Document vVjBM6ep6jQrzYyB4NbmnKjkq

OHC-68 Manufacturing Chemists Association OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH COMMITTEE Minutes of Meeting MCA Conference Room Washington, D. C, March 23-24, 1972 MEMBERS PRESENT: N. V. Hendricks, Chairman W. V. Andresen Z . G. Bell {for L. B. Grant, M.D.) L. E. Cassidy, M.D. E. E. Christofano M. R. Gasque, M.D. J. Hogan, M.D. M. N. Johnson, M.D. K . S. Lane, M.D. J. D.; Long W. E. "McCormick (3/23 only) K. M. Morse (3/24 only) C. F. Reinhardt, M.D. T. R. Torkelson K. D . Johnson, Secretary Standard Oil Company (N. J.) American Cyanamid Company PPG Industries, Inc - Canadian Industries Ltd. Hercules Incorporated Olin Corporation Gulf Oil Corporation Monsanto Company Union Carbide Corporation Minnesota Mining & Mfg. Co. B. F. Goodrich Company U. S. Steel Corporation E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. The Dow Chemical Company MCA GUESTS PRESENT: R. L. Foster (3/23 only) Union Carbide Corporation C. S. Laubly Celanese Corporation R. F. Philpitt (3/24 only) Olin Corporation (for the Labels and Precautionary Information Committee) J. S. Snyder (3/24 only) Merck & Co., Inc. (for the Safety and Fire Protection Committee) SPECIAL GUESTS: March 24, 1972 Charles K. Powell, M.D. Assistant Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for Re search and Standards Development Vernon K. Rose MEMBERS ABSENT: F. L. Lyman, M.D W. McNab OHC-69 Assistant Institute Director for Health Surveillance and Biometrics, National Insti tute for Occupational Safety and Health CIBA-GEIGY Corporation BASF Wyandotte Corporation 1. Minutes of the Meeting of September 20, 1971 The subject minutes were approved as distributed, with the exception of the following correction: In the "Members Present" listing, correct M. V* Andresen to read W. V. Andresen, 2. Membership Changes 2.1 Membership Losses {By expiration of term) W. J. Martin, M.D. Cyanamid of Canada Ltd. - October 9, 1971 2.2 New Members 2.2.1 Board action completed: L. E. Cassidy, M.D. Canadian Industries Ltd. - Oct. 19, 1971 F. L. Lyman, M.D. CIBA-GEIGY Corporation - Oct. 19, 1971 2.2.2 Awaiting available vacancy: C. S. Laubly Celanese Corporation - Jan. 10, 1973 D. L. Eynon Koppers Company, Inc. - Jan. 10, 1973 CMA 060208 OHC-70 3. Report of Liaison with the MCA Board - N, V. Hendricks The Chairman opened his remarks with an expression of enthusiastic approval for the practice of having the technical committee chairmen schedule a prior session for the mutual interchange of current problems and viewpoints, before the presentation of their reports to the Board Liaison Committee. He indicated that they approved, in concept, the plans of the vinyl chloride industry to ask MCA and the Occupational Health Committee to supervise a program of research on the alleged carcinogenicity of the monomer, and strongly endorsed the Occupational Health Committee program for the preparation of a series of articles on occupational health to be published in ChemEcology. Copies of the Chairman's report to the Board Liaison Committee have been distributed to the Committee and are available on request from the Secretary, 4. Liaison with Other Organizations 4.1 American Industrial Hygiene Association E, E. Christofano No report was received on this organization. A number of Committee members will be attending its annual meeting in San Francisco on May 14-18, 1972. 4.2 American Conference on Governmental Industrial Hygienists - T. R. Torkelson Dr. Torkelson reported that the TLV Committee would be meeting April 11 and 12 to consider the proposed changes in the 1972 edition. These changes, as reported out by the TLV Committee, will be submitted for approval by the full Conference at its meeting on May 15. With the Occupational Safety and Health Adminis tration preparing to replace the interim consensus standards with standards developed according to procedures prescribed in the Act, the future status and role of the TLV Committee is somewhat in doubt. It is anticipated, however, that it will persist in some form as an advisory body to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. i OHC-71 4.3 Industrial Medicine Association - M. N. Johnson, M.D. No report was received from this organization. 4.4 American Petroleum Institute - N. V. Hendricks Mr. Hendricks reported that API has signed a contract with Tabershaw-Ccoper to conduct a feasibility study for an epidemiological survey of the petroleum industry. They anticipate that the results will justify a full scale survey, which they intend to fund, 4.5 MCA Safety and Fire Protection Committee : K. S. Lane, M.D. Dr. Lane reported that the workshop, previously planned for May 25 in New York, has been postponed to a time and place not yet determined but possibly September 26-27 in Newark, New Jersey. He further reported the following progress by the Joint Task Group for the Review of Occupational Safety and Health Act Standards: | 4.5.1 Storage of Flammable Liquids , The Task Group has been successful in j getting the proposed limitation of one pint for the storage of flammable liquids amended to allow packaging in glass containers of up to one gallon in volume, where packaging in glass is necessary to protect the purity of high-purity or corrosive flammable liquids intended for critical uses. 4.5.2 Warning Labeling Systems \ The 704M cautionary labeling system has been given up by OSHA, and an effort is being made to achieve a consensus among the industry and government ' groups concerned on a system based on the HI concept proposed by MCA. I 4.5.3 Preparation of MCA Comments on Proposed : OSHA Regulations The Task Group has accepted primary responsibility to see that Association viewpoints are determined and that appropriate comments on behalf of MCA CMA 060210 OHC-72 are prepared on proposed Occupational Safety and Health Act regulations of broad interest to the chemical industry. 