Document jBYNzpp2gqbnoQBDxx5vrd4xk

January 16, 1940 Mr. H, Fosaett The Associated Ethyl Company Ltd* Thames House, Mlllbank hondon, S. V. 1 Ingland Pear Mr, Fossett:- I shall try to reply to various matters that come up In your letters since the one dated Movesber 13 the The Gleaning of Storage Tanks The question of what equip ment should be used In the cleaning of storage tanks depends on two factors* one the potential exposure to gasoline vapors, the other the possible exposure to lead compounds, I think It can be accepted as standard practice in-refineries -that are operated carefully, that no man should enter a gasoline storage tank without an air-line mask, This provision exists because it is so difficult to determine when safe conditions exist with respect to gasoline: exposure, it Is for this reason that we have been unwilling to permit the use of ordinary canister masks, These* of'course* would prevent significant exposure to lead dusts which might arise from the cleaning, and scraping of the sides of the tanks that have been perl mltted to dry, There Is, of course, an additional reason fdr the avoidance of canister masks In enclosed places, for although canister masics may purify * the air, they can ncj>t provide the oxygen which Is necessary to sustain life, Thus If men enter into, a space which is filled with gasoline vapors to the exclusion of air* they will ale of oxygen want. Accordingly webellevethat the . regulations for the use of air-line masks should be extended to all work which Involves elitering Into a tank, I am a little uncertain as to the situation to which you called attention, or to which Thehault called attention, 1 assume that there was a plentiful supply of air on top of the roof of this tank. If this was the case, presumably the men were exposed only to dusts* if any were present, or possibly to gasoline vapors In some unknown con centration. The use of equipment of the type described by Thfenault would, I think, be unsatisfactory since it would be -2- better In this instance to use a mask with a tight facepiece which could not leak. In any case I think It would be wiser to use air-1Ine masks since a charcoal canister can be flooded with gasoline vapors rather quickly. If the vapors are In high concentration. Cleaning of Royal Air Force Storage. Tanks. The cleaning of tanks used by the. Air Force is a. problem which should be dealt with by them, I believe, after being given the Information necessary to acquaint them with the dangers. There are, we believe, no dangers from exposure to lead in connection with these tanks which have never been used for blending, unless there should be moderate to considerable quantIt3.cs of scale on the aides of the tanks which they attevot to remove by scraping or brushing Thera denser will bo p-'inorily, of course, from the gnsol'ne va-ors. It would on;-err to me that If they provide against those crnrvrs adequately, they will also secure thenselvcp against an/ danger from the lead compounds. I should be interested in knowing -o .nt their procedures are for cleaning these tanks. Thin -w-tuer has not been brought to our at tent`o.i by the United States Army Air Corps since they Ivive chosen to handle this matter \n accordance with their own Judgment. I mi not In per itIon, therefore, to give you any dot1'* led in fern -1 ion as to their practices, although I believe- that In a few isolated instances, the advice of our safety men has been asked qg certain of these trnkc. Ve have considered it i regulations,in so for as it :Lc fc* f-ible orage tanks which contain gasoline. It Is our hollo j$: cf&J^e ' should be taken -gainst unnccoosary a id-t:feat. these tanks should not be entered for air-line masks, ho find that a g 4*0!h::!tanka arc not cleaned fopirjliiimp . ... Hflhd. that in mony instances r are not entered at all but are Obviously we en- courage the latter libi'is 3 much cfcipsMbXe:*/. ,;X ;may ...say in conclusion on tt.~r, IA--... tliat iaiJsf- -.41)*;"efekVfeA in tanks of small to rapderat e'J Siz,,e_ ;wltha|lp|^M . .rlMli: llfelk fed lij ' '!b^t|ipm, ftt :L<lA.hi' If we have no fear of 'any considerable 'fc&mpounds In the sediment, blending Plant - Consolidated Refineries,i ltd, Haifa. Your letter concerning the medical supervision of this plant surprised me greatly In that it appeared that the use of our consultant Dr. Thompson had been Ignored. As you are probably aware, it has been my purpose to keep the medical supervision of these jplants In the hands of as few people as possible, and to give our consultants the responsibility,in direct communication with ourselves, for the tffr 0015819 -4- Tully expresses the situation very well, and 1 am confirming your judgment by writing a note to Hr* Tully,.a'copy of which I am enclosing* However I shall write to Drl de Prlester stating the fact that If the men do their wor!- properly, there should be no lead exposure. If after this letter, he still wishes to make analyses once per year, I think wo should go along with him provided we can be certain that the analyses are properly done. Concerning Dr* Whighaw In Tasmania I am quite willing to approve Dr. Fairley*s suggestion that he delegate the work In Tasmania to Dr. Whlshaw. Accordingly 2 am writing to Mr. Tully,.approving this arrangement, and I enclose a copy of ray letter to this end. However I shall write to Dr, Fairley directly, approving this suggestion, and 2 shall make him responsible for Dy*. Whlshaw just as 2 have done In the case of Dr. Hunt and Dr. Slppe, Very truly yours. EAK:1s Robert A. Kehoe, M.D, H S 0015321