Document wq5g8jGbR23DJBeBKR17zZb43

FROM THOMAS B. BONNEY PITTSBURGH OFFICE, 7AB TO MEMORANDUM June 22, T976 cc: Dr. B. D. Dinman, Pittsburgh 7AB RE: VISIT TO ROCKDALE WORKS Comments made by T. B. Bonney during meeting with Messrs. McGregor, Sugg, Parker, Green, Clayton. Specific: 1. Carbon Plant a. Poor housekeeping (coke dust, paper, cans, mi sc. debris) b. Lube mist at press. Exposures excessive? c. Mixer floor. High contamination level (dust & CTPV). No ventilation at discharge to screw conveyor. d. Grinding area very bad. Dust contamination in large area, even at the furnaces. 2. Potroom a. Poor housekeeping. Generally pots covered. Ore (containing F.) on floor at transfer points. b. Bath crushing between lines 4 and 5 poor. Entire courtyard covered with F. dust (dispersed by traffic). 3. Ingot a. Housekeeping fairly good. b. Skim room bad. 4. PowderPlant Generally good. 5. Shops? Many potential exposures. Brick shop: Ventilation at saw. Trichlor cleaning, pot repair. Q ALCOA ARD 001900 $F4S63 (Rtv. 11-ea) Memorandum June 22, 1976 Page 2 GENERAL: 1. Overall impression: Lack an effective preventive program (in spite of available talent). a. No periodic hazard evaluations. Respond to requests (by non-IH personnel) as time permits. b. No comprehensive listing of materials used in production. Must conclude 1. That they are aware of the obvious potential hazards that exist in the plant but are not aware of magnitude of exposures to these hazards and, where they have no measurements, they don't know if exposures are or are not excessive. 2. That they are unaware of less obvious health hazards e.g., in shops. c. Question effectiveness of joint S & H committee. No I-H participation. (Not geared to respond promptly to committee's or anyone else's request.) Reexamine membership. d. Do not have manpower to do the job that needs to be done. People assigned have too many additional and competing responsibilities. (Needs in this area changing rapidly. Our recognition of needs and changes in attitude not keeping pace. Requests of noise standard [expected before end of year] will, by itself, completely overwhelm them). e. I.H. not participating in needed training activities (i.e., foreman and hourly employee training). 1. Future requirement, present need. Apprise employees of hazards and means to avoid. 2. Carrier assisting now. Local input needed. 3. Need for respirator selection and training. 8500 used throughout. MSA model in carbon plant. Respirator program? f. Do not have characterization of potroom and carbon plant environment. This is especially important in view of mortality study. g. Questionable that hygienists' training is in sufficient depth and in modern I-H techniques to be sufficiently effective. 2. Upgrade program. (Rockdale has the talent who have knowledge of what's to be done.) THOMAS B. BONNEY TBB:lmn ARD 001901