methods and anti-fouling techniques to eliminate such high exposure Jobs as reactor cleaner where Jesse Boren worked In his early career. k) Work practices and employee training In the hazards of vinyl chloride have been Implemented.
AP00033967
-3-
Today we handle vinyl chloride In both our PVC plants and our Calvert City emulsions (EVCL) operations. We believe that the control measures that have been Implemented are adequate and that there Is little threat to the health of our workers from present day operations and exposures. We are also not aware of any actions we can take at this time which would be beneficial to those of our worker population {about 115) who may have been exposed to much higher and prolonged exposures to vinyl chloride In their early working careers.
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
I plan to review HHHHH case with the Management Committee on
November 6th. Our principal thrust will be our Industrial Hygiene programs.
You will recall we promised such a presentation to Oexter Baker when the claim
was resolved.
REG:mes Attachments
R. E. GAOOMSKI
AP00033968
CHEMICALS GROUP INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE POLICY
AIR PRODUCTS RECOGNIZES AND ACCEPTS ITS MORAL AND LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING SAFETY, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. WE WILL CONDUCT ALL CHEMICALS GROUP ACTIVITIES WITH A MAXIMUM CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENT OF OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR CUSTOMERS, THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE OPERATE, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WITH REGARD TO INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE, IT IS OUR POLICY TO PROVIDE A WORK ENVIRONMENT FREE OF HARMFUL EXPOSURES TO CHEMICALS AND OTHER AGENTS WHICH MAY POSE A HAZARD TO HEALTH.
AP00033969
OCCUPATIONAL DEATH - ANGIOSARCOMA
DATE OF BIRTH: DIED: AGE AT DEATH:
29 AUGUST 1922 28 OCTOBER 1983 61
*
WORK HISTORY: 21 MARCH 1960 - HIRED AS MATERIALS HANDLER IN PLASTI CIZER PLANT
1 JAN. 1962 - TRANSFERRED TO PVC COMPOUNDING AS A MATERIALS HANDLER
1 JAN. 1963 - TRANSFERRED TO PVC POLYMER AREA AS AN OPERATOR TRAINEE
31 DEC. 1970 - CALVERT CITY PLANT ACQUIRED BY APCI
30 JULY 1982 - TRANSFERRED TO UTILITY AREA
8 SEPT. 1983 - WENT ON SICK LEAVE
DATE OF EMPLOYMENT TO DATE OF DEATH: DATE INTO PVC TO DATE OF DEATH: TIME IN PVC AS AN APCI EMPLOYEE:
23 YEARS 20 YEARS 11*5 YEARS
AP00033970
ANGIOSARCOMA CASES BY COUNTRY
UNITED STATES WEST GERMANY FRANCE CANADA UNITED KINGDOM SWEDEN YUGOSLAVIA ITALY CZECHOSLOVAKIA JAPAN NORWAY BELGIUM
TOTAL
35 21 17 10
8 5 4 4 2 2 1 1
110
AP00033971