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;/.;r/'3 7/ MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS ASSOCIATION Minutes of Meeting JOINT SESSION of the MANAGEMENT CONTACTS OF COMPANIES SPONSORING THE VINYL CHLORIDE RESEARCH PROGRAM and the TECHNICAL TASK GROUP ON VINYL CHLORIDE RESEARCH MCA Conference Room 9:00 AM Washington, D.C, January 25, 1974 PRESENT: T. R. Aalto A. R. Adams L. H. Ballou, M.D. A. M. Barnes J. T. Barr Z. G. Bell, Jr. W. J. Boyne R. S. Brookman A. S. Cummin C. H. Dernehl, M.D. Ernest Dixon for W. S Ferguson B. w. Duck D. P. Duffield, M.D. H. E. Everson W. d. Harris Richard Henderson for M. R. Gasque, M.D. E. Q. Hull, M.D. W. M. Iliff Tenneco Chemicals Inc. Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. Firestone Plastics Company/bivision of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, Plastics Division Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. PPG Industries, Inc. Borden Chemical/Division of Borden, Inc. Firestone Plastics Company/Division of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company Borden, Inc. Union Carbide Corporation Allied Chemical Corporation British Petroleum Company, Ltd. Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, Mond Division Diamond Shamrock Corporation UNIROYAL, Inc. Olin Corporation Union Carbide Corporation Uniroyal Chemical Division of UNIROYAL, Inc. UCC 002083 I -2- C. A. Johnse M.D. M. N. Johnso::, M.D. Flynt Kennedy W. A. Knapp H. L. Kusnetz for R. L. Mayeock A. B. Lindquist J. R. Livingston. Jr. R. W. McBumey, M.D. Thomas McDonach Richard Maier D. A. Rausch for D Nuechterlein R. J. Reynolds D. E. Rhoads W. E. Rinehart George Roush, Jr., H. L. Schmidt, Jr. L. J. Schuman W. M. Smith I. R. Tabershaw, M T. R. Torkelson Anton vittone R. N. Wheeler B. M. G. Zwicker B. M. Barackman A. C. Clark K. D. Johnson V. H. Peterson The Goodyear T ~ & Rubber Company The B. F. Goodrich Company Continental Oil Company Allied Chemical Corporation Shell Oil Company Stauffer Chemical Company Exxon Chemical Company. U.S.A. Diamond Shamrock Corporation Exxon Chemical Company, U.S.A. Stauffer Chemical Company Dow Chemical, V"A Shell Chemical Company Tenneco Chemicals, Inc. Ethyl Corporation Monsanto Company Borden Chemical/Division of Borden, Inc. Continental Oil Company Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. Tabershaw-Cooper Associates, Inc. The Dow Chemical Company B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company/ Division of The B. F. Goodrich Company Union Carbide Corporation B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company/ Division of The B. F. Goodrich Company MCA Staff MCA Staff MCA Staff MCA Staff 1. Report from The B. F. Goodrich Company After the meeting was called to order by Mr. Clark, and after those present had introduced themselves to the group, this portion of the morning session was turned over to Mr. Anton vittone. He first called upon Dr. M. N. Johnson, who summarized the chronology and clinical picture of the three cases of UCC 002084 -3- angiosarcoma of the liver in Goodrich vinyl chloride workers that were the subject of their press release of January 23. This information had earlier been presented to N10SH and the Kentucky officials, January 22 and 23, respectively. He also described their program of clinical surveillance, including SMA-12 profiles, on all employees with vinyl chloride exposure. Dr. Zwicker then related the steps Goodrich has taken to minimize exposures, from those involving improved maintenance, housekeeping, and plant ventilation to changes in work practices. He stressed the uncertainties inherent in estimating employee exposures from random grab samples for atmospheric analyses, and described their use of portable indicating instrumentation (a Century Organic Vapor Analyzer) in detailed surveys of the work areas to identify locations for installation of permanent sampling probes for their centralized, automatic monitoring equipment (based on a Bendix 8401 Total Hydrocarbon Analyzer). This instrument, although not specific for vinyl chloride, is reliable, responds rapidly, and has an essentially linear response over three decades of concentration of vinyl chloride vapors in the air. A