Document mmR665B2nMZm4vw8xM8GxOYzO

FILE NAME: Georgia Pacific (GP) DATE: 1973 June 11 DOC#: GP145 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: GP Letter to Board of Directors Stating Asbestos Released in Mixing Dry Joint Compound above Hazard Level Mr.' G, E;-jJ so n , Gyj i Division Georgia-Pacific - P land, Oregon wT lfyps` um ^-Assoc.iation .J U N I ^ itf I SOI North W ells Street, C hicago, m in ois 60606 (312) 726-5675 June n , 1973 TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gentlemen; Re; A sb e sto s In J o in t Treatment Compound r te'r^ l"u f n2s!Si ,"r:*:Y:"3*' nW,,,?iv'" ,h* of th. Gyp.ua wAsusohci.i,a,tio,n. Frank H. Zimmerman Joseph Volk H. B. C arlse n N a tio n a l Gypsum Company N a tion al Gypsum Company Gypsum A s s o c ia t io n R e p re se n tin g OSHA were; Fred 3ishoff C. R. McClure M. S . Gabis -Deputy Adm inistrator -C h ie f Enforcement A d m inistrator -In d u stria l Hygienist T I L J 1"TM d, s c u? s !on was S e c tio n 1910.93 o f OSHA re g u la tio n s ! ed) P e r t a in in g to a sb e sto s. Our concern was w ith the th Te? u , a t ' n on Jry-m i.M'ng and san d in g o f j o i n t treatment i n n l - h M ^ n9 a* be? to S - V/e ra ise d v a rio u s q u e stio n s in regard ih e r! S -0 f * manufac tu re rs Of j o i n t treatment compound where la b e lin g , m on itorin g, c on tractor r e s p o n s ib ilit ie s , compliance, e tc ., are affected. r ' In s t r i c t in t e r p re t a t io n o f the te x t o f the re g u la t io n s , a number of quest ons a rise . Although hazard levels for asbestos are stated, some p re lim in a ry in v e s t ig a t io n s in d ic a te th at asb e sto s released in ending j o in t , treatm ent may be below OSHA hazard le v e ls . On the oth er above the h a z a r d ^ " I ? `n d ie ate mfXing o f dry J oint comPound may be I t was proposed to OSHA that the Gypsum A s s o c ia t io n would con side r s p o n so rin g a m o n ito rin g program, conducted by an independent lab ora - ? nd re p o rt t h~ dust c o n d itio n s on jo b s it e s under ctual f i e l d c o n d it io n s . The A s s o c ia t io n program needs to be developed in d e t a il. It should include m onitoring o f a ll dust generated in a san d in g o p e ra tio n in c lu d in g mica, s i l i c a , q u artz, t a lc and to ta l dust. Fol low in g the development o f the program and approval by the Doard of D ir e c t o r s another m eeting sh ou ld be arranged w ith OSHA o f f i c i a l s for t h e ir review and comments on it s a c c e p t a b ilit y . - 2- I h t n 'e c e is 'a r ! !^ ! Z ro' r n " n i th* Gypsum A s s o c ia t io n w ith ff oo rr u se!rs o ff Vjodifntt ttr0eadtemve8n,0tp coumn,pfoournmds.p rocedures and g u id e lin e s The OSHA re p re se n ta tiv e s encouraged the A s s o c ia t io n to pursue th is J r L f l ? ? ! " ' i d in'p ,le ,i * i a t t h is " 'S h t a llo w a c o n tra c to r group to p o s s ib ly seek variances i f they could show that A sso cia tio n pro cedures to mix and sand J o in t compound had been follow ed. I t was d e f i n it e l y sta te d th a t i f the proposed program was f in a liz e d and developed, i t would c e rt a in ly show good f a it h on the p art o f the m anufacturer and the c o n tra c to rs who adhered to I t With the approval o f the Board the Exe cu tive V ic e President o f tha A s s o c ia t io n can ap p oin t a three o r fo u r member A s s o c ia t io n T ask Group o f in d iv id u a ls knowledgeable in j o i n t treatm ent compounds and m onitor ing procedures to develop the program, evaluate inform ation a v a ila b le , and c o n sid e r hazards as they re la t e to OSHA and N10SH requirem ents. This p relim inary approach to the asbestos dust hazard in jo in t tre a t ment m a te ria ls r e s u j t s from the D i r e c t o r s ' approval o f an in v e s t ig a t io n o the problem la s t A p r i l, and the s u g g e s t io n that member companies contribute any accumulated data u se fu l in determ ining a proper te st program. The in t e r e s t expressed by OSHA is e ncouraging. May we have your reaction to th is report at your e a r lie s t convenience? Yours very truly, GYPSUM ASSOCIATION HBC:mj Enc. cc: Chairmen o f a ll Committees J ./ 3 , & H. B. C a rlse n , S e c re ta ry Techn i c a I Committee