Document xjk79aNbpbaX24553KpoGVJnE

0: .. DR. L. V. CRALLEY V - ' 'PITTSBURGH OFFICE FROM: B. D. KENT DAVENPORT WORKS ^4n - To ^1 u >0 ij )T L\i INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE 17' 1956 TO: MESSRS. E. B. FASSEL & L. T. LETSINGER _ _______ PLAINTIFF'S DAVENPORT WORKS || EXHIBIT RE: INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE COMMITTEE MEETING AL-272 A meeting of the Davenport Works Industrial Hygiene Committee vas held in the Safety Department office on August 7th at 1:00 P.M. Present at.the meeting were J. H. Lowry, G. A. Decker, B. L. Tiedemann, Dr. L. A. Block, and the writer. The following items were presented for the committee's attention and action. 1. In referring hack to the Hygiene Committee minutes of July 26, 195^, an agreement was put into effect with the Storeroom for them to notify the Hygiene Committee when any new material was about to he purchased. Such method of notification would give the committee an opportunity to appraise any possible health hazards in connection with the new item. It occurs to the committee that they do not recall of ever having been advised of any such purchases since the above arrangement was put into effect. It is questioned by the committee whether such a plan should now be considered impractical. 2. The committee reviewed five hygienic guides recently received from the American Industrial Hygiene Association. It is these guides to which Dr. Cralley referred late last year as probably the best way and means of ub gradually building a manual comparable to the type originally considered by the Hygiene Committee. It was decided by the committee that it would seem practical to gradually build five such manuals in order to provide satisfactory access to such information to interested management personnel. Accordingly, a purchase requisition was issued for five binders and four additional copies of each hygienic guide. As future guides are received four extra copies of each will be ordered. Such are available from the American Industrial Hygiene Association at twenty-five cents each. ARD 044237 3. With further reference to the above guides, it was decided by the committee that an initial circulation should be made of the guides to all division heads upon our TO MESSRS. E. B. FASSEL & L. T. LETSINGER DATE AUGUST 17, 1936 SHEET 2 receipt of them. Anyone desiring to record any specific information from one of them for departmental use would, therefore, have an immediate opportunity to do so. 4. A review of our experience thus far this year with reference to employees being stricken or overcome due to abnormalities in their working atmosphere showed one chlorine case which was experienced on January 23rd in our Remelter Division. The victim was a Remelter man; and at the time of his exposure, he was helping unload ingots in a boxcar. The D C Operator charged with the responsibility of No. 1 Holding Hearth had failed to close a valve. The Accident Investigation Report submitted by the Remelter Division to the Safety Department indicated that the Operator was reprimanded; and fortunately the chlorine victim, even though suffering with bronchitis at the time, experienced no permanent ill effects. An entirely different type case was reported and discussed involving one of our Welders which occurred July 2nd of this year. The man while using a cutting torch inside No. 20 Batch Furnace was stricken. The initial report in connection with this case was erroneous in that he was supposedly "overcome by DX gas fumes." An investigation of the case immediately following the incident disclosed that the man's condition was brought about by insufficient oxygen. Such situation was due to a combination of two factors. First, the Pyrometric Department had failed to shut off the DX units of this furnace prior to the incident; and second, no provisions were made at the start to purge, the furnace. Such was especially necessary in this case as this furnace is equipped with doors at only one end. As a follow-through to this incident C. R. Corr issued a memorandum to all Mechanical Maintenance Supervisors and Foremen4, with regard to their future ARD 04-12** responsibilities in this respect. A copy of this memorandum iB attached for reference. The committee is in complete concurrence with his instructions but offers one further recommendation for consideration. It is understood that the Pyrometric Department 1b equipped with instruments whereby they can quite readily take an air sample and determine its degree of safety. The practicability of utilizing this service should be further considered. ^ ^ }y ("Z>S) / w. BscLrpWi V r;fc TO MESSRS. E. B. FASSEL & L. T. LETSINGER DATE AUGUST 11, 1936 SHEET 1 5. The Chemical Lah'B report of August 3rd on the methanol vapor concentrations at the spirit duplicating machine located in the basement of Building 808 was noted. After a thorough cleaning of the blower, duct entension, motor, etc., the concentrations are still well above acceptable limits. The Engineering Division advises that a work ticket has been issued for an extension to the hood of the exhaust unit at this machine in an effort to effect a satisfactory condition. Upon completion of this revision, another atmospheric sample will be taken by the Chemical Lab. 6. The committee was advised of a recent request to the Rolling Division to fabricate twenty sections of plate, such sections to be etched in chromic acid here at our plant. The possible hazards involved were reviewed by telephone with Dr. Cralley. After conferring with him, the committee is of the opinion that the job can be successfully undertaken providing the necessary precautions are used. A check of the existing respirators in use here at Davenport indicates adequate respiratory protection is on hand. Mr. Archibald of the Rolling Division haB indicated that he will check quite closely with the Hygiene Committee and the Safety Department for guidance as this project develops. BDK:sw Attachment 1 cc: All Division Heads All Members of Hygiene Committee Dr. L. V. Cralley, Pittsburgh Office B. D. KENT, CHAIRMAN ARD 044239 INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE July 9, 1956 FROM C. R. CORR MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT TO ALL MECHANICAL MAINTENANCE SUPERVISORS AND FOREMEN RE: PROVISION OF ADEQUATE VENTILATION WHILE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE WORE There have been several instances in the past of welders or mill wrights being overcome due to lack of proper ventilation while performing maintenance work on furnaces. In other instances maintenance people have become ill due to chlorine in the atmosphere while working on Remelt furnaces. It is the responsibility of the maintenance supervisors and foremen to see that adequate ventilation -is provided for maintenance jobs such as mentioned above and for any other job where in their judgement the ventilation is in adequate. In most cases the use of a fan will provide satisfactory ventilation. In an extreme case such as might occur in the chlorine room, it will be necessary to see that the maintenance people involved utilize the oxygen masks provided for that purpose. Wherever the possibility of a maintenance worker being overcome or becoming ill exists even though all precautions have been taken, more than one man should be assigned to the job so that the person performing the work can be closely watched and immediate assistance can be given if required. vd:sw C. R. CORR r ARD 044240