Document bBqd35e2rp5avdovE5b1NqBDo

FILE NAME: Westinghouse (WH) DATE: 1976 May 14 DOC#: WH047 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Internal Report - 'Bedford Incident1Employee Health Issue, Company Actions & Notes on Employee PreEmployment Conditions '2^*~- '<-1 tf sjLJwCL. '( U^-fJ,^ ^ 0^'2-i''- . - 1--,i OP, -.a Westinghoust Electric Corporation May 14, 1976 HeadOuartKSindustrial Hygient Research andOavcioomantCemw Baulin Road P'rtsOurgft PertnsiriYania 5235 12 2565847 BEDFORD INCIDENT Chronological Evanta Wednesday - May 12, 1976 - 3:00 p.m. Employe* Complaint ; Plant M a n a g e r ^ 3 ^- Contacted Phyaician for appointment (3) ; Complaint vaa ahortnea* of breath and dizziness. Time - 3:30 p.m. , Clean Room - Operation failure reaulted in accumulation of adheaive that required a cleanup by hand - 1,1,2 Trichloroethane used. (Methylene chloride normally used for this operation). Two employees complained of nervousness and rapid pulse. E m p l o y e e s ^ ^ saw d o c t o r ^ 3 * at 4:00 p.m. Two men sent to hospital^^ . Time - 4:30 p.m. Industrial Hygien Laboratory notified Industrial Hygiene conversation with Dr. Dalasalas (See Attachment 1) e Weather Conditions Inversion - Monday - not unusual Tuesday - Clearing Wednesday - A good day, however .wind direction changed - exhaust coming back into building. Operational failure of this type (Clean Room) occurs five or six times a year. . e No situation like this has existed in the past where so many employees complained with the type symptoms described above. .(Chemical involved: covered can) 1,1,2 Trichloroethane in a 1-gallon HUBB-000716* fe) u-- U & SSI r.> Page 3 OBSERVATIONS (Coat'd) Weather conditions could have created a situation where exhaust air could be coming back into the plant resulting in the othar six employes complaint who ware working in the general plant area outside the clean room. a The general health profile of the employes In the .plant indicates that pre-employment conditions exists which could become worse with the age of the employe and low level (non hazardous) chemical exposure. See Attachment 3. This probably is the most alarming discovery. a Labor relations might be a factor. e In the future, one may axpact health evaluation from NIOSH. a OSHA Inspector indicated that ha will call in results of air sampling and I.H.L. befora sanding a citation. e Study being conducted in the Cumberland, Maryland area to study high incidence of heart problems. e Employes have history of working on farms. RECOMMENDATION e Training - Employes understand hazards. responses. should know what they are Will eliminate reactions working with and and psychosomatic FOOTNOTES: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) Bailey Adams Hildegass Plant Manager Zimmerman Dr. Delasalas Turner and Miller Dick Mitchell, Jerry Shilling, John Adams, Zells Heasley Not NIOSH Approved. Guy Shaffer and Gaorge Hollier D. Cassna Bill Zlefel to Zella Heasley Heasley and Pcrrlello Leonard J. Ranner . Lindahl, Zimmerman, Shilling, Nolvak. Charcoal Tubes, Gravimetric Pump Lindahl, Zimmerman, Shilling, Heasley, Perrlello, R. Hart, N. Gold K. Bodden, J. Shilling, M. Perrlello, Z. Heasley N. Goldberg, R. Hart, K. Bodden, M. Perrlello, Z. Heasley, Lindahl Zimmerman, Nolvak, Shilling, C. Kapple. ` 03115097 I MUBB-flHB/166 HMBB-0007167 2 fei Attachment 1 Dr. DeLasalas is the Bedford M.D. (814-623-6791). He called here for toxicity information on 1, 1, 2. After adviaing him of central nervous system depression and possible sensitization to adrenalin he agreed to hospitalize the tvo men for observation overnight. He will followup later with tests for toxic hepatitis. He was also advised of probable synergism with a l c ohol. J. Adams 03115038 i Mtffifi-0007160 Attachment 2 SUMMARY MEETING WITH OSHA INSPECTOR (1) Clean Room - Can not Issue citation. Suggested new procedures for clean-up be initiated. And that the use of an air supply respirator during clean-up may be necessary for future incidences such as this. ^ (2) Citations that will be made: (a) Asbestos Products (Paper Products) 1. No monitoring 2. No record of physical exams (X-ray, pulmonary function) 3. Storage Area - No labeling program. (b) Respirator Usage 1. Approval has expired on respirator furnished (can be adopted to an approved respirator) 2. Slitting operation - Respirator (Flexafoam) not NIOSH approved. 3. No written program for use, care and selection of respirators. (c) He will wait for lab results (2 weeks) before making citation. Uill call results to Bedford and Industrial Hygiene. -.5 $i t 03fiS09S ) I MMBB-0007169 Attachment 3 Ron Springer - heart RAy Turner - heart Clair Barefoot - heart Bill Napaline - heart Chuck Kepple - heart Tony Steffler - heart John Winyaudner - emphysema Koontz - pneumonia and emphysema Robintti - nervous condition D. Cessna - nervous condition & Holler - blood pressure C. Arnin - cancer Bailey - respiratory Adams - respiratory Hildegass - respiratory Shoffer - respiratory Kennin - respiratory Miller - respiratory Ulgsong - heart?? Funy - stomach ttkU & O O I \