Document qaeweoMx065Z1YqLm33eNwNDq

FILE NAME: Uniroyal (UNIR) DATE: 1954 Jan 5 DOC#: UNIR003 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Unpublished Consultant Report - Analysis of Medical Situation at the Asbestos Plant of the US Rubber Co. UM/^O^L 7. MET-0000479 TRIAL EXHIBIT ANALISIS OF EOICAL SITUATION AT THE ASBESTOII PLANT OF TSE O* S. RUBBER. CQMPANI by Hut Inatitata of Industrial Mdleins New Torh Uni-remity-Ddlrrco Medical Cantar Preparad byt Joba L. Donovan, H.l'.u. David H. Gcldurtoin MeD,, u J. Lassa H.D, Horton Halsen Ibefl E,, Do Palata Hu D, Sotadtted byt Ju Jo Lm&o MoDo January $s 355U On HoTwnber 1, 1553, Dra. Ooldatein ad Palau and Mr. Dnoua of the institut# of Industrial Medicine, New lorie l^niralty, Tiaitcd the stark Milia planta of the 0 S* Rnbbnr Company *t Bocanovlllo, deorgla. The purpoaa of tha riait uaa to aria an qfr~tbapot S S l of thaAabaatcn plant, a mili prodttda tertilaa^coBpoaed ofobLtoa and cottoru Thla apprmlaal vaa to laclada both mdical and industrial byeiene aapacta of tha plant haalth pro*rnn, Dnrine tho riait, tha N w Tarie ttoireraity croup -- t vith ths followlng reprsentative# of U. S. Rabber* Heaara, , Idalc, sr, S S k S l s , R. B. Fort, Jr., teaiatantHanaar, Stark l^'Iohn AT^andarTindutrial Relation#, Hogsnaville, Jaaaa Oy, Safoty SSatadnt, Hocanavilla, D. I. Austin, Superintendant of Aabcotcn. u S S S S T anOrioa Hipp, H. K., Plant Htwa, Hoganartlle, Mesara, e sullivan. Toduatrlal Ralatlcna Manager, Textile Division, toxoTSiaeer, Textile Dirlaian, Wlanaboro, w. W, Watidna, ^ ' T r t S T S S S r f c - > r o . -- F. w. Sud., totartrui Igianlnt, New lorie i.,iwi * tha niant thare vas a short naetiag vith tha Starie U . ' i S S p- f * " " *. M m * , omt dthuremeiofmthe Hev York wttvaraixy toan wSn^ vamSa tiyto a toar of the Aobeatoo plant, .h. nnterlala to firr* producto. Spcial aaphaala Ma placed on tita Mthodauaed teTecntrtl of aabeatoa duat ln the varioua oprations. js t t iJ S s E t is : & s s s a is is then aaaeabled for a final confenswe, s js g * . u 's 1 * * = problea be presentad to the vorkers involved Tha tenta gnthered by the Hev Tork Univers!ty reprsentatives et thia point vere brlefly sa foUces *. - j - a s s tftS r s ^ g at aear-peak predacUcn f portion of the tin duriseth e^oy opration of the plant* at prsent tlisra ^ laat epsretee ntirely oa 5i5 m by oetmp&Uea and length of oaplc^t as obtened. Anxiety concerning asbeetoois was described is very serious in that the problem extended beyond worker health Itself into the rela- tiooshlp beteeea labor and management, the plant and the eennunity, and local physicians and th# plant, It a apparent that at least part of the difficulty was dna to a division of reapcoaibnity in the plant medical prcjprgaw then are throe physicians in Haganavilla responsible for Eivigi physical examinations before or before a worker returns to the job after illncse requiring abaar.eo of ooa wool: or more. These physicians else treat thewarkmrs as private patients or In easaa of oeeopatiaaal Injuries} la these eaoea the worker choosoa his own physician. The plant x-ray program In itself la vary thorough. Each uorter is routinely x-rayed at o-oonto intervals. The films are at tho plant and are sent out to a oouraltant radiologist who reads them and reports the resuite to management. The industrial hygiene program Involves stapling of pi* otr for dust at Bonttly Intervals or leas. Accepted"technics for w-g dust counts are used and the parsons making the counts bare bean trained sag a-nwitnad by the Stats of Georgia Oepertmant of Health. On occasion, independent agendas have been called in to -- fc surveys and their results have bona food to be generally in good agreenmt with thorn secured by plant personnel. Thus, it ana apparent that moat aspects of a good Mbastesis control program were operating. The findings, hmever, largely as separata facts and had not been brought together, hi other words, neither the result# of and redieloelcal inatiene nor of lnduatxial hygiene surveyshad bean assembled in a form where they might be integrated. The chief lock was in the industrial hygiene data, and it was our opinion that there was a real need to get all dust count data assembled so that trends might be assn Since the questions, to be ensnared were so Intardepealant, it was decided that any conclusions reached would have to be contingent on the results of further study of avnllshle data. . Thus, it ms agresd that all of the dust count results for tho plant from the beginning would be made available to the New lark ad versity group as soon as possible, mid that this group would than undertake the ocllaction