Document q3p9yjZb6kx25VZq5RkgDmxM

CUflftsN"' Official- u not evdibromice : In a me asserted t.~ the propoby [OSHa . dum cont1 required : (pertnissit who wear 0MB c reduce c." Ccr' ' mg ': selec:. tram merr be ' eviuc i.-.c > agencies told BNA that the'inquiry , -.< ..-.lay publicttion of a final ethylene ndutr. to the Department of Labor, OMB . ' need, purpose, and burden associated with ccrJitceping requirements are not justified Tnssirn." A "major problem," the memoran. :s :ne vaat set of medical tests that are :rkf r, exposed to one-half of the proposed os::-- limit] for over one month per year or ra;:n" :cc mat it "is not clear how these tests will ter 'tidenceof EDB exposure." ic expressed by the budget office regard- of a record of respiratory fit tests and it1.;'-:, emergency plans, medical opinions, rr- extensive monitoring, and labeling." The actr i. ".Again, the health benefits that could " such records are not clear from the Purpose of Teet* TAsuJ ur*: ' tiu'. tc C io ca. . o' t t. i i s r i ...r. was snbmitted to the DOL Office of the for Management, the Labor Department 'documents under the Paperwork Reduc- y are referred, Gary Strobel, an assistant itrator Thorne Auchter, told BNa. The - .3 relayed to OSHA's directorate of techni- will draft a response, deputy director of the technical support -- that OMB's objections apparently pertain ests and other laboratory analyses that : under the proposal. Mallinger noted that * ns are intended to detect toxic effects of i-r and kidneys, and are not related to the r:..oogenic risks. -- o'-.ose to the budget office will explain the - oe medical surveillance requirements in fur' '-'Anger said. r nent in the ethylene dibromide rulemaking - r >ct of continuing controversy. The proposed - - oily was scheduled for publication Sept. 30, after OSHA learned that the budget office Inal approval to the action. The proposal ->t later (Current Report, Oct. 13, p. 435). imated that it will take at least two weeks to rise to OMB. The situation is not viewed as SHA is still in the early, comment-gathering ethylene dibromide rulemaking action, he man Edwin L. Dale Jr. commented that the anticipates the problem will be cleared up in nation of a final standard." ~0b. broade- tultatien >F TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ATION REVISIONS GRANTED BY OSHA in of time for submission of written comments -evisions to the Occnpational Safety and Health in's on-site consultation regulations was an- 4 (48 FR 50802). -,e for submission of comments was extended to - the original date of Nov. 4. mosed the amendments last month in order to scope of the on-site consultation regulations in 29 CFR Part 1908, and to initiate a conditional inspection exemption program for employers using consultation ser vices (Current Report. Oct. 13. p. 435). According to the agency, the extension of the comment period was granted in response to requests from interested parties. The requests "indicated that additional time is needed to prepare an adequate response," the notice stated. Also, the agency noted that it was asked to add to the rulemaking docket "various documents relevant to the pro posed amendments." These documents include: A list of state agencies providing, or scheduled to pro vide, consultative services. 3-An OSHA notice dated July 25, 1983, to agency field staff on the agency's experimental program for inspection exemption through consultation. Hie notice refers to the directive as No. TED 2, hot an OSHA spokesman said the correct number Is TED 3. This program was initiated in seven Southern states in 1982 and extended in July for an additional six months (Current Report. July 14. p. 158). a letter from Emmett Jones, director of the CAL/OSHA Consultation Service, describing the impact of California's experimental exemption program. v The most recent evaluation reports on the state consul tation projects participating is the program. Testimony on proposed revisions to the consultation regulation before the National Advisory Committee on Oc cupational Safety and Health. * Comments by a NACOSH subcommittee on an earlier draft of the proposed revisions, and a brief summary of the rationale for OSHA's response to those comments. A solicitor of labor opinion oa release to the public of consultant reports to employers. Written comments on the proposal should be submitted in quadruplicate to the Docket Office, Docket No. C-l, Room S6212, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210; tel. (202) 523-7894. For further information, contact James F. Foster, OSHA Office of Information and Consumer Affairs, Room N-3637, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20210; tel. (202) 523-8151. OU FONT FMOS 22 MALIGNANCY CASES THROUGH SgweiWiG PROGRAM, UKHCPETBAYS NEW ORLEANS -- (By a BNA Staff Correspondent) -- As a result of its asbestos screening program covering 112.000employees and netKicnerS- FI T rin Pnnt Ae. -Namnnrs fc Company has discovered 22 cases of malignancies related to asbestos exposure, according to Burford W, cuipepperT the company's medical