Document nG6myDobkoeLBMEdmQqVvNGa

EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION ON ASBESTOS SCREENING PROGRAM J Whit.Is tht Screening Program? The asbestos screening program is a spaclal affort to deteet any signs of lung abnormalities in employees and pensioners as a rasult of exposure to asbastos while working for Ou Pont. Tha program consists of a review of X-rays of employees who naed to work with asbastos and those aaployaas who hava had possibla Job-ralatad exposura to asbastos. Other tmployaas art receiving comparable critical review at tha time of thair regular physical examination. In addition, all Ou Pont pensioners ware contacted and invited to participate. Pensioners wart encouraged to have X-rays taken at Ou Pont's axpensa if they felt they had bean exposed to asbastos during their career at Ou Pont or If they were unsure of their exposure. Under the program, chest X-rays of employees and pensioners are reviewed by a board-certified radiologist. WhY UndtrtlKl ttit,..Pnidram? Continuing advances In X-ray technology and medical science's Increased sensitivity toward and understanding of asbestos-related abnormalities have made it possible to Identify abnormalities which have been undetected by traditional evaluation methods. The need to Implement these techniques on an accelerated basis became apparent when a number of asbestos-related abnormalities were detected at the Repauno and Chambers Works plants in 1979 and 1990. Based on this experience, the Company expanded the program to employees at all sites in the United States In October 1980, and to pensioners In Hay 1981. The purpose of the program Is to identify employees or pensioners with lung abnormalities resulting from asbestos a ItAfl 5 DU 036883 2. xposure and provide approprlata radical attantlon and financial coapensatlon In casts of Du Pont-related disability. Whit Is Asbastosls. Asbastos-Ralitad Abnormalities? Asbastosls Is a dlsaasa, causad by asbastos flbar Inhalation. Tha flbars stimulate tlssua growth within tha lung. This fibrous tlssua can intarfara with tha ability of tha lung to axchanga oxygan and carbon dloxlda with tha body's blood supply. Tha axact nachanlsa for tha causa of asbastosls Is not clear, but sons doctors baltava It Is tha rasult of tha lamina systaa of tha body raactlng to tha prasanca of asbastos flbars In tha lung. Asbastosls Is always ralatad to panatratlon of asbastos flbars Into tha lungs' tlssua. This condition Is characterized by X-ray findings within tha lower portions of tha lungs, together with sywptaas such as coughing and shortness of breath upon exertion and nay Involve progressiva, disabling loss of lung capacity. Usually a doctor can hear abnormal sounds In tha lungs of a parson with asbastosls. Parsons with asbastosls havo a significantly higher risk of contracting lung cancer, particularly If tha parson snokes. The aost easily recognized asbestos-rolated abnorwallty is pleural thickening. Each lung is covered by a separate neobrane, tha pleura (sea attached dlagraa), Md up of relatively tough, protective calls. Tha inner surface of tha chest wall Is also covered with pleural neabrane separated from tha lung by a very saall space, which Is kapt iiolst by a thin flla of fluid. Pleural thickening is an abnormal condition of tha pleura which aay rasult froa a nuaber of causes, 1.a., pneuaonla, tuber culosis, and pleurisy. DU 036884 iZ lS S h O aaMscacEaBaHttasin fejasatfM.i;: Saom; -'..Jr;aisftr a Si. Hi: aaaaJ 3. Plaural thickening 1so ay b causid by asbestos fibars that have worked their way through the lung tissue and have been stopped by the tougher pleural layers. This condition Is called asbestos-related olaural thickening. PeapMis with asbestos-related pleural thickening nay have a soeewhat higher risk of contracting nesothallona, a rare cancer of the neabrane lining the chest and abdoaen. Pleural thickening can be seen In X-ray files. It Is usually Halted to the lining of the"chest and causes no physical syaptoas. Pleural thickening Is not considered a disease, but rather an abnoreallty. It Is frequently found alone, with no adverse nodical effects and no disability. In the past, aaay radiologists have not Identified or reported asbestos-related pleural thickening. Hedlesl Treetaont No nodical treatment genera^ Is Indicated for asbastosls or asbestos-related abnormalities bet all wort-related cates are referred to a oglnnoirj specialist at Cenpany exposae for evaluation and consulta tion. Tho plant physician also strongly adrfsot that seekers with an asbestoe-related abnormality or isbestests stop smoking lemedlataly, % state It Increases the possibility of asbestos-related disease and lung caneer. ^ ri Present' medical know!ejar-bnggeits tkat an sabai&e-rflatnd-abnor mality 1*J<rvmrrfbH, bet nefc-aecessarlty enm which will develop, let^^. . W- asbestosfjMt earn which cassoe any physical lepatraant. Eaployeee ami pendfners with an asbestos-related abnormality are "``offired fell on-up examinations annually. These examinations are designad to detect jeTmonery disease sad to datamine whether there Is any dis ability that night require a change In work assignment. |$ 6 dOO ; DU 036885 .mm a:r!.-'i:,,B3iaml instil I Banaflts to Vorkars nd FamlHts If any Du Pont work-ralatid illntss or lapalraant davalops, Ou Pont will accapt rasponslblllty for approprlata ralatad aadlcal'costs, coapansat< tha tsployaa/panslonar or faally as provided for undar tha Workaan's Coapansatlon laws, and assist tha aaployaa or his faally In obtaining othar banaflts to which thay aay ba antltlad such as Social Sacurlty ratlraaant banaflts. t kIS60 r HTCOOS7/aa1 DU 036886