and Interpretation of these data. Bia results of the industrial bygisne surveys were received in Um fork on November 1?. Bwy covered the entire period of the plant's operation. Hast of the samples had hsen taken by plant paxecmael, but there were surveys by toe State of Georgia Psparbant of Health, toe Industrial Hygi Fomdation, and toe New Xerk office of to* G, S. Itabbor Cenpanyo Samples! had been takes by work areas and aem areas included more than as eparetian. g, opening sad picking, Also, ths tabulated data showed & imeh higher frequency of soling fos> seme - 3- perioda than for others. Six area (opening and picking, spinning, winding, weaving, aaat carding} arc included in the surveys conducted from 19k2 to the present tails another (vest carding} vas added later, da results of these surveys ere arranged in chronological order, at car suggeaticn, vith dates, nnafaer of samples, sources and sampling methods indicated for each. Cb raeeipt of these data, the New lark ttilTerslty group decided that they could best bs treated and analysed as oeBtfaly ranges for the entire period Whan this as completed, all the valcos vere plotted against tl in months (figures 1 through 6). Inspection of the resultant curves indicated tan things: a) tbs agreement in results from all seurees vas sufficiently good to permit including all the data as relevant) further, b) all operations shooed a consist art trend doucuard with time 3h order to get the most meaningful expression of those curves, it vas necessary to,determine as closely as possible the integrated values by yearly periods. The results are bam graphically In figures 7 through 12. is stated earlier, the sampling frequency varied quite merited!,y during the plant'a history. Ibis variation obviously gives greeter weight to eeimles taken far apart in tima than to those bare the interval between eenjplos as short, i. simple and, a believe, satisfactory method of Integration was adopted) thin involved consideration of all values as farming a continuous eurvu. It Is roaUnsd, of course, that sash curve is most accurate in those periods here more samples ere taken Our prims concern os with ttao relative exposure of workers in different operations. Tho technic, wptvwg frequency end personnel leaking tests vero ths cans with rare exceptions, for each operation. Tabic 1 as prepared from ths avenge yearly values for each operation It chain ths yearly average exposures (in rdllicna of particles per cubic foot) of workers in various operations in ttao first column under eadh operation. 1b the next column are shown the cumulative values b7 years of operation starting 1th 1953 and by artending to 19ti2) these values are in million particles per ruble foot yeani. In these units (obtained multiplying average yearly concentration by tins in years) total axposure can be estinntsdc WS do not believe that there is satisfactory evidence at present fo r placing any great eight co these as absolute vuluacj in tho Asbestos plant, however, the extraneous factors are relatively constant and it is our opinion that dust counts obtained In this plant are on a relative basis. On this basis, individual operations within the plant vere classified as rapareasHting greater or lass m w m ira than others. Th@ third eolum under each operation shows the numberof preoent saspleyees joining tho work fere during each of four periods: lee then 5 yeas, 5, and 7 year, 8 si 9 years snd 10 or sore years. It should be pointed cart that this includes only 175 of the 220 present employes. The sspasuraa of ths other liS westers cannot be @atif8etily estimated either t a w they ware employed in several esmsi or the area in which they wrkad m s cot If the operations are arranged In order of incranging totals 'or tha entire plant history (the 19U2 cumulative nines)' they are, according to operation* Winding (52 HPPCF year), Flyer Frames (0), Spinning (76), East Carding (101), Wearing (302), and Opening and Picking (121). Vie ham taken these values as indicative of relative exposures of workers employed in the various operations for 10 yeora or sere. In this group of 10-year employees thsns hare been too confirmed coses of astestesls, Ono voter vaa a t **TM-- and the other a weaver. The essocistion of disease with tbs intensity of exposure es found hare has important iaplications for this particular plant Tims, it should be assumed that there is a real risk involved for all those who have received a greater exposure than the ltr-'er of these, the spinner* This group includes 6 vorkers in the spinning area, 2 carder, 3 vasvers, and 3 operas end pickers, a total of 13 employees* Tbs other