4.5.4 Reports on QSHA Inspections The Task Group is continuing to serve as a clearing point for reports on OSHA inspections that industries experiencingsuch inspections may be willing to make available to the MCA membership. 4.6 The Rational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - N. V. Hendricks Mr. Hendricks reported on the conference held in New York between Committee representatives and Dr. Powell and Mr. Rose of NIOSH. The purpose of this visit was to lay groundwork for the appearance of these gentlemen before the Occupational Health Committee on March 24th. The primary efforts were directed toward an identification of the kinds of help NIOSH needed from industry and a determination of the ways industry could be assured of a meaningful input to the NIOSH studies and policy decisions of importance to our industry. ,, 5 Reports on Chemical Safety Data Sheets 5.1 Elemental Phosphorus - M. N. Johnson, M.D. Dr. Johnson reported that the new draft for this chemical safety data sheet was substantially complete. He was reserving submission of the draft, however, until he could cite a literature reference for the analytical and sampling method there proposed for measuring phosphorus vapors in the workspace. The old data sheets had indicated that no adequate sampling and analytical methods were available. Monsanto has now developed suitable techniques. 5.2 Butadiene - K. S. Lane, M.D. Dr. Lane reported that the draft should be available approximately April 15th. 5.3 Ethylene - K. S. Lane, M.D. The estimated date for submission of this draft is April 30. CMA 060211 OriC -- t 3 5.4 Phosphoric Anhydride - K. M. Morse Although Mr. Morse was not present at the time this agenda item came up, the Chairman reported that Mr. Morse had completed his draft of the safety sheet revision and had submitted it to Mr. Stephenson. 5.5 Dimethyl Sulfate - N. V. Hendricks Mr. Hendricks reported that the revision of this data sheet was being suspended until a decision had been reached by the American Conference of Governmental Indus trial Hygienists regarding the status of dimethyl sulfate as a carcinogen. Dr. Torkelson moved,, and his motion was duly seconded and carried, that MCA correct the existing supply of dimethyl sulfate data sheets to inform the readers that the section of the sheet on health hazards must be considered obsolete and to refer them to the manufacturer of their material for current data on this chemical. 5.6 Material Safety Data Sheets In a letter to Mr. Stephenson, Mr. Morse raised a question as to wdiether there was a continuing need for chemical safety data sheets, and if so, if it would be appropriate to revise their format to correspond with the requirements of OSHA for material safety data sheets. Mr. Stephenson called the attention of the group to the meeting of the Joint Task Group scheduled for April 6 to be held with OSHA representatives. He sent an invitation to the members of the Occupational Health Committee to attend this meeting. Mr. Stephenson then distributed to the Committee drafts of a proposed chemical safety sheet format which would comply with the guidelines for pre paration of material safety data sheets. Dr. Bell reported that PPG had prepared, for all their products, material safety data sheets of the type required in the shipbuilding industry. He identified as one problem area the determination of what level of use or potential exposure of a chemical product in a plant would require the preparation and filing of a material safety data sheet. He mentioned that many materials, particularly such things as reagents in chemical labo- CMA 060212 OHC-74 ratories and so forth, are so numerous, and used in such small quantities, that the imposition of a general require ment for full scale material safety data sheets for each such reagent would be excessively onerous to industry. Dr, Long urges that MCA submit to OSHA a series of standard forms, based upon industry consensus, that would be suitable for: (1) the posting of information in the workspace to inform the employees of workplace hazards, (2) the submission of requests to vendors for information on hazards associated with the products they are distributing, and (3) the listing of such information for customer use. 6. Subcommitt.ee Reports 6.1 Internal Communications - W. E. McCormick Mr. McCormick reported that the preparation of the articles for ChemEcology was progressing satisfactorily. Dr. Grant and Mr. Morse had the first article substantially completed, and it was scheduled to be published in the May issue. This article is primarily introductory in character. He asked that all authors who had accepted article assign ments at this time have their drafts in to him before the end- of April, ' 6.2 Workshops - M. R. Gasque, M.D. Dr. Gasque reported that the workshop that had been planned for May 25th was being postponed to September, probably in the northern New Jersey area. He expressed his views that the Committee should make a serious effort to develop and