paper describing their system, "An Instrumental System for the Monitoring of Vinyl Chloride Monomer in Plant and Laboratory Work Areas," by L. B. Crider, was distributed to those present. Dr. Zwicker also described Goodrich's procedures for informing employees at risk of the nature and status of the problem, and the steps that are being taken by Goodrich for their protection. Employee briefings, in small groups, were conducted by management. At the request of the employee, consultation with medical staff is being provided on an in dividual basis. Dr. Irving R. Tabershaw, consultant to Goodrich and president of Tabershaw-Cooper Associates (the firm conducting the industry-sponsored mortality study of vinyl chloride workers) then was called upon to comment on the significance of the events related by the Goodrich representatives. Although acknowledging that identification of the pathology observed with vinyl chloride exposures was still tentative, he stressed the overwhelming likelihood that the three cases of angiosarcoma of the liver were related to industrial factors, and that at present, vinyl chloride exposures were by far the most significant common factor in their industrial exposure histories. UCC 002085 -4- Dr. Tabershaw also gave an oral update report on the status of the MCA study. TCA has now identified 122 deaths among the population under study, and expects to find 30 to 40 more by the time the remaining plants have reported and follow-ups have been completed. One hundred two death cer tificate? have been secured, with no obvious abnormalities in the pattern of causes of death, nor any case giving rise to immediate suspicion that it might be industrially related. He stressed, however, that age-specific rates had not yet been calculated, and that his comments were based upon a firstimpression response to the data. It was the impression of the Goodrich representatives that N10SH and OSHA would probably move toward an emergency "work practices standard" for vinyl chloride rather than at tempting to set a numerical TWA or ceiling value standard. 2. MCA Reaction to Problem 2.1 MCA-NIOSH Liaison After discussion of possible steps MCA might take to retain industry initiative, it was moved, seconded and carried that MCA immediately call Or. Marcus Key, renewing our offer of assistance and support for the studies NIOSH was con sidering undertaking, and confirm this by letter from an MCA officer. Mr. Best, MCA Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer, made such a call the afternoon of January 25, and sent the con firming letter the same day. A copy of his letter to Dr. Key is attached to these minutes as Appendix A. The Research Coordinators were delegated the responsibility for coordinating the technical back-up to the MCA offer of assistance in HIOSH program development and execution. Those areas in which MCA might be most helpful were judged to be diagnostic procedures and medical surveillance, work practices, and industrial hygiene monitoring and analytical procedures. 2.2 MCA Liaison with Industry The group urged MCA to take appropriate steps to see that companies handling vinyl chloride but not members of the group sponsoring the present study programs be made aware UCC 002086 -5- of the problem, it was the consensus that this could best be done if they were to join the group in the sponsorship of any expanded and accelerated research programs that it might under take. MCA was asked to extend a renewed invitation to VCM and/ or PVC producers who had declined to join the group at the time of its formation. 2.3 MCA Participation in OSHA Hearings In anticipation of public hearings by OSHA on the emergency standards they are expected to propose for vinyl chloride, MCA was asked to prepare testimony for possible presentation at such hearings. The MCA statement would be limited primarily to a narrative history of the activities of the Association and the members of the group of companies supporting the animal exposure and epidemiological studies now underway under MCA's aegis. 3. Formation of Task-Group Units It was moved, seconded and carried that the TTGVCR be instructed to organize three sub-task groups to expedite the development of plans and recommendations in the three areas referred to in item 2.1 above. 3.1 Medical Sub-Task Group Or. M. H. Johnson was appointed by the Chairman to serve as leader pro-tem of a medical group to develop recom mendations for guidelines for industry practices in the medical surveillance of workers at risk to vinyl chloride occupational exposures. Such guidelines may include, but are not limited to, recommendations as to pre-employment and routine physical ex amination procedures and standards, diagnostic criteria for the recognition of early or incipient injury from vinyl chloride exposures, and the medical management of such injury should it occur. Those initially named to serve on the medical group include L. B. Ballou, M.D. (Firestone), C. B. Dernehl, M.D. (Union Carbide), D. P. Duffield, M.D. (ICI), E. M. Dixon, M.D. (Allied Chemical), R. w. McBumey, M.D. (Diamond Shamrock), and George Roush, Jr., M.D. (Monsanto). 00208"? -o- 3.2 Hork Practices Sub-Task Group Mr. R. N. Wheeler was appointed leader pro-tem. . of a group to study, identify problems, and recommend operating procedures and facility design in the manufacture, transport and consumption of vinyl chloride monomer to limit exposures to the lowest levels consistent with safety, and to secure freedom from health hazards. Specific areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to workplace air, engineering guidelines, work and operational practices, protective equipment, industrial hygiene procedures, and process modifications. The following persons were named as members of the group: Mr. A. M. Barnes (1CI), Mr. J. T. Barr (Air Products), Dr. Z. 6. Bell, Jr. (PPG), Dr. W. j. Boyne (Borden Chemical), Mr. H. R. Hoyle (Dow), Mr. H. L. Kusnetz (Shell), and Mr. Richard Maier (Stauffer). 3.3 Industrial Hygiene and Monitoring Sub-Group Dr. Richard Henderson was appointed pro-tem leader of a sub-group to develop recommended practices and guidelin s for the conduct of industrial hygiene monitoring and sample analysis for the evaluation of steps taken for the reduction of exposures to vinyl chloride, and to detect promptly and with confidence conditions of exposure presenting potential threat to the health and safety of workers. The design and conduct of interlaboratory comparisons of accuracy, precision and specificity of sampling and analytical procedures are to be considered specific tasks of the group. Initial assignments to this group include Mr. A. M. Barnes (ICI), Dr. Z. G. Bell, Jr. (PPG), Mr. H. R. Hoyle (Dow), Mr. Flynt Kennedy (Continental Oil), and Dr. B. M. G. Zwicker (B. F. Goodrich). 4. Publicity on. Vinyl Chloride Hazards A number of articles from the European popular and tech nical press, relating to alleged hazards of working with vinyl chloride, were called to the attention of those present. Copies of translations of these articles are attached to, but not incorporated as a portion of, these minutes. The bibliographic references to these articles are tabulated below UCC 002088 -7- 1. S. Juhe, C. E. Lange, 6. Stein, G. Veltman, Deutche Medizinische Wochensckrift, 9., 2034-2037 (1973) 2. Kolner Stadt.-Anzeiger, 14 December 1973 3. Weser Kurier, No. 300, p. 11, 20 December 1973 4. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 20 December 1973 5. Der Spiegel, No. 50 (1973) 6. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 2 January 1974 5. Future Meeting Schedule The next meeting of the TTGVCR will be held at the Sheraton O'Hare (North), near O'Hare Airport, Chicago, on Wednesday, February 20, 1974. The Sub-group on Work Practices will meet Tuesday AM, at that hotel, in the suite of the TTGVCR officers, and the Research Coordinators will meet there at 2:00 PM the same date. If other sub-groups are to meet in conjunction with this meeting of the TTGVCR, they will be so notified. The TTGVCR meeting agenda will be distributed shortly. Respectfully submitted. Kenneth D. Johnson, Ph.D. Secretary, Technical Task Group on Vinyl Chloride Research KDJ:mb Minutes Subject to Approval January 30, 1974 Distribution - Technical Task Group on Vinyl Chloride Research - vinyl Chloride Research Management Contacts - Attendees of Meeting cc : Mr. D. M. Elliott Dr. Tiziano Garlanda UCC 002089