Document a4m5BkX0qxEG81473oOqxNBX9

FILE NAME: Railroads (RR) DATE: 1978 DOC#: RR045 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter from Federal Railroad Administration to Association of American Railroads RE Use of Asbestos in Rail Welding O 1-_/. associate administrator DEPARTM ENT OF TRAN SPO RTATIO N FEDERAL RAILROAD ADM INISTRATION V/ASH INGTON, D.C. ODDO M l . John A. Risendal Executive Director Safety and Special Services Division Association of American Railroads 1920 L Street, N. W. Washington, D. C. 20036 . Dear Mr. Risendal: This letter is in furtherance of our September 2 ,-1977 cor respondence concerning the use of asbestos in rail weldingprocedures. As we indicated in our last letter, earlier information upon which we relied in preparing our August 2, 1977 letter was not accurate. For this reason we requested information from rail welding companies concerning their present and past use of asbestos in welding procedures. We have now completed our survey of ra.il' welding procedures employed by representative manufacturers of rail welding equipment. As the following information indicates, the rail welding industry has made significant progress toward complete elimination of asbestos usage. Du-Wel Steel Products Company informs us that- no materials currently provided with their product contain asbestos. At one time, a -small disc of asbestos was used in some cases on the top of the nail- or, in the crucible bottom (approximately 5% or less'of the welds sold in 1972-1976 .utilized this procedure) . Although asbestos is not recommended,- there is evidence that some railroads, on their own initiative, may occasionally be using asbestos as a partial filler when using an oversized mold. The company does not customarily l make negative recommendations that asbestos not be used . Orgotherm Incorporated informs us that some railroads using their field welding equipment may be using a small asbesros .washer with its manual.thimble methods. However, this method is being replaced by a self-tapping thimble which most railroads are now using. The company believes that this process will .minimize handling and/or contact with asbestos by the . operator'. A particular tapping system is not recommended to their.eus tomers , nor do their instructions recommend that asbestos not be used. ' 2 The U.S. Thermit, a cotton asbestos acts as a sealing material is being as current stocks Incorporated rail welding process utilizes wicking as a mold packing material which, gasket. The- company states that this replaced with a ceramic fiber wicking of the asbestos wicking are depleted. Erico Products, Incorporated, utilizes the Cacweld process which, unlike the other procedures, is not designee to-bond rail.. The Cadwelc process is a procedure for providing signal continuity through the use of welded wire links between rails. Accordingly, their use of exothermic materials is'-., limited and does not involve the use of asbestos. While the manufacturers, of rail we.lding processes appear to be aware of the potential health hazard of asbestos and . are attempting to eliminate its use with their products,some railroads may be continuing a limited use of asbestos in rail welding and other operations. It is these situations which we urge your members to evaluate for potential exposure conditions. We hope this information will eliminate-.the confusion resulting from our earlier correspondence. C. Sincerely, Robert H. Wright Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety /