Document xz6RB9ELnVXdxm54dzeDmVerJ

/ JA TlC< -fetal-Ohio Sufcly Congii^s /(Sllxliibit apriUl.l&S KT78 'Hie lili?4rtiG m Offliiu Phisi*i CYSitlvfiO'I I\j*iLnc I.*0.1 Ik I/To ri4n)>!is.(1i'*> February 6, 1978 .Ibivs.VMV.tn (j>*cruir IixltpJrid ('(uiintls`-kHl \\ illkmiW. V Jut-lm. WvOtinmi H.-inlo- Legal Section Industrial Commission of Ohio Ohio Departments Building Columbus, Ohio 43215 O.D. 12686-22 Benjamin E. Chanccy Owens-Corning Fiberglas Newark, Ohio S. lh|^oie MiiVi*\\\;iw. Sijob Iloilo* itiiWty. .Vv4.Sl<. Attn: Burton Hirsch Gentlemen: I.Miokv. JAMiikij. On December 20, 1977, a visit was made to the plant of OwensCorning Fiberglas, Newark, Ohio, to check conditions under which the claimant had worked. Owens-Corning Fiberglas is an extremely large industrial complex. The Newark plant has approximately 2,800 employees. The main product is fiberglass. The fiberglass is produced from the basic constituents of glass to all types of fiberglass finished products. The claimant's work history for Owens-Corning fiberglas is incorporated into this report. The claimant worked for the corporation for twenty four years. Approximate dates: 1952 - 1976 There is no record of the claimant's employment history prior to working for Owens-Corning Fiberglas (if any exists). Due to the vast scope of operations at the Newark plant, the incorporated work record specifies the various operations and stations the claimant had been associated with during his tenure for the corporation. The claimant states that his home department was the refrigeration department. Also incorporated into this report is a letter from Mr. Gerald E. Devitt, Chief Corporate Industrial Hygienist, alluding to glass fiber counts taken in the various areas of major concern to this investigation. Sampling procedures were not v.arrented, first, due to the vast number of stations the claimant had been affiliated with and secondly, the document supplied by Mr. Devitt specifies that fiber glass particles do exist in the atmospheric work environment at Owens-Corning Fiberglas. i 0.0. 12686-22 page 2 Threshold Limit Values are not relevant to this report due to the fact that over a 24 year work period, airborne concentrations of fiber glass particulate may have varied from time to time under different working and atmospheric conditions. Threshold Limit Values (TLV's) refer to airborne concentrations of substances and represent conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed day after day without adverse effects. Because of wide variations in individual susceptibility, however, exposure of an occasional individual at or even below current TLV's may not prevent discomfort, aggravation of pre-existing conditions, or an occupational illness. Many TLV's are based on acute exposures and do not necessarily represent prolonged exposures after many years of working. It is important to note that fiberglass is considered a nusiance dust at this time, (TLV 10 mg/M3: fiber size < 7p in diameter). The National Institute of Occupational Health has a "proposed" criteria document that classifies fiber glass in the same category with asbestos, however, this is just in the proposal stage. The claimant has a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis, pneumoconiosis and general lung disease. TLV's of 10 mg/M3 or 5 fibers per ml (cc) should not be used or modified for use as proof or disproof of an existing disease or physical condition. Because of the wide variation in individual susceptibility to toxic agents, many variables must be taken into account along with the exposure levels of the toxic agents. The claimant was definitely exposed to varying concentrations of ariborne fiberglass particulate during his 24 years of employment at Owens Corning Fiborglas, Newark, Ohio. No definitive determinations can be made from an industrial hygiene standpoint. However, wfien considering individual susceptibil ity, coupled with the fact that a toxic agent is and has been present in varying degrees, the potential for the inducement of an occupational disease does exist. Sincerely, 3/ 7/ Mack Pompei1 t/Industrial Hygienist