Document dQ03d4aXJe2kqMgZZGMK7wQMb

Irving R. Tabarshaw, M. 0,, PrviMvnt W. Clark Coopar, M. 0- Sacrwtary-TrMaurar j4*4oeUitiA>, *)*&. 2180 MILVIA STREET, BERKELEY. CALIFORNIA 94701 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX T. 2 July 31, 1973 TalaplMna (413) M5-XB3 Dear Thank you for your reply to our questionnaire in connection with the VCM Epidemiological Study. This letter is Intended to give you a description of the study, and of what ve will he looking for when we make an appointment to visit your plant. We are trying to Identify all workers who have been In occupations with some exposure to vinyl chloride for at least one year before December 31, 1972. Having identified such a population, we will then determine for each worker whether he was alive on December 31, 1972, and if not, the date and cause of his death. These data will be merged for all the plants in the study, and the mortality compared with that of the general population. Accordingly, for the job titles listed in your earlier reply to us, we will be Interested in the following categories of workers. 1. Employed as of December 31, 1972. For these anen we will need date of birth, date of hire, and job history -- that is, job titles and dates held. 2. Retired as of December 31, 1972 and alive. For these men we ' need the same information plus date of retirement. 3. Deceased as of December 31. 1972. For these we need the same information as for the retirees, plus date and place of death or, if available, a copy of the death certificate. We are interested both in retirees who died and men who died on the job. 4. Terminated as of December 31, 1972, present status unknown. For these again ve need the above information, plus date of termination and last known address. If, as is frequently the case, a list of active employees as of the end of 1972 is not available, we can use a current list and reconstruct the earlier list by deleting those hired after 1972 and adding the appropriate terminations. Our experience has been that the information we want is usually summar ized on one or two sheets of paper or cards in a man's record, as part 20085001 IIIMI BFG01829 'T July 31, 1973 Page 2 of the normal process of recording pay changes and retirement credits. Our procedure Is to copy the relevant documents with a portable micro film machine. In some cases the records of active employees may be computerized, In which case we would request a printout with the Indicated Information. We are aware that the B. F. Goodrich Company maintains a central file on retirees and deceased employees, and we plan to augment the data we obtain at your plant by reviewing the central file. We will seek Information for as far back In time as your records go, which will vary from plant to plant. All data will be kept In complete confidence, and no Information which identifies any individual or any plant will be released or published at any time. If there are data available on atmospheric levels of vinyl chloride we would also like to obtain this at the same time. Recognizing that it Is generally speaking not possible to relate a specific Individual to a specific atmospheric exposure, the data nevertheless have des criptive value, particularly when data from several plants are put together and examined for trends over time. Finally, for the job titles listed In your reply to the questionnaire, we will be asking you to estimate the exposure associated with each job title. Again we recognize that this may be very difficult to quantify, but hope at least to be able to classify job titles into "high," "medium" and "low" exposure. All of these data will be treated with the same confidence as the personnel Information. Since there are over 40 plants participating in the study, I cannot yet tell you just when we would like to schedule your plant, but I hope that this letter will give you a sufficiently specific idea of what we hope to obtain. Tours sincerely. WRGjl William R. Gaffey, Fh.D. Director of Health Studies 20085002 BFG01830 T x*. - i -c trains N. Tabarahaw. M. O., Praaidant W. Clark Coopar, M. D,, Sacratary-Traaaufaf /4m6cUite&, 7*$. 2180 MILVIA STREET, BERKELEY. CALIFORNIA 94701 k N5 UAIUNG ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 772 <QUjL &/? a (4IS) M5-335S August 1, 1973 Mr. B. M. G. Zwieker Director - Technical Planning B. F. Goodrich Chemical Company 6100 Oak Tree Boulevard Cleveland. Ohio 44131 Dear Mr. Zwieker: Be: MCA-VCM Epidemiological Study On July 31. 1973. identical copies of the enclosed letter were sent to all the Goodrich plants in the V(3f study except the Pedricktown. New Jersey, plant, which we decided not to include because it has been in operation such a short time. Tours sincerely, WRGjl William R. Gaffey, Ph.D. Director of Health Studies 20085003 BFG01831