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,{ 1 i September 13# 1967 Kint.c. " Ajnr isUi UL'. ;v * \ 1 ^ m * `v Dr. Levis J. Cralley Dlreotor, Epidemiology and Field Studies national Center for Urban and Industrial Health Public Health Service ,101ii Broadway __ Cincinnati, Ohio h5202 Dear Dr* Cralley* ' i.- ,; .' - i ' y~. *\ *.r Mi.1.* SUBJECT* U.S.P.H.S. Environmental Survey for Asbestos at Pittsburgh Comi*ng Tyler, Texas and port Allegany Planto I am still awaiting oopiea of the reports on the subject ' .* plant surveys. lour assistance in this matter will bo appreciated. ' i For your information, I have enclosed a oopy of a report of a survey done at Tyler by J. T. Destefano, our Class Division's Industrial Hygiene Engineer. t\ *';w' 'V_V iiT\ ' .'^iv'wun. t -Tvji^_rj <.5; . i it- Sincerely, v - . lnr ccj Hr. J. V/. McMillan Mr. L. 0. Griffith ; -:* ' ."t 5 "v Lee B. Orant, H.D. *.**: \s , document vrs not a RECO-D OF MHt iqTRIFS INC. DID NOT COME FROM S AND CANNOT BE AUTHENTICATED PG INDUSTRIES, INC. *'*..i , . *\* . * v% - .... ..4951 7"bb"0023656^1 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE SURVEY O' C PITTSBURGH-CORNING, TYLER, TEXAS At the request of Lee B. Grant, M.D., a dust survey was made of the Tyler plant on November 29, and 30, 1966. The purpose of this survey was to re-evaluate the plant in terms of any significant changes in levels of airborne" dust since the last survey of August, 1963, by the Industrial Hygiene Foundation. In evaluating a dust exposure, the threshold limit values as promulgated by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists are used as guidelines. They represent levels of dustiness which should not be exceeded'on a timew ighted average basis for an eight hour day for a man's useful working life. The threshold limit value for asbestos dust is 5 million particles per cubic foot of air (mppcf). Before discussing the results it would be well to explain some of the changes that have taken place in recent years with regard to dust counting techniques. ',, Most of the threshold limit values for dust (particularly silica dust) were 2. developed in the 1930's in the granite sheds of Vermont. In those studies, rthe counting technique called for light-field illumination at 100X magnification ; r~j Since that time, however, better optics, giving better resolution at higher jJT magnification have become more common. Therefore, the desire to use the more O O sophisticated optical systems of today must be balanced against the excellent correlation with medical findings that the Vermont granite studies produced. This is perhaps, an over-simplification of the situation, but the point being made is that one of the better optical systems was used for evaluation of the samples from the current study. It is believed that this is the reason for the dust counts reported herein being approximately ten times greater than previous studies of the same plant. In addition to total dust counts, however, this study also presents fibrous dust counts. It can be seen that these fib rous dust counts are of the same order of magnitude as previous studies. The reason being that a fiber, which is defined as a particle with a length at least three times greater than its width, is large enough to be seen at the old 100X magnification as well as the more sophisticated systems. The results of the study are shown in Table 1. A comparison of the fibrous dust counts with the threshold limit value of 5 mppcf indicates that seven of the sixteen values exceed this limit. It is felt that the values reported herein are representative of conditions in the plant at the time of the visit, and the following recommendations' are being made from the test results as well as personal observations! 1. Better ventilation, or a better materials handling system, or a combination of both, is needed on the feeders. 2. Constant inspection and immediate correction of any air leaks in the equipment is needed as is indicated by a dust count of 20 mppcf in the general area of No. 2 mill. 3. Better ventilation is needed in the sawing area. An evalua tion of the present system by means of suitable air velocity measuring equipment would be a logical first step. 4. The use of sand on the floor as a lubricant for the movement of cardboard boxes should be discontinued. The addition of a silica hazard to an asbestos problem is'unwarranted. __ THIS DOCUMENT WAS NOT A RECORD OF PPG INDUSTRIES, INC. DID NOT COME FkOM IT'S FILES AND CANNOT BE AUTHENTICATED RY PPG INDUSTRIES. INC. 2 5. The air cleaners should not be located inside the building. Positive pressure, bag collectors of this sort may be inexpensive, but undetected leaks can put a significant amount of dust back into the air. Furthermore, re-circulation of exhausted air is poor practice, in addition to being illegal in some states, because it assumes a collection efficiency approaching 10036 which is rarely true, especially in older installations. The proper type of dust collector would eliminate the excessive dust concentrations from shaking the dust bags. JTD/jcw 9/11/67 OO | BB 0023658 | r Name..................................... Address............................ .. Dace of questionnaire FORM I QUESTIONNAIRE ON RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS .Sax. .Race Oaca of Birch Non:.::"- COUCH Do you usually have a cough?............................................................................. Do you cough at all on gectlng up, or first thing in tba morn ing ............................................................................................... In winter? In summer? Do you go on coughing during cha day or at night: In winter? In summer? Yea/No Yes/No Yas/No Yes/No Yes/Na PHLEGM C Do you usually bring up phlegm from your chest (not from the back of your nose)?.............................................................................................. Do you bring up any phlegm at all on getting up, or flrsc thing in cha morning:............................................................... In winter? In summer? Do you continue to bring up any phlegm during the day....,................................................................................ In winter? In summer? Uhac color Is this phlegm: (a) always dear white, gray, or blackish? (Check (b) before recording) (b) occasionally yellow or green, at least In parts?............... (c) usually yellow or green?........................................ ............................. c (d) don't know............ ...................... .................................................................. How long have you had this cough and/or phlegm..Less than 3 years? 3 years or more7* Do you get bouts of (Increased) cough and phlegm last ing for at least 3 weeks each winter7...1............................ If yes:..........-.......................................................Last 3 winters only? More titan 3 winters? Yes/No Yas/No Ycs/No Yes/No Yes/No Yes/No cument ,msoroNOT SM INDUSTRIES, INC. l-iL0023659 I " ' 4354 Have you ever coughed up blood' Yes/No If yes: When was this7(Years of occurrence)........................................................... ^ llow auch? (greatest amount)............ ................. Streak.:; More NOTE: TH'S NOT COiViH , . . Does your chest ever sound wheesy or whistling? : .. _ (If no: check: not even when you have s cold?) Yes/No If yes:............................................................................Only with colds? Occasionally (apart from colds?) ________ Host days or nights? _____ TIGHTNESS Does your chest ever feel tight or your breathing become difficult? Yes/No If Yes:............................................................................. Only with colds? ( BREATHLESSNESS Other occasions specify Are you troubled by shortness of breath?........................................................ Yes/No (If No: check: Not even on hurrying on level or walking up a slight hill?) If disabled by a neurological or muscle-skeletal disease put . "disabled" hers... If Yes: Do you have to walk slower than people of your age on the level because of breathlessness?.......................................... .................... Yes/No If Yes: Do you ever have to stop for breath when walking at your own pace on the levol?............................................................................. Ycs/No If Yes: Da you have to scop for breath after walking about 100 yards (or after a few minutes) on the level?................................................. Yes/No II Yes: Are you too breathless to leave the house or breathless on ^ undrssslng?................................................................................................................ Yss/No 4C 41 COLDS If you gut a cold, does it usually go to your cheat?................................... NASAL CATARRH Apert from colds do you usually have a stuffy nose or catarrh at the beck of your nose?....................................................... .In winter? In summer?' Yes/No Yee/No Ycs/No 42 43 44 ` noCUMEwT WAS NOT A RECORD Or WUSTOKS, IW DID NOT COME FROM FILES AND CANNOT BE AUTHENTICATED PPG INDUSTRIES, INC. 7_5F023660"7 ` 4355 * Does the weather affect your chest?................... Yes/No If yes: What