Document QkZVNo0kqq8X6JYE6Ye7Xx3OR

Division of Safer, & Hygiene. 8120 Washington Village Drive. Dayton. Ohio 45458 Toll Free: Phone: Fax: 1-800-962-7768 (513)438-8876 (513)438-8602 April 24, 199 1 Judy Spencer O. D. : Legal Section Claimant: Industrial Commission of Ohio Company: 30 V. Spring St. Oth Floor Columbus, OH 43266--0581 204731 Earl Callahan Riley Stoker Co. 5 leponset St. Vorchester, KE 01515 Dear Ms. Spencer, Earl Callahan is a 60 yeai--old man who worked as a boilermaker for approximately 35 years, retiring In 1990. During that per!od he worked out of a union local for a large number of employers. He alleges that exposures to asbestos- containing materials encountered during his employment caused 'ilin l.o develop asbestosls. Boilermakers have" a reasonable risk of exposure to asbestos-contaiDIng materials because of the nature and timing of their work. In new construction, it is more likely Insulation tradesmen would be applying insulating materials. In repair or modification of existing fitructures, however. It !s likely that the boilermaker would be involved In removal and replacement of Insulation. It is Impossible to determine when Mr. Callahan may have received the first or last Injurious exposure to asbestos- containing materials, or what the levels of exposure may have lieen. Vorklng nut of a union hall makes It especially difficult because jobs vary in location, duration, and type of work being lone. Since the latency period for the development of most fnrms of aslxistos-r elated respiratory disease Is so variable, symptom onset cannot be used to determine when nr- where exposures occurred. The relationship between exposures to asbestns-containing dust and the diseases which are associated with those exposures are well documented. Mr. Callahan began working working prior to the time when these facts were widely known. Also, before the advent of OSHA regulations in 1971, littlo attention was paid to personal protective equipment In general, and respirators in [articular. As a result, exposures were generally high in those industries that were naturally dusty by virtue of raw materials used and products made. Since HPA Ivanned the use of asbestos in all new construct ion in 1978, asbestos-containing Insulation would have been removed by others according to regulations, and not by the boilermaker. CALLAHAN OD204731 Dr. Kelly has made a diagnosis of asbestos-relatc-d disease based upon x-ray and other evidence. He also Indicates that childhood asthma, pneumonia and smoking would have no bearing on the disease development. Medical experts generally agree that test results, signs and symptoms used In the determination of asbestos-rela ted disease are somewhat ambiguous, making diagnosis complex, if not difficult. A paper by Murphy', states "The chest roentgenogram Is the best means to exclude many other diseases as well as to quantitate their Importance when present. The major problem is with the nonspecificity of the findings, particularly In detecting slight or early disease. Bilateral, small, Irregular, and linear opacification (more predominant In the lower lung fields) and associated pleural disease are the most commonly accepted features of asbestosls. Vhen found In an advanced degree with known exposure, specificity for asbestosls Is high. However, when Irregular, linear, basal rapacities are present In slight profusion, they are easily confused with the normal vascular markings, with shadowing caused by poor inspiration, with soft.tissue densities due to Ureast nr other fatty tissue, and by the effect of low kllovoltage - making this 1nterpretation one of the most subjective in radiology." This quote demonstrates the difficulty of diagnosing asbestos-related disease, and the importance of high quality x-rays and their 1nterpretation. Another point of question In this claim Is the smoking aspect. Mr. Callahan has a significant smoking history which would play a significant role in respiratory disease development. According to the American Lung Association2, "Cigarette: smoking Is the most important cause of chronic obstructive bronchopulmonary disease <COPD> in (.hr: United ntu l.es. It Increases t.he risk of dying from pulmonary emphysema asd chronic bronchitis. Crookers show an increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms, Including cough, sputum production, and breathlessness, when compared with non-smokers. For the bulk of the population of the U.S. , the Importance of cigarette smoking as a cause of COPD is much greater than that of atmospheric pollution or occupatIona 1 exposure". Pulmonary function test results by Dr. Venizeios "...reveal a mild ntetrnctlve abnormality". Obstructive disease Is most often caused by smoking, while asbestosls Is; causes restrictive defects In the respiratory system. rage 2 CALLAHAN 02204731 In nummary, because of his long employment as a boilermaker, it Is likely tbat Mr. Callahan was exposed to varying amounts of asbestos-containing materials. ^Vhile exposures do not guarantee disease development, he certainly is arong those at reasonable risk. If I may be of let me know. further assistance with this claim, please Sincerely, JJames S. Ferguson, CIH Industrial Hygienist References: 1. Occupational Lung Diseases. Velll & Turnei-- Varwick, Marcel Dekker, Inc., M. Y. ,1981. 2. Pulmonary Function Tests In Clinical and Occupational Lung Disease. Miller, Ed., Grune and Stratton, Inc., M. Y. 1986. 3. Asbestos Related Disease: Difficulties In Diagnosing Occupationally Related Illness. Murphy, R. , Frontiers in Medicine, Feb. 10, 1981. 4. Federal Register, Vol. 57, #119, June 29, 1986. 5. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. American Lung Association,H. Y. , 1977. 6. Development, radiological zone patterns, and importance of diffuse pleural thickening in relation to occupational exposure to asbestos. Rohlig and Calavrezos, British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 44:673-681, 1987. 7. Asbestos: Scientific Developments and Implications for Public Policy. Mossman, et al. Science, vol. 247, February, 1990. 8. Hughes and Velll, Asbestos Exposure - Quantitative Assessment of Risk. Am. Rev. Respir. Dis., 133:5- 13, 1986. Page 2 : Li c. - k/iych erfyf' RECORDS CERTIFICATION I, the undersigned, an employee of the Bureau of Workers' Compensation, do hereby certify that the microfilm images on this reel of microfilm or microfiche ar9 complete and accurate reproductions of the original records of the S a/_______ as accumulated during the regular course of business, and that it is the established procedure ot this department to microfilm its records for permanent file and to dispose of the original records after microfilm reproductions have been made. BWC-5012 (7/91) OS-11