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PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBIT EXX 61 ^Humble Way January-February, -1956. * Vol. XI No. 5 Keeping Well At Work STRIPPED of it- austere syllables and reduced to warm and friendly in their jobs for any casual excitement it might bring. They are more pleased terms, industrial hygiene is the science with the comforting satisfaction of of helping employees keep well at work. doing their job. and doing it well. And Since this field is so broad and com that effort manifests itself in sound, plicated. those who devote themselves day-to-day recommendations on health to it must be dedicated people. Ideally, safeguards arising from their skill and they should be part doctor, pan diplo training--as well as from the best mat. and pan detective. But no matter equipment money can buy. how those three pans are put together, As an example of this emphasis on the industrial hygienist still spends vir prevention, the Company's industrial tual!) all of his time at the laudable hygiene engineer is regularly called on task of preventing trouble. to inspect, for health reasons, such This is vital work, this business of things as additives used in products, being a constant watchdog over em hand cleaners, solvents designed to re ployee health. It is not so spine-tin move wax from oil wells, and hundreds gling, perhaps, as tracing down that of other materials. Not long ago. he rare offender, or battling that rare ex was asked to advise on a wax solvent ception which proves the rule. But offered for sale to the Company for Humble's industrial hygienists are not use in its oil welLs. The product proved it would do an excellent job, but it was too dangerous, chemically, to the men who would have to use it. As a result of this study the product was not recommended, and the Production Department chose another solvent. In rare cases, of course, something may slip by the tightest defenses. But when it does, regular precautionary nteasures set up under the Company's industrial hygiene program will bring the trouble quickly to bay and dis arm it. By way of example, regular checks of body fluids front Humble employees at one operation turned up a man with evidence of threatening lead poisoning. Though his condition was not alarm ingly dangerous, the danger signals had been hoisted, and it was a good Nostalgic charm of the Old South is captured in this phntocraph of a fine ante-bellum plantation home near the Mississippi River north of New Orleans* EM003031 1 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE 1 Industrial hygiene work within the Company is a function of Humble's Medical Division, and is carried out under the general supervision of Dr. V. C. Baird. Chief Physician. Comprising the staff for this work are Mr. J. W. Hammond, Industrial Hygiene Engineer; Mr. F. H. Prctsch. Industrial Hygienist at Baytown Refinery; and Mr. G. T. Taylor. Industrial Hygiene Analyst, also at Baytown. During the past decade at Humble, industrial hy giene has been increasingly emphasized as a field of preventive medicine. The aim. of course, is to stay ahead of trouble by preventing its outbreak. Air. mate rials. and specimens are scrupulously checked for pos sible contaminants. A hygienist checks, with the assist ance of the supervisors and other staff groups, working spaces where trouble may lurk, especially where dan gerous chemicals or other materials are used as a part of daily routine. Where necessary, control features are designed and methods of work practice are recommended. To make doubly sure that no harm comes to employees, those who work in such surroundings or with toxic materials are tested at periodic intervals. For example, people who work with mercury, leaded paints, tetraethyl lead. and other potentially dangerous substances are exam ined as regularly as necessary to make sure they are not absorbing dangerous amounts into their bodies. The work of the industrial hygiene engineer also takes him into Company field communities where, in conjunction with the Civil Engineering Division and others, the water and sewage disposal systems are checked. He also advises on insect and rodent control, counsels on good practice in the use of herbicides and insecticides, and generally sees to it that the health of the community is safeguarded. Any serious illness or dread communi cable disease in the community may bring him imme diately to the scene--and so far there has been nothing resembling an epidemic in any field community. I | j ; , > ' ; thing for him that the precautionarycheck had been made. Industrial hygienists from Humble's Medical Division set to work on the case at once. But, disappointingly enough, nothing could be ferreted out from the man's regular work and blamed as the offender. Again and again, the scientists went over the job materials and the job conditions. No lead-poisoning possible here, was their verdict! Later, it was determined that the lead poisoning came from a red-lead primer that he was using to spray farm machinery. Once the source was pointed out to him, he discontinued the practice that might have been ex tremely harmful to him. For him, the hole in the dike had been plugged in time to prevent a flood of trouble. Cooperative Effort Industrial hygiene activities are so many and so varied that Humble's staff could not possibly carlt out the Company's extensive program without a great deal of help from others. They depend, to a large extent, on the co operation of other groups in the Corn- Employees in research arc protected from radioactive rays by shields lead, concrete, etc. i not penetrated by rays. 2 Sewage effluent is carefully checked to assure adequate treatment; often equals quality of the receiving stream. 