schedule workshops out of the major metro politan areas into areas more convenient to some of the smaller plants it was trying most to help. The question was discussed at length as to whether a technical seminar or short-course type of program which would cover the areas of monitoring and analysis should be held in conjunction with this workshop. Ref erence was made to the short courses held by the American Industrial Hygiene Association in connection with their annual national meetings. The general format and depth of these short courses were commented upon favorably, but it was recognized that none of their presently programmed courses filled the need to which the seminar under dis- CMA 060213 OHC-75 cussion might be devoted. The Secretary was asked to see that a notice was placed in the next issue of ChemEcology calling the readers 1 attention to the probable scheduling of a sampling and analysis short course in conjunction with the September workshop. The notice should solicit input from the readers as to their interest in such a seminar and the program contents that would be most use ful to them. The Committee agreed that the Occupational Health Committee should attempt to develop a workshop devoted to its particular interest for sometime in the early spring of 1973. No exact time or location was decided upon. 6.3 Epidemiology - K. S. Lane, M.D. Dr. Lane reported that no consensus had been achieved by this Subcommittee. The basic problem is that of defining the test group and documenting their occupational exposures. The success of the API project and their feasibility study for an epidemiology survey at that industry will be followed with some interest by the Sub committee . 6.4 Review of Scope and Functions - K. S. Lane, M.D. Dr. Lane submitted to the Committee a draft of a proposed revision of the Rules of Organization and Pro cedure for the Committee. Dr. Gasque moved, and the motion was seconded and carried, that the Section on Membership in the draft rules be amended to provide for a total membership not to exceed 24, rather than the 18 proposed by Dr. Lane. With this revision. Dr. Lane's draft was approved by the Committee for submission to MCA's staff with a recommendation for Board approval. 6.5 Hazard Information Sheets - C. F. Reinhardt, M.D. No decision was reached on the position that MCA should take with regard to industry submission of a standard form for the hazard information sheets. After the outcome of the April 6 meeting with OSHA has been determined, the Subcommittee will reconsider this matter. IL CMA 060214 r I OHC-76 6.6 Legislation and Regulations Dr. Hogan stressed the need to work effectively and to maintain close liaison with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In his view, professional liaison with the scientists of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, while useful and necessary, was not adequate of itself. Of particular importance, in his opinion, is a closeness of liaison with OSHA that would enable industry to have early warning of items high on the agenda of OSHA so that industry can be prepared to make timely and meaningful comments on proposed regulations issue. Dr. Hogan indicated that he would mail to the Committee a list of those items that he thinks the Occu pational Health Committee might be prepared to take action on in response to OSHA initiatives. 7. Research Projects 7.1 FVC Acroosteolysis Registry The Secretary reported that the Acroosteolysis Registry contract extension had been completed with continuing support of all members previously identified with the project with but one exception. The funds now available and committed to this project are expected to permit the work to be carried on for approximately two additional years. 7.2 Vinyl Chloride Monomer Research - T,, R. Torkelson Dr. Torkelson reported the deliberations and decisions of the Ad Hoc Planning Group for Vinyl Chloride Monomer Research. Their recommendation called for a re vised test protocol in which ethylene-derived vinyl chloride monomer would be tested at three levels of exposure, and acetylene-derived vinyl chloride at the highest level only. All epidemiological work would be postponed for subsequent funding if found necessary. The Secretary reported that a meeting of representatives of the industrial sponsors of the project would be called at the earliest opportunity to consider, and hopefully approve, the revised test protocol. The Occupational Health Committee, by motion duly made, seconded and carried, recommended that the industry accept the revised test protocol as reported by Dr. Torkelson to them. i H CMA 060215 OHC-77 7.3 Phosgene Research Our guest, Mr. R. L. Foster of the Union Carbide Corporation, summarized the history of the activities of a group of phosgene manufacturers and users in developing appropriate techniques for the handling of phosgene and in improving an understanding of the medical management of phosgene exposures, He indicated that a continuing test program had been developed, but that the consensus of the participants was that this work would be best carried on under the auspices of a trade association rather than through a voluntary association of manufacturers who might be vulnerable to implications of anti-trust activities. The Secretary distributed copies of Mr. Foster's proposal to the Committee. The Committee recommended to the Association that it act favorably upon the request for MCA's administration of the proposed program. 