Document RJM1DGKmQw6MXyN9njdNd2oza

INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE beceivep tjUN 1 5 \%TI METALS DIVISION > P.G. BOX 579 - 4625 ROYAL AVE., NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK 14362 i d (Name) Diviston vocation . C. Thurber copy to R. E. Byrne J. F. Collins R. F. X. Fusaro H. B. Rhodes E. W. Shortridge Date originating Dept. June 12, 1977 "Calidria" Asbestos Answering letter date Subject Speech A/t'v WP Enclosed is a copy of the script which I will use with slides taken at the plant by Pete Weisser of the California Department of Health. This presentation will be made at the States "cancer education" programs on June 13 in Los Angeles and June 18 in San Jose. I will check with you on Monday morning from California to see if you have any comments. /John L. Myers /DLM --........- -- -_U.QC~Qi30.56~ ASBESTOS INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS '~ Presented At; California's One Day Programs - "Preventing On-The-Job Cancer" By: J. L. Myers Dates: Monday, June 13 and Saturday, June 18, 1977 Places: LA Convention Center and San Jose State University Arranged By: Mr. Pete Weisser, State Department of Health, Sacramento We are very pleased to have the opportunity to participate in California's educational program to prevent on-the-job cancer. Although we feel that the asbestos hazard has been blown out of proportion by many individuals and groups, we recognize that a potential hazard does exist in some applications and that appropriate controls must be effected. The State of California has done a very commendable job in this regard and we / hope that the federal government and other states will follow their lead in adopting regulatory controls that are effective, yet also reasonable, practical, and enforceable. A former president of Union Carbide made the statement several years ago that "People are our most important asset-their safety our greatest obligation." This motto is still a part of our safety campaign and safety is stressed more today than ever before. I think this can also be said of the asbestos industry in general and that considerable effort is being expended to keep dust levels below acceptable limits. SLIDE DESCRIPTION REMARKS 1 Plant Exterior 2 Plant Exterior 3 Ore Pile This photograph, and the ensuing ones, were taken at Union Carbide's asbestos ore processing plant near King City, in the Salinas Valley, 150 miles south of San Francisco on U.S. 101. We employ about 60 people in the plant, which is located in a remote, essentially unpopulated area. Our plant has been in operation since 1963. We process about 60,000 tons per year of ore, which is strip-mined about 30 air miles from King City in the Diablo Mountains. -UCC...01305-7....... SLIDE DESCRIPTION 4 Ore PileWater Spray 5 Ore PileTruck Spray 6 Ore Trucks 7 Ore PileGrader 8 Clcseup of Above 9 Change Room Exterior 10 Change Room Interior 11 Change Clothes Sign ' 12 Laundry Bags 13 Closeup of Above 14 Slurry Tank | -2- REMARKS Although the ore as mined contains 20% moisture, we usually maintain water sprays in operation to prevent airborne dust. Trucks are used for localized spraying especially after ore has been delivered from the mine and the chance of airborne emissions is increased. Ore is moved from the mine to. the plant in bottom-dump trucks. The ore is covered with tarps to prevent dust emissions to the environment during the 55-mile trip ~ down the mountain to King City. Whenever the ore pile is worked, we provide maximum employee protection. This man wears special clothing, hard hat and work shoes. He also wears a respirator and safety goggles. Although our dust counts in this type operation are well below allowable limits, we encourage the use of respirators whenever working efficiency is not impaired by their use. We provide work clothing for all employees. This is the exterior of our changeroom which employees must pass through on their way to and from work assignments. Removal of work clothes here precludes the... carrying of asbestos fibers to the general ' !public or a home environment. Employees are constantly reminded of the many factors involved to prevent the spread of asbestos dust. Clothing which may contain asbestos dust is collected and stored in sealed plastic bags. Labels are affixed to the bags. These alert tne launderer to exercise care to avoid dust generation during handling of the soiled clothing. We use a hydraulic processing system to beneficiate our asbestos ore. \ UCC 013058 SLIDE DESCRIPTION 15 Vibrating Table 16 Filter Presses 17 Settling Pond 18 Dust Collectors { 19 Closeup of Above . 20 Man Dumping Dust Collector 21 No Smoking 22 No Smoking in Plant 23 ROK and Girl 24 RJK and Girl Closeup -3- REMARKS This is a unique system and is not used by any other asbestos manufacturer. These filter presses are used to extract water from product slurry. The cleanliness of this area shows the advantage of our wet process. Our liquid effluent, containing no pollulants, is pumped to a settling pond in back of the plant. A hard crust on the dried waste prevents air contamination. . We use the most efficient dust collectors on our product driers and other equipment. These dust collectors, over 99% efficient, serve our vacuum cleanup system. We have spent over one million dollars in the last few years to improve our systems. When dust collectors are dumped, maximum employee protection is required. We are in complete compliance with regulatory requirements for personal protection and environmental emissions. This sign is at the entrance to our plant. Smoking has been prohibited on plant property since January of this year. As you all know, smoking and asbestos exposure do not mix. Smoking has always been prohibited in plant areas. Smoking increases the risk of cancer in asbestos workers by several orders of magnitude. We believe that education is the first key to a safe operation. All new employees are given a thorough safety indoctrination. Safe workers are an asset to any operation. Daily safety reminders and monthly safety meetings are held for all employees, old and new. ----- ...................... ............ - -- -UCC-013059--r...... -~r- ------------- - ---------------- -- SLIDE DESCRIPTION 25 Booklet 26 Protected Worker 27 Safety Posters 28 Closeup of Above 29 Monitoring 30 Monitoring 31 Monitoring -4- REMARKS We use literature, films and demonstrations for our safety education programs. This is a booklet from the Asbestos Information Association, a good source for all types of information on working safely'with asbestos. We also provide our customers with similar information and counsel them on asbestos hazards, dust control techniques regulatory requirements, and compliance assistance. This worker is fully protected from "aslyestolTexpo"sure"He" also wea"rs" ear~.......... protection during the operation of certain equipment. Hard hats are required in all operating areas. Signs are used throughout the plant to remind personnel of hazards and safety equipment requirements. _ Our foremen(are constantly on the alert for safety hazards and violations. Severe penalties, even dismissal, can be imposed for violations of our rules. Personal and environmental monitoring are an integral part of our safety program. Employees are also provided with periodic medical examination which include chest X-rays and pulmonary function analysis. We have found no indications of lung damage from asbestos fibers in any of our employees even those with 15 years of exposure. We have collected dust samples since our plant opened in 1963. Considerable effort is expended to remain in compliance with changing regulations. Personal samples are collected and counted according to accepted procedures. We also offer air monitoring as a free service to our customers. We have monitored hundreds of job sites and find that very few operations exceed accepted dust levels. "UC-G -013060 SLIDE DESCRIPTION 32 Broken Bag 33 Broken Bag Sign 34 Floor Cleanup 35 Closeup of Above 36 Product Bottles 37 Closeup of Above 38 Hopper Car 39 Shrink-Wrapper 40 Bagged Product 41 Warehouse -5- REMARKS Asbestos spills inside our plant are infrequent and occur mainly in our packaging area. But bags sometime "blow-up" and the fiber is immediately collected in a water trough and returned to the system. If a bag is leaking, employees are reminded to repair the bag damage before shipment to customers. Spills are cleaned up immediately by the use of vacuum equipment- We do not permit 4be-use'-of~brooms -uni ess-dust- is~wetted .prior... . to sweeping. Vacuum cleaning is more' efficient and, in the event of broken product bags, material is returned to our system through the dust collector system. We produce a wide range of products for many applications, including floor tile, drilling fluids, automotive sealants and sound deadeners, and roofing compounds. Most of our products are available in pellet form, another advantage of our unique wet processing. Customers who can use our pellets have essentially no dust problems. We supply them either in bags or in bulk hopper cars. Three-compartment hopper cars are filled on a siding adjacent to the plant. Depending on customer requirements, we use cars that can be unloaded by gravity or by pneumatic systems. We have recently added a bag shrink-wrapping device. Paper bags are wrapped and sealed in polyethylene to provide added strength and eliminate any potential dust generation. After packages are shrink-filmed they are palletized with glue between layers to prevent shifting and bag breakage during handling. Finished product is stored under roof to prevent water damage and to facilitate car loading. UCC -013G6F SLIDE DESCRIPTION 42 Vacuum Sweeper 43 Closeup of Above 44T Pallet on Forklift i 45 Containers For Export 46 Closeup of Bags 47 EWS and RJK 6- - REMARKS The storage area is frequently vacuumed to minimize environmental contamination. The heavy duty tarps prevent product damage and the spread of dust by the almost daily high winds common to this area of Monterey County. Even though airborne dust levels would be low in this area, we encourage operators to wear respiratory protection. "M6Tt`~o?~our~Bagged IjroduciTi s' s'hTpped "oh pallets. Boxcars and trucks are loaded with forklifts to eliminate individual handling of bags which could increase worker exposure levels. ' We export about 30% of our product, and utilize sealed ocean shipping containers. Product is delivered to our foreign customers without any potential exposure to dockworkers or ship crews. Asbestos is an important and basic raw material and cannot be substituted for in many applications. It saves lives and is a necessary ingredient in many products which give us safety and comfort. This presentation was prepared with the cooperation of our plant personnel and Mr. Pete Weisser of the State Department of Health. Personnel safety and good health are important to all of us. Maximum protection can only be achieved through cooperative efforts, such as the program conducted here today. Thank you. UCG 013062 DLM/6-12-77