director. Culpepper told the Joint Conference on Occupational Health Nov. 3 that the company became aware of die need to "intensify" its detection efforts more than tour years ago,* when a number ot asbestos-related K-ray annormaiiSes were found at several Hq pant 'plant*. At i emuIt. a' 1980 the company beaaa a full-scale review of medicaTEstones' of employees 40 years of age or older and with 10 years' experience at Du Pont in loos whore they may have been exposed to asbestos. Subsequently, the program was expanded to the com pany's 30,000 pensioners, with 10,000 electing to participate in the screening program and to have an X-ray at the company's expense. Culpepper noted that since the begin ning of Its comprehensive program, Du Pont has required that all radiographs be read by a board-certified or qualified 11-10-83 m Occupations Safety & Health Reporter OOW-K377U/W-SO DUP 0501565 BE K1027J2 TP CURF"' '==:=T 1165 NI0` the in grants, hazar; mg cc seram: NIOSI. Rot tory 1 internrelate and ' prev. poseu issue i. Bar med. in h. sand subsHow they note Ni as ai. In the "a ca grar lab' amr. icit;\ we: ber qu: ter in er rr to: er i.-a M I.-,: CC ~ing Oisaasa Research cia.s briefed the board on current activities by s seven divisions, including developments in mioicgy, respiratory disease study, research on :! through material substitution and engineerroscirator certification, and information disTr.c presentations refiected various facets of .a::ve against lung disease. ;r.n, :;rector of the NIOSH Division of Respira: ?f,:c;as, reported on recommendations by an SH work group on ways to control lung diseases iai rest, fibrous minerals, non-fibrous minerals, ius: The intent of the recommendations is to .content of these diseases in new workers' ex1 v i:. Glenn noted (see related article in this n;?r director of the NIOSH Division of BioEi.-.avioral Sciences, reported on recent studies t materials used as substitutes for silica : lasting operations. The idea in introducing :: - rd is to reduce worker exposure to silica. i : -. - ututes first must be tested to ensure that - re new hazards to exposed workers, Johnson : ; two types of materials that have been used : ;r silica sand: coal slags and mineral slags. nstitute looked at one coal slag product and r.reral slags. In each instance, 20 micro- ~2-.erial were introduced into the tracheas of - ij, Johnson indicated. - was found to be fibrogeric in the test i the mineral slags "relatively free" of fibrogen: :?H official reported. Other coal slags then . -. -: the results of these experiments are still ,-.e said. : t-cided to evaluate the possibility of a car- from the mineral slags, which may contain : el and beryllium, Johnson also stated. The : mdicated no carcinogenicity from the slags animals, he remarked. - -CATION, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY -tsrs EMPLOYEE ASBESTOS PROGRAM " effort to combat and deal with potential - :re to asbestos fibers, EJ. du Pont de Ne! routinely provides information on asbeses, medical examinations, and X-rays to .-- in the midst of conducting an epidemiolog.`viom employees who had signs of potential - .ilnesses. ion was presented in a speech given by oepper, medical director of Du Pont, at a ' .on of Organization Resources Counselors, m, "Dealing with Asbestos in the Industrial .d Du Pont's employee program began in -til cases of asbestos-related abnormalities - Du Pont employees. The early part of the -am involved testing of high-risk employees, greater than 40 years of age with 10 years ;u Pont in jobs which may have involved :-stos dust. The program later was broadened to include all of Du Pont's employees and its 30,000 pension ers, Culpepper said. The results of Du Pont's study showed that of the 112,000 people evaluated, li had malignancies which the company conceded were related to asbestos exposure: 200 had asfaestosis; and, about 1.300 had X-rav evidence ot asnestosrelated pleural thickening. The majority of cases were found in employees working in maintenance positions such as ifisulators, pipefitters, laggers, and mechanics, Culpepper said. He noted that the numbers were slightly higher than was anticipated, adding, however, that the "vast majority" of employees don't have asbestos-related problems. The epidemiological study the company has instituted is primarily a "systematic follow-up" on those employees which snowed signs of asbestos-related illnesses, t-uipepper said. Annual X-rays Provided As part of the company's medical surveillance program, Culpepper said the company provides at a minimum annual X-rays for those employees having shown signs of asbestosrelated illness. Culpepper noted that the company has hired a pulmonary medalist who provides regular medical and follow-up exams for employees to determine if a change in work assignment is needed. Culpepper explained that tne company provides compen sation for medical expenses related to the illness if it is determined that it is asbestos related, adding that Du Pont has given compensation even in instances where it is unclear that asbestos