Document Z4z97JpBg47ZV1b7q6nz82beZ

* Pursuant to the procedure outlined at the meeting held in Mr. Selgle's office on December 29, 1933 a meeting of the Haybeatos - Johns-Uanrille Conmittee for coordinating and standardizing ways and means of eliminat ing dust and protecting the health of employees engaged in manufacturing operations was held in the office of Mr. 3. A. Williams at 2:00 o'clock on Thursday, the 4th day of January, 1934* The following were present at the meeting: Or. A.. J. Lanza of Metropolitan Life Insurance Co* Mr. M. ?. Judd > Mr. i. ?. Hein sohn ) Mr. 0. H. Cilley ) Raybestos-Maahattan, Inc. Mr. George Pope ) Mr. B. W. Luttenberger ) Mr. S. i. Williams Mr* A* B. Pisher Mr. Vandiver Brown i ) Johna-Manville Corporation* ) Dr. Lanza was advised of the decision of Baybestos-Manhattan, Inc* and Johns-Manville Corporation to cooperate in the devising of ways and means of reducing or eliminating dust in various manufacturing operations common to both Corporations and for the protection of the health of the employees engaged in such operations. He was advised that both Corporations had agreed to avail themselves of the generous assistance offered by Metropoli tan Life Insurance Company in solving their problems and had agreed, as an Initial step in the program, to permit Metropolitan to complete the investiga tion and survey instituted by them in 1929. Dr* Lanza was also advised that the present program contemplated not only the completion of this survey but its extension to cover all of the various plants of the two Companies whioh comprised certain plants that had not been covered by the earlier survey* Dr. Lanza stated that the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company would be in a position to oozanence the contemplated work some time after the first of March* Prior to that time both Conpenies should provide Dr. Lanza with the following information: (1) The names and locations of the various plants that the Companies desire to have examined* (2) The none of the person or persons at each plant with whoa the Metropolitan representative should deal in making arrangements for the survey* (3) Detailed instructions as to the best means for reach ing plants* (4) The type of eleotric current available at the plants (a) Whether alternating or direct currant (bj number of cycles and (c) voltage* (5) Whether or not compressed air is available at the plant* PLAINTIFFS EXHIBIT orm s>*7 ) Size of plant, that is, (a) the number of employees to be examined and (b) the approximate amount of floor space CH 0374 involved In operations where duatry conditions might be encountered. . Tbs meeting was advised by Dr. Lanza that the Corporations would be expected to pay or to reimburse Metropolitan for the following incidental expenses: (1) Cost of transportation of the Metropolitan eaployeee engaged upon the work and of their equipment. (2} The subsistence of the employees in the field. (3) The ooat of the X-ray films (Or* Lanza Indicated that he might be able to obtain wholesale rates for us on. this item and that in any event the cost m>uld proba bly be less than a dollar per film. Dr. Tr*"** stated that he was not certain at this time as to whether the manufacturers of X-ray machines could provide them with portable equipment that would be satisfactory for the taking of the pictures required for this survey. If it should develop that no satlsfaotoxy portable machine were available, it would be neceaaary either (a) that the Companies provide satisfactory equipment of their own at' eaoh plant location or (b) arrange to have the X-rays taken by suitable privately owned equipment in nearby towns. In any event it was essential that the same technique be used in making the X-rays and he thought it desirable that if possible all of the woxk be performed by Metropolitan employees although he realized that this would probably be impossible in mix oases unless portable equipment were to be used. Both Corporations believe it desirable that certain of their eaployees be trained in the technique of making dust counts. The Metropolitan Life In surance Company will train employees designated by us in this technique. The training can be done here in New Tork and can be accomplished in from two to five weeks* time. Mr. Williams indicated that Johna-Manvilie Corporation would like to hare three men trained. In this technique, one to be located at Kanvllle, one at Taukegon and one on the Pacific Coast. Mr. Judd of Baybestos-Manhattan stated that they would desire to have two of their employees so trained. After Mr. Williams and Dr. Lanza had left the meeting Mr. Fisher suggested that it would bs highly' desirable to have our Manville representative trained* immediately in order that they might aeeertaln as quickly as possible the offloienoy of the equipment that has been installed by Johns-Manrille during the past few years at considerable expense in the Manville factory for the purpose of ascertaining if this type of equipment should be employed at other plants of Johns-Manville Corporation or of Baybcstos* In this connection Dr. Lanza pointed out that there was still a good deal to be learned on the subject of asbestos dust including not only the harmful effectf, if any, upon workers exposed to it but also as to the point at which the quantity of dust In the air beeame dangerous. The meeting disoussed at considerable length the advisability of engag ing the services of a dust engineer to make specific reoomnendatlona as to the bast means of eliminating or reducing the dust at those plaoes where the dust CH 0375 count should repeal its presence in quantities likely to be hazardous* Dr* 4nm pointed out that his surrey would indicate with a fair degree of accuracy the spots.where the dust should be reduced and that certain Metropolitan representatives could specify the type of equipment that should be used al though none of them could qualify as dust engineers to the extent of being able to advise how the equipment should be constructed to meet the varying condi tions which would be encountered. Mr. Ziaher pointed out that it was quite likely that no individuals could be found who would know more on the particular subject of dust elimination or dust reduction under the conditions encountered in the as bestos Industry than those employees of Johna-Manvllle and Raybestos who had, through a process of trial and error, devised certain equipment now being used and whiohlt was thought was successfully coping with the problem* Moreover, these same individuals were from day to day becoming more and more qualified* The meet ing was advised, however, as to the relatively better position lnwhich the Companie would be placed in the event of litigation if they could avail themselves of the testimony of an outside expert of recognized reputation who would state that he had mde certain recommendations that he considered best for the particular problem and that these recomaendations had been followed. Dr. Lanza was not certain if there was anyone who could satisfactorily fill these qualifications but stated that he would interview a Dr* Phil Drinker of Harvard in the very near future and would present the prosition to him and see if he were qualfied and available* It was felt that this point was probably not of excessive importance inasmuoh as the testimony either of an outside expert or of a trained expert on our regular payroll could be attacked as having been paid for by the Company* Dr. Lanza pointed out that the Metropolitan Representatives were as well qualified as any to advise the Companies as to the type of respirators to be provided employees engaged in dusty operations inasmuch as the Metropoli tan Life Insurance Company had been making a study of this problem* Dr. Lanza brought out that the earlier survey made by the Metropolitan had included one company in the United States besides Johns-ManviUe and Raybestos, namely, Therawid* He desired to know if it would be satisfac tory to seek the co-operation of this conq>any in completing the Metropolitan sur vey* It was the consensus of opinion that there was probably no objection to the completion by Metropolitan of its survey in so far as it related to the Thermold plants but that it would be desirable to, pospone any such action until after he had completed the contemplated survey of Raybestos and Johns-Manville. By that date it was considered at least possible that Thermold would have joined with Raybestos and Johns-ManvlUe in broadening the scope of the survey. Dr* Lanza will bring up thi3 question again after completion of the survey for Raybestoa and Johns-ManvlUe* CH 0376