Document r6x0pwBBkDwGJRQKDYoyLOE1G

FILE NAME Corning OC DATE 1969 Apr 22 DOC OC225 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Memo RE Health Hazard Comments at S.W.I.C.A. Corpus Christi TX - company correspondence from date HEALTH HAZARD COMMENTS AT S.W.I.C.A. CONFERENCE 4/17/69 CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAS CC P. T. Saverstrom - New York April 22 1969 J. P. Kern - New York Dear John . As you know there were two principal speakers at this meeting spoke of air pollution with inorganic fibrous materials The following is a recap of main points made by the speakers who Mr. Hutchinson - President of The National Asbestos Workers Union Mr. Hutchinson's speech covered primarily a plea by the Union for increased cooperation with employer He spoke of good labor conditions being dependent on good financially strong contractors Nationally the Asbestos Worker's manpower workers in 18 months He called for joint has increased by 2000 financing of apprentice- ship training and Health Hazard programs He also stated that until Model Forms Agreement is accepted by employers continual disagree- ments on jurisdiction will plague the industry wasting a great deal of time and effort When On health hazards Mr. Hutchinson strongly with the sheet metal workers regarding the denied use of accusations of dispute insulation on the inside vs. outside of ducts He maintains be is strictly interested in safety for the general public particularly in schools and bospitals It was obvious at this point that the Solikoff bandwagon had started He argued that the proper factor could not be attained with insulation on the inside of ducts and that insulation manufacturers must start telling the truth He hit hard on what he called fiber fallout is a term Mr. Hutchinson This Senate testimony ? committee hearing He > graphically now now the air breathing huge now the air they were used in his at a depicted to the committee members contained contained amounts amounts of inorganic inorganic inorganic fibers asbestos from the asbestos spray used to fireproof structural components the fibers being introduced into the air stream in the return plenum of a typical HVAC system and fiberglas being blown throughout the room from the fiberglas ducts or lined ductwork t FAR FAR In aa his words he it with AE talk it up with stand made engine rs the Senators engineers and architects up He urged contractors to and lining asking them to to eliminate fiberglas ducts > where it belongs specify insulation on the outside of ducts Dr. Solikoff - Mt. Sinai Hospital Dr. Solikoff gave a very polished effective and loaded with statistics and color slides convincing presentation His general theme was anti pollution but only as it relates to the construction industry Be bas definitely gone beyond asbestosis to attack all inorganic airborne fibers ~~, nwremdhy The lecture began with a historical review supported with slides of the development of asbestosis pointing up findings in South England and the U.S.A. particularly the Asbestos Worker's Africa Union in New York City and Northern New Jersey This parallelled the New Yorker article I forwarded you last fall After the historical review Dr. Solikoff stated that the now gathered is conclusive and made the following points evidence is 1 Asbestos by itself is not that dangerous - the determining factor exposure and dosage men 2. Asbestosis deaths can be sharply reduced by clearing up work areas and habits relative to creating dust af . 3 It is likely that Asbestos does not work alone - it is not the whole cause yet other factors have not been determined 4 Asbestosis and other respiratory diseases in construction workers are more than tripled if those workers smoke touches Be showed slides of ideas being worked on to eliminate construction dust One showed a mask under development which would far the U.S. Bureau of Mines standards surpass By the way the standards are not related to fibrous materials Another showed coating calcium silicate insulations to cut down on dust This struck me as a good idea which I will pursue with product development and manufacturing ' Another showed asbestos could be added The cement packaged in a poly bag into which water resulting wet mixture would then be dumped into the trough for further mixing He did make reference to fibrous materials by discussing the Hogeman Factor glass This is related to a new enzyme labeled Kinan which can be present in blood Some tests have revealed this Kinan will cause blood to clot when it glass HAeccocrladiimnsg tloittDlre.Solikoff this may be the cause of other unknown diseases authority on this but strongly argues that people should not be exposed to fibrous fibrous glass dust fibers fibers glass dust any more than theythey should should be asbestasbestos os _) O 2. e C ae VyveJorhnbVyever rbegrg - New York wee RR ES -aty prt Ste AMEE - " -3- Apri2l2 1969 Co He concluded on a note of confidence that respiratory diseases can be better controlled by action made possible by an aware industry At that point a gentleman rose from the audience and requested to read a letter He was granted permission and asked to introduce hisself -- -- was a Dr. Grant Medical Director of P.P.G. Industries The letter was written by Howard Ayers Director of the U.S. Public Health Service It was pro fiber glass and in effect claimed that fibrous glass was not dangerous because the fiber diameters are too large to enter a person's system Dr. Solikoff immediately countered that Ayers was / not a physician and could not diagnose clinically He also claimed Ayers information was based on dust counts something Solikoff has no f faith in Needless to say we almost had a fight on the rostrum but the chairman called a halt to it en ( 1 . The sessions attended were most interesting and informative I hope I've been able to convey some of the important ideas put forth by the speakers I will have an additional report on a presentation made Friday morning This environmental controls and probably covered some aspects of health hazards Charlie Thornton planned to attend and take notes which he will forward to me Regards PTS ga Per Saverstrom 573 573