is the reason for the illness. However, at a question and answer session after the meeting, Culpepper said that the qomPRHv not pay any medical costs where it is determined that an employee's exposure to asbestos Other procedures used by the company include replacing all asbestos-containing insulation when necessary; using strict controls when there is no substitute; monitoring expo sure levels on s routine basis; eliminating potential expo sure; and, providing protective clothing. As part of the employees' education program, Du Pont also has produced a 25-minute film. "Caring About: Asbes tos.'1 comprised mainly of Du Pont employees and medical specialists discussing tb# problems of dealing with the fear of asbestos. Use of Respirator* A study on the nse of face masks used to protect employ ees against asbestos exposure concluded that the majority of males tested could be satisfactorily fitted with medium- ~s5ed half-mask facepieces, while the.small and large sized half-mask facepieces adequately protected all out a few of those tested. ` The results of the study were reported in a paper pre- pared for the symposium by Norman A. Beddows, called "Working with Asbestos-Containing Materials, and the Use of Respirators to Protect Against Asbestos Fibers.'' In a study of the use of half-mask facepieces on 1.06$ males, the paper reported that 99.3 percent exceeded a fit factor (FF) of 10; 95 percent exceeded 20 FF; and 50 exceeded 200 FF. A fit factor, also called the protection factor, is a measure of facial seal quality. The study also concluded that full facepieces provided more than a 50 FF in 56 tests; while 95 percent of those 56 tested experienced greater than a 100 FF; and, 50 percent exceeded 1,000 FF. DUP 0501564 Occupational Safety 4 Haaitn Rape D095-3237/S4/S0+.S0 VM)2r?41 DU 001303 590 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH REPORT radiologist. In addition., plant physicians have undergone In an effort to overcome this continuing problem, th* internal training in the early detection of lung abnormalities company medical director reported, Du Pont has contract^ and the company's X-ray sales technical staff regularly visit with Selikoff to help develop a system "for a quantitative all plant sites to evaluate and make sure that the best reproducible, analytical method for the evaluation of pulmo quality of film is being used. nary disability." In addition to 22 cases of malignancies, the Du Pont Culpepper told BNA that the project has been in the"works medical director reported that 200 employees were deter for about a year and that the company hopes to get some mined to have asbes.csis and about 1.300 employees and pensioners, or slightly -nor* than 1 pgrrwit, were fniind~ta thing definitive this year so that it can "begin setting some real hmind.ri fnr mwHinai determination oi pulmonary have "evidence nf hssti related pleural thickening.1' but disability for asbestosis." the majority were found to have "no illness or physical Since Du Pont knows"Iittle about the risk of developing disability." disabling conditions from asbestos-related abnormalities, According to Culpepper, these results indicate that asbes Culpepper said that the company also is beginning an epide tos-related abnormalities "are more prevalent than we sus pected four years ago." even considering the wide use of miologic study of all employees and ptiUlUligt with asbes tos-related abnormalities. "He' anticipated "that tfie data asnestos-containing insulation in chemical plants. On the would-be helpIfiT'to quantitate the risk of future malignan other hand, he added, the results also show that "the vast majority" of the coir nanv*s employees and pensioners do - 'not have asbestos-related medical problems. As another part of toe asbestos screening program. the Du cies. impaired lung function, or other diseases," as well as in assessing "the relative contributions of cigarette smoking and asbestos exposure to pulmonary disease and impaired lung function." wit medical director eunlainedTaH employeesjiave seen a company-produced 25-minute film, "daring About Asbes tos," which describes the problems involved in asbestos-' related abnormalities, using Du Pont employees as well as medical experts snch as Dr. Irving Selikoff of the ML Sinai Medical Center and Dr. Benjamin Felson of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Referral to Specialists CALLED MULTVROTENT1AL CABCUflOElL-- DOtl-RHRONtti RILATlWWtf MEN UNCLEAR NEW YORK -- (By a BNA Staff Correspondent) -- Al though the doee-response relationship between exposure to benzene and the occurrence of leukemia is still unclear, it is All those with asbestoe-relatad abnormalities have been referred to pulmonary specialists at company expense for certain that benzene is an indtrect-aeting. multi-potential carcinogen. Arthur Union, of New York University, conclud evaluation and consultation and are offered follow-up exams anr. ally, "or at an interval pfcscribed by the specialist," to del -mine whether there is "any impairment that requires a ed in summing up the