Document wgkMKN99vwLyL86QkMrY2rr73
FILE NAME: Goodyear (GY)
DATE: 1977 Mar 16 DOC#: GY047
DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Dermatitis Study Results from Alabama Plant [Letter to GY from U of NC]
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U N I V E R S I T Y OF N O R T H
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CHAPEL HILL
CAROLINA
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O CCUPATIONAL H EALTH STU D IES GROUP
NCNB PI373, Suite 32 Chapel H ill. N . C . 27514 9 1 9 -9 0 3 -4-191
March 16, 1977
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Clifford A. ^Jo'imson, M.D.
.
Medical Director Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
1144 E. Market Street Akron, Ohio 44316 ./
'Dear Dr. Johnson:
This letter is to convey to you e finding related to the special
study r d S a f i t i s - a t the Coodyenr Cadsden
s ;H ss-
SESS$g%S&"
S i n c e T d " ^ support;., by industrial hygiene snepliug.
The subsequent analyses are appended and are specific for titles, for example
occupational titles rather than groupings of these ported in the first
bv the type of raw material or stock handled as re .ititis over the four analyses. These calculations o f meidenc_e_ of derm vear period 1971-197~5 furlher_po iut tu_.Lh_j)ig;ticnt. 0.en.dTng_"perator W a s possibly extremely h-izard_ous_ i ^ t h a ^ of developing 1
rraa'titis complaints The"rate of 108.3 visits to the dispensary with de
operation is: out of 100 workers per year at the pigment blendin
First an extrapolation from 13 visits from among 12 worker years
* .
+-U- ink Thr*c$f visits couLd have bean among 2*4
of experience, on the job. These V1S^C* c" ; fU,rine the four
different workers, each working one half year, during
year period, for example.
Second three times higher than the rate for any other job m the plant Granted that only three workers per year are required n man this job but the rate implies that each of these is almost certain to develop a dermatitis problem that forces him to tie
dispensary for treatment.
i... j,-. :.
.'.'.car
Clifford A. Johnson, M.D. Page Two March 16, 1977
- Third, highly suggestive that one or more of the accelerators or antioxidants blended at this location is causing much of the dermatitis at Gadsden. Correlative patch testing work and environmental sampling will follow this finding. .
- Fourth, not adjusted for age, race or sex and may not be as extreme as it appears. It is unlikely however that adjustment could explain such a large rate.
It seems prudent to carefully assess the pigment blending operation in regards to both control measures, e.g., ventilation at the weighing scale was partially clogged and apparently inadequate due to the great amount of dry material deposited around, and the work practices of the individuals working this job. Poor handling of these materials on the job and inadequate personaL hygiene could greatly incrc-ase the risk of developing a dermatitis problem on any job, but especially this one.
I feel that this preliminary evidence is sufficient to warrant an immediate thorough study of the pigment blending operation with the intent of improving ventilation, handling requirements ol' these materials, handling practices of workers on this job, and thorough personal hygiene, practice of any worker in this job. This should include consideration of.the cLothing provided for this operator and frequent washing while on the job and a good shower after each work shift.
The complete report is in its final stages of revision and describes many findings on this 'dermatitis problem at Gadsden. The attention to the pigment blending operation deserves immediate attention, however.
Sincerely
MJS/mjt cc: Louis Beliczky Attachment
Associate Professor
I
a \ t
)
G; S*i/5
Occupational
Number
of o
Cases''
AVERAGE INCIDENCE RATE BY OCCUPATIONAL TITLE
Workforce Required
by the
OT3
Average Incidence
Rate1^
Occupational Title (OT)1
Number
rCases 2
Workforce Required
by the 'OT3
mar 2 j m
'""cu/CTii b&7.
Average Incidence
Rate
1
19
220
8.6
2
15
48
31.3
3
13
12
108.3
4
1
28
. 3.6
5
5
80
6.3
6
1
32
3.1
7
4
120
3.3
8
5
52
9.6
9
14
172
8.1
10
8
84
9.5
11
2
12
16.7
12
2
76
2.6
13
3
28
10.7
14
8
124
6.5
15
4
44
9.1
16
20
352
5.7
17
22
380
5.8
18
5
100
5.0
19
8
140
5.7
20
0
56
21
0
12
22
5
112
4.5
23
2
48
4.2
24
22
296
,7.4
25
3
52
5.8
26
21
288
7.3
27
91
1664
5.5
28
11
268
4.1
29
8
168
4.8
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48
49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59
5
33
29
36
6
2
7
1
14
55
9
24-
2
'
2
27
9
.
3
5
2
0
6
20
2
13
4
6
36
'
33
32
64 468 564 432
60 72 48 40 176 964 168 620 108 12 476 184 36 48 32
8 104 248
60 124
32 32 392 452 184
7.8 7.1 5.1 8.3 10.0 2.8 14.6 2.5 8.0 5.7 5.4 3.9 1.9 16.7 5.7 4.9 8.3 10.4
6.3 --
5.8 8.1 3.3 10.5 12.5 18.8 9.2 7.3 17.4
30
10
328
3.0
1. u c c u p a i- x o iia j . J . X U J - C S.WJ./
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each see attached Append ix 5.
...
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2 . NNuummbbeerr ooff wViosriktesrs toreqtuheirDeidspbeynstahreyOTforeaNcehwyCeaasresmuloftipDleiremda tbxyc x sthaeurfxonugr ytehaeriaSu^r yye-lrensth. Tpheirsioids.
3.
computed by multiplying the Manning Table requirement by four years and xs the number of worker
years of experience in the specified O T .
,
Average (over four years) Incidence Rate of New Case Dermatitis Visxts to the Dispensary, computed
by dividing required workforce into the number cases; expressed as a percentage.