lD-year employees od **-- ua have definite occupational historias, 6 wlsdaxs and 7 flyer frame operators, apparently did not receive as great an exposure but tbs development cf new ceses, although perhape considered less likely, cannot be ruled out Thare are an additional 12 persona smployvd 20 years or more on vhea tha oceupatianal histerias are not sail defined for reasons stated above These inelude U weepers, 5 station am, 1 dry can operator and 2 Inspectors* 2h our opinion, all of these except ths dry can operator should be oansiderod et least moderate rlsla, based simply on length of employment and general plant in tho early yuan of operation. Among tha 8* and 9'"yearworkers tha only wi vho appear to be near tha range where aaheatoaia has bean observed are the 5 employee: in oaring vho bars received an exposure of about 52 to 7fl wrfVHn particles per cubic foot yean. Other employees hired in or sines 1916 do not appear to be bad risica. Thus, if tha aoquiaition of aabeatoaia is a function of dosage, it vould appear that of tha praaant cork fores than are 13 who aro serious risks, 29 otban may be classified aa moderate risks, and the remaining 178 aa slid to negligible risks. Variation in individual susceptibility, however, urges groat 1^-^ in estimating tho live lihood of disease from these date. Tbs validity of the use of a marlman concentration for asbestos rnsrita son discussion* The vaina of 5 particles per gubia foot of air, accepted Is sobs <*<T'-l for a liQ-hour work week, should represent a level bars oe aabeatoaia vould be produced even after a lifetime of exposure* Gafertunataly, experience with agbeotesis in this country his net been evaluated in such a manner mat, in our opinion, it i* of appraciable predietd.V9 vaina. Serious exception to the tme of this valise is talcs by sobs astharitiea* Among other difficulties, diaigreemsnt as to th pathegeaieity of the various partida sisee hca raised questions m to this value* Tho plant inspoction Indicated several nays in Dibich practices could be improved. Tne old crushing machine in the opening and pickics room was operating durinc oar visit and vas producing considerable dust This machine was not headed end ue think it should be, even though it is not used very frequently Xt should be home in mind that the three 10-year employees in opening end piddng have received the highest exposures of any employees A relatively minor point that could be readily improved involves the door between tho large settling chamber and the boseont storeroom, Xt appears to us that this door could be swung from insida the settling chamber In this way the positive pressure within tbs chamber would tend to keep tho door closed rather than open. There were a number of instances in which tho exhaust ventilation systems were not bolng used In the most efficient manner There wore holes in tho hoods probably put there to facilitate oiling of bearings, but these necessarily short-circuited the ventila tion to same extent, 11 of those are relatively minor items, but '.mi feol that it is worthwhile to maks existing equipment function es efficiently as possible* Tbs workers themselves should lmow, of courso, that the equipment Is there for their protection end that it is to their best interest to see that it functions prcperlr There is agreement with the radiologic findings cf others that tun definite cones of asbestosis exist cases boston ea-ployoas (Teed, Even:;),, It is Dr. Luna's opinion that tho films of Vera Jackson do not warrant a diagnosis of asbestosie, While this women will beer ustoklng, it ir foit that or. incoaplotoly resolved, or perhaps orgenised pn3w.ciu.tio a the right lower lobo best crrpltlrs the changing s-ray chadcrc Accordingiy. tho decision regarding tho merits of soving I-ilns Jackucr. Iron her present Job cun be deferred jjending appraisal of future cc-i- siumd ches t r-yays. There ic also agreement with the decision is cintein. lira. Tcdri and Mrs. Svnss in employment, bat in Jcbs rer-oved irom cxpsrnire to osbantos. Dr. Lanac fools that in ell probability the proynosio for theso tao go to life expectancy and capacity to mvl: is favorable* tn reviewing the medical program currently in operation, it was found praiseworthy in all but ono respoct; thare is icndoquatr. intaevr - d.on of periotlio modical examinations with tun A-ray suauxw. Hi sU-i, uiai of '-u& wire a-ajnimcg ivh;-iciano ware ills*;- c.:a epper trait:- of correlating tho findings cf periodic n-rey erasrinatiors with clinical findings gained from physical eunndnationo of the worker '.Jhile tho prcoontcd by the local professional situation r:: fully appreciated, such a defoct in tho nodical control program warrants rewady# i-anntive risku of asbestosis for present soployaas hero been divided into tbrse main croups: 1) Those 13 workers who hsvo rccsirci aa much or mro axnosurq then boss who hsvo developed asbestosis art esnsiuersd Groat risks5 2) Hhcs9 2? aaployaeo whose exposure uaa nearly as gieat but ware in operations rara no eases have eecurrai aicqrnidarcd rodorat risks? 