sort of weather?................................... Yes/No . -- '> Damp-wet N0TE;Tv-~ . ;i; Cold WOT ' ' Heat Does any other sort of weather affect your chest ? (Specify)................... Yes/No Yes/No Yes/No Does this weather: make you wheexe?............................. Yes/No increase cough or phlegm?.... Yes/No make you more breathless?.... Yes/No have any ocher effect on your cheat (Specify).... CHEST ILLNESSES During the past 3 year* have you had a cheat lllnesa which hat kept you off work, Indoor* at hone or In bed?......................................................................... Yes/No (If No: check; Not even "flu"?) (If Yes: Clve detail* of each Illness. If doctor not seen put "none" c In first column.) i Doctor's Diagnosis Duration In Days Year Incr. eough ' Yes/No Incr. phle Yes/No / PAST ILLNESSES. If more chan three attack* put "recurrent" after age sc first attack. Have you ever had; ^ Pulmonary Tb. Pneumonia Each age of occurrence Yes/No......................36 Yes/No......................37 Bronchial Asthma............................. Yes/No If Yes: Age started.^.......... Age stopped............... Pleurisy Bronchitis Sinusitis Yea/No...................... 5B Yes/Mo...................... 59 Yes/No...................... 60 Still present?....Yes/No Heart trouble.................................... Yes/No Details............................................................. 61 62 63 'HIS DOCUMENT" WAS NOT A RECORD Or >PG INDUSTRIES, INC. DID NOT COME FROM T'S FILES AND. CANNOT BE AUTHENTICATED 3Y PPG INDUSTRIES, INC. 7 Bb"0023 66^256 SHOtIMC Oo you Mok*;.................................................................................................................................... Yes/No 64 If No: Have you over smoked?.........................................................................................Ym/No If Ym: 65 Cigarettes pat week............................................... Now Change* in Pa*c 10 Yaacx ........................................................ .................................. .. 0*. tobacco/weak (hendrolled)...................... Ob. tobscco/week (pip*)................................... Clgars/wack. . ....................... .................................. ..................................... .................................. .. .......... .......................................................... .. ............................................................................................. .. Age started regular cigarette smoking.. .......... Age started regular plpe/ciger amok: Age stopped regular cigarette smoking.. ...................... Age stopped regular plpe/ciger smok: If smoking stopped or reduced give reason......................... ........................................................... .. OCCUPATION c Bov long have you bees employed at Pittsburgh Corning? Do you work in a dusty atmosphere? __________ Yes/No 66 67 previous 0CCUPAT1ON Bates Agee Residence NOTE: Tlv' '"V ' I "1 M&U! ; Xf IVi;' L i )r Materials Handled .'f v Actual Occupation (J b) * c nAdAu,,s,t.poe,L.t WncA.SdNidOnToAt RECOi OF come from SndIannot be authenticated ion iMnUSTRiES ,NP~ BB 0023662^1 4357 i o V*' ( NAME PHYSICAL FINDINGS 1IT WT CHEST FORM II ACC __________ RACE/SEX R LUNGS BF DATE 11EART EXTREMETIES LABORATORY Ventilatory Studies Predicted FVC Observed Z Predicted / t- r FEV 0.5 sec 1.0 sec Observed Z Tocsl LlJ ^ oo Maximum Breathing Capacity (MBC) Predicted Observed Diffusion Studies SingJo Broach CO method Predicted Observed ! DOCUMENT WAS NOT A RECORD Or INDUSTRIES, INC. DID NOT COME FROM FILES. AND CANNOT BE AUTHENTICATED DD INDUSTRIES, INC. | BB 023663 | .41258 c Process Area TABLE 1 Total Dust mopcf Fiber Dust moDcf___ 1. *BZ Scrap Crusher Operator 2. BZ Feeder Operators 3. No. 2 Mill - General Area 4. production Floor - between Nos. 1 and 2 34.7 38.8 77.5 12.5 3.8 6.3 20.0 2.5 10. BZ Feeder Operator 45.0 20.2 11. No. 3 Mill - General Area 2.5 1.3 15. BZ Scrap Crusher Feeder 56.3 0 16. Production Floor - between Nos. 2 and 3 10.0 : j 2.5 Sawing Area 5. BZ Butt End Catcher - big end cut & rip saw 6. BZ Tie Machine Operator - packing (inspection also) J 43.2 L.W 15.0 I**"'* 10.0 2.5 7. BZ Block Band Saw 53.0 10.5 8. Saw Room.Inspection Station & Tying 26.2 2.5 9. BZ Butt End Catcher big saws 13. BZ Saw Operators - both block saws operating 14. BZ Saw Feeder - big saws Miscellaneous 7.5 30.0 15.0 0 7.5 2.5 12. BZ Operator shaking dust bags 17.5 32.6 BZ - Breathing Zone JTD/jcw 9/13/67 ,,,5 DOCUMENT WS NOT qA ^OM> pG INDUSTRIES,'NCjD authNT1CATED ric, f\LES, AND CAi mw. wr LSDor. INDUSTRIES, INC. | BB 0023664 | 425$