7.4 Fluo ro ca rbon s - C. F. Reinhardt, M.D * Dr. Reinhardt briefly summarized the problems that were being experienced by fluorocarbon propellant manufacturers, mostly as a result of intentional and deliberate misuse of their product. He reported that a letter was now in preparation for submission to MCA requesting the Association to undertake sponsorship of a voluntarily funded research program of substantial extent. Without the text of the proposed proposal available fob consideration by the Committee, no formal decision was reached, but there was general agreement of the Committee that this was an appropriate activity for MCA to under take . 8. Treatment of Chemical Exposures 8.1 Phenol Decontamination - T. R. Torkelson Dr. Torkelson reported that a review of Dow's industrial experience failed to provide any basis for judgment as to the effectiveness of alternative methods of phenol decontamination since, in their experience, they have not had massive human contamination by phenol-rich liquids. He indicated, however, that he will try to write up in greater detail the limited animal test data developed in their laboratories. He qualitatively indicated, however, that nothing in their data would indicate any CMA 060216 OHC-78 justification for first aid instruction which might delay decontamination with water while a more effective decon tamination liquid, such as alcohol or glycerin, was being sought. 8.2 Phosgene - K. S. Lane, M.D. Dr. Lane reiterated his opinion that the test data on animals consistently failed to demonstrate any value of hexamethylenetetramine as a post-exposure therapeutic agent for phosgene exposures, in spite of the evidence that this chemical does have some value, as a prophylactic. He indicated that intermittent positive pressure oxygen therapy was the only regimen shown to be of significant value in the managing of these cases. He further commented that steroids were not effective in reducing chemical pneumonitis from hydrocarbon aspiration and presumably would not be effective in treating the pneumonitis from phosgene inhalation. Dr. Lane expressed his willingness to prepare a written summary of his evaluation of the available data for distribution to the Committee. . '-8.3 Hydrocarbon Ingestion - N. V. Hendricks ... Mr. Hendricks reported Esso data to the effect that the toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons by aspiration was up to several hundred times as great as that by ingestion. Therefore, the risks of serious injury as a result of aspiration of vomitus during attempts to evacuate the stomach by stomach pump or vomiting out weighed the risks of injury to the victim from the re tention of the ingested material. Mr. Hendricks recog nized that the judgment made with respect to the kerosenetype hydrocarbons might not necessarily be valid with respect to other solvents for which the ratio of oral to aspiration toxicity might be quite different. The basic question is the need to avoid discrepancies between recommendations in MCA chemical safety data sheets and those in other sources of first aid information. MCA must develop a mechanism to assure itself that, when medical management information in the data sheets becomes obsolete, these data sheets are promptly revised and the obsolete sheets withdrawn from circulation. It was moved, seconded and carried that the Committee set up a procedure whereby a periodic review of the chemical safety data sheets can be CMA 060217 OHC-79 carried out in a systematic manner to detect and correct any such discrepancies. 9. Asbestos Criteria - N* V. Hendricks Hr. Hendricks reported that there had not been any strong consensus among the Committee for a need for MCA participation in the development of asbestos standards or in the submission of comments to the asbestos criteria document. He did mention, however, that a number of our companies had individually taken action in this matter. 10. Target Health Hazard Fact Sheets - N. V. Hendricks Mr. Hendricks reported that some of the criticism expressed in recent Committee correspondence with respect to these fact sheets have been accommodated in revisions to these sheets which have been adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Under these conditions he judged that there was no need for the Committee to take any further action. 11. Future Meeting Plans There was a general consensus that the next meeting of the Committee should be scheduled for the first part of November, preferably in Washington or New York. There was general agreement that it would not be advantageous to attempt to schedule this meeting in conjunction with the September workshop jointly sponsored by the Fire and Safety Protection Committee and the Occupational Health Committee in northern New Jersey. 