Document wDmDjX60YD4r7NyRM86M8Lav6

INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE UC 149- i CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS to (name) Mr. J. B. Leverton COMPANY location Texas City Plant copy to Mr. D. E. Deese Mr. M. E. Eisenhour Mr. W. A. Mazzolini Mr. F. S. Provenzano Mr. R. N. Wheeler, 514 P. O. BOX 471, TEXAS CITY, TEXAS 77590 DATE February 10, 1977 subject 3 M Brand Vinyl Chloride Respirator No, 8716 Dear John: This letter with its attachments from the 3 M Company follows up on my letter to Mr. D. E. Deese of November 24, 1976, on the same subject. As you can see, 3 M has obtained OSHA approval (of sorts) for use of their half-mask respirator in VCM concentrations up to 10 ppm for two hours. As I indicated in my earlier letter, these masks would be useful for us in light VCM exposure situations. However, before ordering any for use in the Suspension PVC Unit, I'd like U/A from your department. As I understand the directive, OSHA states that the respirator is acceptable for two hour use in atmospheres up to 10 ppm VCM, but they also state on Page 2 that use of the respirator shall be cited de minimus, which I interpret to mean a non-serious, no fine citation. Would you get something from our legal people on this. I do know that other PVC producers, notely B. F. Goodrich, have been using for a year or more half-face respirators in atmospheres up to 10 ppm VCM on the basis of a letter written to B. F, Goodrich by an OSHA official. A prompt reply is requested. Very truly yours RLF/st Attachments \ UCC 094671