1 (<003032 -pany. on the approval of staff recom mendations by managcment,.as well as on independent scientists and organi zations. In the Production Department, in- du-uiat hygienics-cooperate with Civil Engineering personnel m controlling sanitation, insect#-which may-carTy dis ease. water supplies, sewage disposal, herbicides, insecticides, and ventilation. Two complete .rounds of inspections have been made of Company field communities: the first completed about five-nr 'is years ago. the second com pleted last year. Between routine in spections. of coutse. any trouble or potential trouble at any location may bring the industrial hygiene engineer hurrying to the spot. La-t year. Houston research groups moved into new quarters in the Hous ton Research Center. Before the move was completed, a new safety manual had been written, and the industrial hygiene engineer served with represent atives of other groups in writing the manual. It is his responsibility, also, to cooperate with safety engineers on problems which involve health hazards as well as safety hazards. Company committees .offer much help and advice in analyzing and solv ing health problems. Company-wide, the Toxicity Committee `of which the industrial hygiene engineer is a mem ber -erves this purpose by studying and making recommendations on ques tionable materials used in Company operations. At Baytown, the industrial hygiene staff works closely with the j refinery's Health and -Sanitation Com ' mittee. On some occasions, to help solve particular prohlems. Humble has made use. on a fee basis, of personnel and facilities at the Houston Medical Ccnt ter. Baylor Medical College, the Unij verity of Texas Medical School, the University of -Houston, -independent research organizations, and others. Vacuum above this planer in the Main Officr carpenter shop sucks up dust and fine particles of wood to protect operator; conveys the refuse to a collection bin.-- A Fertile Field One of the most fertile fields for i industrial hygiene in all the Company's operations is Baytown Refinery. Here. chi>cly compacted, are to be found all the elements which challenge the hy gienist's resources and skills. Here are complicated refining processes using all sorts of acids, caustics, and other chem- i ic.tl compounds. Here are all the po tential trouble-makers of heat, cold, and fatigue. Here. too. are the dusts. EM003033 t V- Mercury collection traps used in repairing meters at the If allowed to spill on floors, mercury seeks crevice* and . Baytown Refinery instrument shops protect employee health. small cracks, vaporizes to give off hazardous fumes in air. I j gases, paints, and sprays which could deal of the work space has been air- of the refinery shops building. cause untold misery if not held in conditioned for comfort and health. . . Illumination levels at work proper check. Studies are even being made on re surfaces were found to be adet With the industrial hygiene staff finery noise! Already, at some loca quate and within the permissible working through the supervisory and tions, screeching steam or clanging limits. ' safety groups to hold a tight rein on metal has been converted into a quieter . . In a careful comparison of all these materials and working condi companion for those who work around the environmental facilities, the tions,_ any one of which could cause it. control of potential hazards and great trouble if left unguarded, work The industrial hygiene group works provision of health and medical at Baytown Refinery goes on with an closely with the Departments of Health facilities ... we feel that your amazingly low accident and injury in all states and communities in which company is among the more mod rate. The figures themselves prove that the Company operates. Last year, at em and is to be commended for the employee it far safer inside the re the request of employees, the Texas the concern it is continuously finery on his job than he is at home! State Department of Health made de indicating for the health of its To arrive at a happy situation like tailed inspections of Baytown Refinery's employees." that, some tremendous work has been mammoth air-conditioned Central Humble management, the Medical done by management, acting on the Shops, where many mechanical crafts Division, and its industrial hygiene advice of all staff groups. Proper ven are housed under one roof. Among staff could not hope to enjoy a higher tilation has been supplied where other information carried in the De tribute than the one paid in that offi i needed, along with good lighting. Reg ular "safeguard" tests are made on em partment's final report, these state ments were made: cial pronouncement. In it lies praise for a job well done, as well as reassur ployees who work with potentially . . It can be very positively ance to employees that their health is dangerous materials to keep harmful stated that no hazardous concen being guarded as closely and carefully enemies at bay. Correct work methods tration of chemicals or metals was as human skills and the best equip are prescribed and followed. A great found in the working atmosphere ment will allow. 4 EM003034