Document mqRYxjQy6Rn66J044ogNaNGXB

u. !. 3u Pcvt ce Nemours S Company mmmrnmBt rtr //ILMING^CN. CfiLAWAC '939$ CM^UO^CC Cl*TiOh* OC>**m{nT -r~t^a^T COMPANY ?HYSICIANS Depar err.*-.; 11 ?..arres er at :: c ?lane Va-acars NCV The Medical Study Task. Ferae reccmnended that routine pre-employment lumbar spine roentgenograms ba discontinued. b'e concur chat these x-rays be limited to c.-.ose applicants tor ..hra indications for such studies exist. The Medical Division recorrnended in February that pulmonary function testing and chest x-rays be dene annually cn all employees occupationally exaosed to asbestos and pulmonary irritants, such as irritating dusts and f umes. m order to cetermir.e which sites have implemented the pulmonary function testing, and the blood tests, please complete the enclosed questionnaire and return it to the Medical Division. Attached is a copy of the revised Procedure for Irti'r.er.: of Employee! Whose Drinking Habits Atiecc Their Job Pertormance. The policy has previously been determined to be a bargair.able item and cha decision to imp Lem-enc it on a sice will, of necessity, be made by site management. However, we believe it important that physicians be familiar with the procedure. There have been reoorts chat vinylidir.e chloride me.'- ;e carcinogenic in laboratory animals (see attached copy rrem Occutaticn.al Health & Safety Letter). Steps have been taken tc inter-, our employee* who have been occuaatior.ally expose*, to this ctmccund -- of the report. Measures are undem.-ay to determine potential place exposures on these locations that use vinylidin.e chlorite. We would like to brio.?; to your attention che rcllovir t article from che Occupational Sarety d Health T.aporter. ;ict. 2. 19'- '405 hcttcr t.c9 'O* c**en i.>v<s . "ou5* 3UP 3903322 DU 024898 2- - IUD CDTDS 19 73 SUIT Z7 ?KVS IC1.A.N' A worker with asbestos is who was rot advised or it by a physician who examined him oeriodically was awarded S351.CGO in damages by a California Jury, according to cha Industrial Union Department o the ATI.-CIO. The case involved Velva v. Wise (Cal. Surer. Ct., Contra Costa Company, Docket So. 116083, November 1 1973) . The 56-year old machinist was examined in 1962, 1965, and 1968 by the physician with whom his employer contracted to perform physical examinations, the TJD said. The physician found asbestos is but failed to advise the worker ot this fact or to refer him to a specialise. The worker brought suit against the physician, claiming permanent and total disability due to lung damage and a substantial reduction in life expectancy. The phyaician contended chat the worker developed f asbestosis from 31 years work in tha same plant of a company aanuticcuring building materials. Ke said chat by 1962 It would have been useless to refer the worker to another physician or to change his work. The physician contended chac he had no ducy co.do mar# than report t.:e results of che' exar.inac-ar.s to che worker's employer, che IUD said. ' This again points up che need to advise employees of their health status following physical examinations. To prevent undua concern and to eoordinata response, site manaser.fenc end the l.'scical- Divtsion should be consulted to determine hew to advise employees where che condition is possibly of occupational etiology. In cases c suspected to cup?, such as asbestosis, w* recommend chat Medical Division for interpretation by referring che employee to a consultant j___ i ?- he x- a vs Dr. 0. S. be sc Allen sen re, to the icr to DUP 0903523 DU 024899 \ -3- - Attached is an Editorial frcm the Journal of the American Medical Associaticn which applies to all of us. We have found char ohe interest end prefess ior.a lism shewn an emsloyee during his or her physical examination helps to determine how well our medical program is receivec. Other items that nay be of interest are enclosed. RZ/ag nc. Mt/ J. RICHARD ZAHN, hi. D. MIDICAL DIRECTOR in 4,, f Enclosures co physicians 1. Questionnaire 2. Occupational Health & satety Letter, Vol. 4, Ho. 19, 10/15/74 3. Editorial - Reprint from Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 226, 11/26/73 4. Procedure for Treatment of Employees tVhcse Drinking Habits Affect Their Jcb Performance 5. Plant Personnel changes 6. Four Safety Data Soeets (SD-2S. 47, 65. 3 DUP 0903524 DU 024900