3) The remaining 179 sloyww are consid ered slight to negligible rinks0 - 6- The entire plant bos been operating for the past throe Tears under -Mnna acceptable for the industry* Certain improvements in dost control appear to be possible with littla new equipnsnt* Herksr education would be a great aid in the accosplishnsnt of this end* RECOMMENDATIONS A. It is suggested that if it is cot poasible to delegate full respons ibility far the medical supervision of the asbestos problem to one of the three part-time physicians, then every effort be made to fan on another who can aaeume euch responsibility, A full time medical director vith no private practice and vith."previous training in pulmonary diseases would be the ideal solution* The magnitude of the total operation in Rocanavillo would appear to justify the expense of 010,000 to 315,000 necessary to attract the properly qualified physician* Should neither of the above prove feasible, it is recesaneadad that the services of a qualified physician from Atlanta be engaged on a part-time basis* It would bo preferable that this physician have a faculty position at the college* ma responsibilities at Asbeston would bet 14 To confer tilth the radiologist an all abnormal findings reported i on chest films of asbestos workers. 2. To review the absence records of ell asbestos workers preferably in conjunction with the results of a physical manriration performed by himself* 3. To carry out nrmni physical examinations on all asbestos workers " and correlate his findings with the x-ray findings* The minimum time required for, theee duties would bo one full or two half days a week* B. The recently revised D* S* Bobber Company pre-employmsnt examin ation fame are quite satisfactory. It is suggested that individuals with pre-existing bronchiectasis, severe chronic bronchitis, or pulmonary tuberculosis, which cannot be noted unequivocally as arrested, be excluded from wulwymout* C. Cheat x-rays should be ecEr&maed at 6-sonth intervals Do It is recommended that the dust counts bo continued at monthly intervals and that these findings be kept in such form that they can be revisaed by a n those involved in the msdieal progra It is further roecuEmsndad that the Stats of Oaorgia PspsrtmBBt of Health be requested to survey the plant about ones a year E Present dust control procedures should be continued and rtsudad to * include hooding of the second crusher. Other minor tmjdifieaticna of present w 'viprcsnt should be made to insure their optimal function - F. i-fcncgennt should he conplately forthright in Its relations with labor press and employeea, This is the only approach which irfn benefit the plant in the long run* Ho assurance can "be given that there will, be no further cases of asbestosis but ths possibility of a largo proportion of the aeries being involved Is very -- 11, The osb&'itosis problem appean to be under control at present and should omtinue to be. The potential for eases built up In the early yjaro of operation has asnifeated itself in the two diagnosed canos< Eotrerer, both are early and ths prognosis is good* ix r,; .13 X ii'.'."'. yl.i" v l ;j : tj: ,,-p c m , cui.u la tiv m i S o .v - : l i ifi-c i? iiimiLH o: -A'ior^s HiRraj r i eaci! P jJu o d V.JVJ.S, A.IL) >11I l i o n p a r t i c l o s p o r c u b ia f o o t . > X nclvdns K c.rkar-0 l n W aat C a v tlin e , !(av lV:k Mcclicil CcnU-i- i n r : /iu ia o f Ind>i5 t'.v-.f1. i'?.et'-i.":a '"'i'T. IZiKP.vy y. 195U Oue fast IH F ? c 7 ) i s** m I ` l'CJE 1 UIDIEQ Arorego Monthly Huet Count r ._a _ ,, " '- \ . %* -- [ H C il'.lliij f ?trtioleo por Cude Foot i t ? ? 3s\~ 30 L 4*1 * sa ts\ % %/o >r ' 1 / / 19A.3 19t4 195 194 FIGURE 3 5PIHKII3G Avarftg Monthly Dust Count M A \A^=Z) 1947 19A 1949 1950 1951 19 2 afe ??@si CM S>f G T ) FIGURE 4 VEAVDC Ararat* Monthly Oust Count * /0 I s /\ / / / N \ \ \ 19t? 19A3 19U 194 *> 1946 1947 TQ/ft i i i i L ________ M A O W \A ^ J ^ 1------ --- Y-1?. 1943 19U 1945 1948 f ~a A HXO S/Vs ------ :------ 1------ ------ 1--- 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 KllHoras o i-ji-ticios par Cls Foot ( nana a ILZER VBIKES MAO p a r a i s Feet ( M F F 5 I ' K\Mi0 R 13 / K i 1951 ranos io vE&vno Ttnr I*rly i OoBotBtntioM naisM S