results of an international conference on the substance. The conference, sponsored by the Collegium Ramazzini, cha ?e in work assignment," the medical director exp -lined. Ir. chose situations here work-related illness or impair- me.'t develops, Culpepper said that Du Pont "will accept responsibility for appropriate related medical costs, and wii offer the employee or pensioner compensation based on ou mderstanding of ir.e workers' compensation laws in that ju, . fiction," in addition to assisting in obtaining other community benefits. Further, he noted that th? company's policy covers employees even "when we are not certain that the abnormality stems from exposure at a Du FonrUte,1' ~~ focused on recent experimental observations regarding car cinogenicity, blood dyscerasias, and toxicology associated with benzene. Results presented by scientists attending the conference indicated that benzene produces leukemia and many other cancers in laboratory Animals and there is "cause to belilvt nnt vet proven." according to Upton. The following conclusions also were drawn by Upton: Variations in the duration and extent of exposure may be responsible for production of the different types of cancer Culpepper said the.: th* ddfflpiny generally has not purcht ed asbestos-containing insulation since the 1970s and is re ,dng the asbestos it has with non-asbestos insulation w.. a other repairs are necessary. In the few sites where as. .-tos-containing products are used, there are strict contro . and plant employees follow written procedures, in ch ng routinely monitoring exposure leveli using protec ts. equipment and clothing, and having regular medical ex. ninations. Determining Pulmonary DbaMIty j. dging the degree of pulmonary disability resulting from as tos exposure has been a problem for Du Pont which has bo further complicated by the varying criteria established by irate workers' compensation laws. Culpepper explained found in the laboratory animals. Age and sex of the exposed animals affect their physical responses to benzene exposure. A risk assessment modeled to an exposure dose is still difficult at this point Upton emphasized the need to determine the metabolic derivative or active principal in benzene that causes leuke mia. He also stressed the need for better empirical data and additional animal research to determine the effects of inter mittent peak exposures as opposed to time-weighted averages. -- Most conference speakers agreed that determination of a for benzene, or the impact of inter mittent exposure vs. constant exposure in the development of leukemia, is crucial! th. in some cases ti company relies on X-ray abnormali ty and pulmonary unction changes and has found the A : ncan Medical A-sociation's criteria for disability "freq tiy useful," excer: in assessing lesser degrees of disabilir .'be British Me- cal Research Council's criteria "are e less suitable," e added, since they were developed p ....ariiy for empty. ma and chronic bronchitis. Health Effects of Benzene Exposure Mnruffer Aksov of Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey, as- serted that leukemia develops through both _genfitic.fa.ctog and environmental factors, citing familial studies indicating that mm* neonie are genetically more susceptible to leukemia. ?4$ Cooyngnt t 1963 by Th* Bureau of National Affaire, ine. 0CS5-3237/*3/SC+.SC 1302743 DUP (501566 DU 001305 aaisiasi CURRENT REPORT Chromosomal cnanges were found in humans exposed to benzene, according to M. Berlin, University of Lund, Swe den. It a unclear, however, whether there is a connection between chromosomal changes and the carcinogenic etfect of EtoaflgT '" U '"-Waltoni, of the Institute of Oncology, Bologna, Italy, oreeented research showing that benzene produces different types of cancers in different organs, produces cancer wheth er administered oy inhalation or ingestion, and produces solid tumorsm multiple ate*, with different exposure meth- odj He emphasized the need for more systematic investiga tion of the effects of benzene, additional experimental inha lation studies, and further experimental studies oriented toward primary prevention. On the basis of his research, Maltoni alio hypothesized that toluene and xylene may be carcinogensT ~' Actual Industrial Exposures An overview of benzene exposure in American industry from 197$ to 1983, presented by Rnninn of the Gulf Oil Corporation, indicated that on a national basis 87.6 percent of all industrial exposures to benzene were below l ppm and that 9$.4 percent were below 10 ppm. Rumon noted that some variability between industries occurred as expected, with the highest exposures seen in those operations involving the bulk transfer of benzene and in benzol plant operations. U.S. industry operates well below the present Occupation al Safety and Health Administration standard of 10 ppm, be asserted. Runioo suggested that these data may have some relevancy to the absence of reported benzene-induced leuke mias among workers having initial exposure since 1977. Louis Beliczky, industrial hygiese director for