Document nmw7bN9bqnmVbm4KX5qVY8bR2

FILE NAME: Asbestos Cement Pipe and Sheet (ACPS) DATE: 1973 Aug30 DOC#: ACPS017 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letter from MA Dept of Labor to Johns-Manville August 30, 1973 Mr. Richard Goodwin, President Johns-Manvilie Corporation Greenwood Plaza Denver, Colorado Dear Mr, Goodwin: As you may know, this division has made a number of studies of asbestos dust and fiber exposure of workers in your Billerica, ijMassachusetts, facility. It is apparent from relatively recent l/epidemiological information that industry and the industrial Ihygiene profession have underestimated the potential of asbestos J fibers for producing injury. While most continuous exposures to asbestos fibers are at manufacturing facilities such as yours, there are many exposures among the users of asbestos products, which, while typically intermittent, are also typically uncontrolled or, at best, inad equately controlled. We have recently had occasion to measure asbestos fiber concentrations at plants where board v'~g,,,^','ri,pli.p'rr'ic^__,ed. by drilling, sawing, and "even handling, cnr.er.r^at^o-^- excess of the current 0C:''\ st.-irdv^1 hz.vn ~T~ 7 r d . the highest a|M , > M H i li-- lfT 1I iFiWTIiT i- -ra1 1 ,1 ,,-T r-- tl -- "I1 ,1 1 1 'I ' value we have recorded being inexcess of 100 fibers oer milli liter of air, as opposed to fiva -- Vie believe tnat this fact warrants a further investigation of ' asbestos exposure among users of your Marinitc products. Vie would, therefore, appreciate it if you could send us a list, of youir customers for this material in Massachusetts. This information would be used solely for the purpose of investi gating possible areas of harmful exposure to asbestos fibers among workers and taking the necessary action to eliminate such exposure. ; If this particular procedure is not practicable from your standpoint, we would appreciate any suggestions you can make as to how we could proceed in this matter. Very truly yours, HBE s B. Hervey B`. Elkins `Director