Document pmpGOJZ0v16JvGZLYd0N2E90E

<m> k>9ctn<r,wc*niMfc* ONo)oUMg. OmMgaomMourvmwmw'^vooiHmKwXM) December 18, 1987 Ms. Judy Spencer Legal Department Industrial Commission of Ohio 246 North High Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 Re: OD29975-22 Employer: Inland Div. - G.M. Dayton, Ohio Employee: Delbert Symonds Dear Ms. Spencer: Delbert Symonds is a 51 year-old man who has worked at the Inland Division of General Motors for approximately 25 years. During that time he has held two jobs - for the first one and one-half years, he worked in the brake manufacturing area handling raw materials, operating the machinery which mixed the fibrous material and forming the brake shoes. He also cut and trimmed the finished brake lining. After approximately one and one-half years in the brake lining area, he began operating a forklift which took him to many areas of the plant. This also included the brake lining area, but he was in and out of all these areas, not spending lengthy periods in any one. The operations and areas have changed completely as of about 1964, or the time that Mr. Symonds left the brake lining department. Any exposures which he may have received would have occurred primarily during his time in the brake department. Since the plant and process have changed so drastically, observation of the work area and process would not provide useful information. Consequently, only an estimate of what conditions might have been like, is possible. In the manufacture of brake linings, raw material, mostly asbestos fiber was brought in in bags. The workers opened them, emptied them into mixers which fed the brakeline forming machines. They were then baked and the linings were cut and trimmed to size before installation or packaging for shipment. Cincinnati District Office Suite 107 8230 Montgomery Road Cincinnati. Ohio 45236 (513) 791-1980 There is no doubt that Mr. Symonds was exposed to some levels of dust which contained asbestos. Asbestos is a primary ingredient in brake shoes now and certainly in 1962. The operations required in the manufacture of brake shoes would have generated at least low dust levels at that time. Not as many precautions were taken in those years to control dust generation and omissions. Later in the 60's and 70's, more and more awareness of the health concerns related to asbestos exposures brought about efforts to reduce them. Whether or not Mr. Symonds received sufficient dosage (concentration and time) of asbestos to cause or complicate respiratory problems is impossible to tell at this time. Medical evaluation of symptoms and signs seems to be the best method of determining exposure effects. With asbestos, however, this is still not totally conclusive. Many of the signs and symptoms of asbestos-related respiratory disease are not specific. Other diseases, some not even occupationally related, share similar indicators. Physicians do not always agree on diagnoses as is apparent in this claim - with two different physicians making two different diagnoses. Mr. Symonds very likely was exposed to some levels of asbestos. Enough time has passed for symptoms to appear. The usual latency period for asbestos-related diseases is 20 - 25 years. His problems seem to be minor at this time. He is very fortunate to be a non-smoker. This appears to be more a matter of medical opinion rather than an environmental one. Certainly not everyone who is exposed to asbestos develops disease. If I may be of further assistance in this claim, please let me know. Sincerely, ^0^ c-i James S. Ferguson, CIH Industrial Hygienist Literature sources used in this include: 1. Occupation Lung Diseases, Weill & Warick, Marcel - Dekker, Inc., N. Y., 1981 2. Pulmonary Function Tests in Clinical and Occupational Lung Disease, Miller, Grune & Stratton, Inc., N. Y. 1986 3. Asbestos Related Disease: Difficulties in Diagnosing Occupationally Related Illness, Raymond Murphy, M.D., Frontiers in Medicine, Feb. 10, 1981 4. Federal Register, Vol 57, No. 119, June 20, 1986 JF: r f 3 n i~i a n RECORDS CERTIFICATION I, che undersigned, an employee of Che Bureau of Workers' Compensation, do hereby certify that the microfilm images on this reel of microfilm or microfiche are complete and accurate reproductions of the original records of che Z+H_______________ as accumulated during the regular course of business, and that it is the established procedure of this department to microfilm its records for permanent file and to dispose of the original records after microfilm reproductions have been made. Date Oats