12. Discussions with NIOSH Representatives The morning session of March 24 was devoted to a conference with Dr, Charles Powell, Assistant Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for Research and Standards Development and Mr. Vernon K. Rose, Assistant Institute Director for Health Surveillance and Biometrics of the National institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Dr. Powell opened the discussions on behalf of NIOSH with a description of their function under the 1971 Occupational Safety and Health Act. He discussed the new role in which they had been placed by that Act, particularly with respect to their relationship to the Department of Labor and its rule-making and rule-enforcing authorities. CMA 060218 OHC-80 The primary responsibility of Dr. Powell's bureau is the generation of criteria on the more important contaminants in the occupational workspaces. These criteria documents constitute the background and justi fication for the standards to be promulgated and enforced by OSHA. Among the data included in such criteria are: Available TLV standards; Methods of Monitoring and Analysis; Medical Surveillance; Proper Labeling, Pre cautionary Information, and Signing; Record Keeping; etc. These criteria documents are developed primarily by outside contractors in a draft form, with review and evaluation of this draft by the NIOSH staff. At the present time, most criteria document development is on contaminants for which literature data are reasonably adequate. Therefore, the subject documents may be com pleted without having to wait for sponsored research, either contract or in-house. This is not always the case and Dr. Powell did not rule out the possibility that on occasion, NIOSH might sponsor research directed toward the development of answers to specific questions which may arise in the course of preparing a criteria document. No provision is made in the Act for^public hearings to be employed as an element in the development of these criteria documents. Public hearings are held by OSHA as they develop the standards to be based upon these criteria. Any criticism of the criteria documents, or input of the public to such standards setting, is ap propriately introduced in the Department of Labor hearings. Dr. Powell identified the primary responsibility of NIOSH as to the health of the worker. Matters of engineering feasibility, with present technology, are secondary considerations as far as the criteria document development is concerned. Among the major criteria document development efforts now well under way are those on heat stress, noise, carbon monoxide, and beryllium. He commented that a notice was then in process of being published in the Federal Register inviting the public sector to contribute any data for the considerations that they wish to be considered by NIOSH on these problems. He indicated that within the next few weeks similar notices would be published with regard to silica, cotton dust, lead, and ultraviolet radiation. 060279 OHC-81 The criteria on noise, heat stress, carbon monoxide, beryllium, and asbestos should be delivered to the Depart ment of Labor about June. The next group of contaminants for which criteria documents are to be prepared has not yet been finalized but it will probably include benzene. Subsequently, the public will be invited to submit data and raise questions on materials that are still in the research stage. Dr. Powell mentioned particular interest of his institute in alleged carcinogens and mentioned coal tar volatiles and bischloromethyl ether as two materials under active study. With regard to MCA input to the development of these criteria documents. Dr. Powell suggested that our primary line of communication should be through the consultants that are hired by NIOSH to prepare the drafts of these documents. This does not rule out direct contact of MCA with NIOSH, but this should be regarded as an atypical procedure to be followed only in special circumstances when so indicated. Dr. Powell did inform the Committee that his organization would not be able to use any information delivered to them that was not free to be released to the public, inasmuch as they are required to document fully all their judgments. He urged, however, that industry ' be as generous as possible in releasing confidential information of this nature, since he pointed out the more inadequate the test data available to him were, the larger the factor of safety that would be necessary for them to crank into their recommendations for standards. Where the potential hazard of a particular work space contaminant is sufficiently severe that standards must be promulgated without waiting for the development of all the information needed for a criteria document. Dr. Powell indicated that partial criteria could be prepared and published. Most carcinogens, including all of those on the list of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygenists, will be issued as "partials" during fiscal 1973. In response to questioning from the floor regarding the attitude of NIOSH with respect to biological monitoring. Dr. Powell commented that no standards had been promulgated CMA 060220 0HC-S2 so far in which biological monitoring has been incorporated He expressed no resistance to the principle of using biological monitoring as a demonstration of safe work space conditions. He tied this concept to work practice standards and not to the standards expressed in terms of maximum allowable concentration in the air spaces. As Dr. Powell and Mr. Rose had other commitments, they were not able to meet with the Committee for lunch. Before their departure, the Chairman expressed the ap preciation of the Committee for their participation in our discussion, and expressed the intent of the Committee to work closely with NIOSH officials. The final function of the Committee meeting was luncheon at the Washington Hilton Hotel at the conclusion of which this session of the Occupational Health Committee was adjourned. Secretary Occupational Health Committee Minutes Subject to Approval April 27, 1972 KDJ:mkb