the United Rubber Workers, urged that benzene be eliminated from industrial solvents altogether since it is present only as an impurity. Otin^ URW study results, he also noted a decrease in benzene exposure in the workplace, from a 1.3 ppm average exposure in 1977 to a 0.2 ppm average exposure in 1983. Peter Infante, director of the OSHA Office of Carcinogep Identification and Classification, estimated that a working, lifetime exposure of 45 years to benzene at 10 ppm would result in a leukemia risk ranging from approximately ti to 152 excess leukemia deaths per 1.000 exposed workersTA working lifetime expntnr* tn hwiw at 1 pnm would result in a leukemia risk ranging from five to faWess leukemia deaths ner |,nvi <.rp'TM'4'nrlr.rc At different lengths of exposure, the risk associated with 10 ppm was consistently 1(1 tiffitt greater man the risk at 1 ppm. Infante explained'that tais oraer ot magnitude differ- ence in risk was expected became the risk estimates went based on the ^ re-hit model. and the one-hit modei has been shown to be essentially linear at low doses. Dandenctea in Proposed Rule Ken Miller of the OIL Chemical and Atomic Workers Union, asserts-: that the proposed OSHA benzene standard Is deficient in .'eral arias. He criticized the absence of a provision fo allowing previously exposed workers once they have rt ,. ed or changed jobs. In addition, there is no provision re . .ring personal sampling for benzene-exposed workers so t re is no method for determining actual indi vidual expos es, he said. Miller suggested that requiring maintenance : a cumulative exposure log for each employ ee could ren :y these problems. "Prospect . surveillance is sorely lacking," Miller main tained. Stud: - of the effects of benzene exposure on human reproducer ..id studies to determine whether there is a 591 correlation between chromosomal aberrations and leukemic response are needed, he said. Retrospective surveillance and cohort mortality studies also are needed to determine the effects of benzene and to detect excess risks for various other conditions, Miller stated. OSHA realizaa that Its benzene standard will be chal lenged in nearly Its entirety and is striving ta prapow i feasible regulation that can be achieved, according to Ralph Yodaiken, director of OSHA's Office of Occupational Medicine. Yodaiken raised difficult questions regarding the regula tion of benzene in the workplace, including: Is a complete blood count a good indicator of the incidence of leukemia? If so, how often should it be done? What is the upper limit of normal for a white blood count? Should OSHA mandate gloves and hoods for handling benzene if It can be absorbed through the skin? Should respirators be required? Should breath analysis be pan of a medical surveillance program? Should phenols in urine be measured as pan of medical surveillance? J. Klotz, of the Natural Resources Defenie Council, supported strict application of state-of-the-art technology to controlling benzene. She stated that the federal government must be urged to consider the long-run protection of the public, halt the discharge of hazardous chemicals into the environment, and "err~on the tide ot safety.11 Litigation ADDITIONAL TWO WEEKS EON ELAN GRANTED TO MANVLLE; MULTILATERAL TALKS ORDERED NEW YORK -- (By a BNA Staff Correspondent) - Manville Corporation Nov. 7 was granted an additional, condi tional two-week extension for submitting a reorganization plan to a federal bankruptcy judge for the Southern District of New York. The extension granted by Judge Burton Lifiand in In Re Johns-ManvtUe Corporation (Nos. 82-B-U656 -- 11678) requires that discussions between Manville and claimants seeking compensation for asbestos-related injuries be broad ened by Nov. 14 to Include other concerned parties. Is requesting an additional extension of the deadline for submitting a plan, Manville attorney Michael Crames sated that his client needed additional tins to respond to propos als made by the litigants group at a meeting Nov. 4. Based on this repoase, the two groups will decide whether further meetings to arrive at an accepable reorganization plan would be fruitful. Crames said. Crames did not discuss the substance of the proposals. Objection to a further extension was voiced by Arthur S. Ollck, an attorney representing an unofficial committee of companies which are co-defesdanta with Manville tn a num ber of asbestos compensation cases. Manville and its claim ants have bad 14 months to develop a reorganization plan, a grant of time that is "manifestly excessive," Oliok argued. The credibility of the court is at stake, Ollck further contended, because Ufland's first grant of extension was a "pre-eraptory" grant that precluded any further extensions. However, Olicfc noted, two additional extensions have been granted since then. The matter should be brought to a "speedy conclusion," the lawyer asserted, because Manville is protected from its creditors while its co-defendants are languishing. 11-10-83 Occupational Silaty & Baallh Reporter KI&-3237/U/M+.M DUP 0501567 DU 001306