Document yYq923k2qvXorK8bXQGrQdgX

FILE NAME: National Gypsum (NG) DATE: 1972 DOC#: NG072 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Testimony at the Dept of Labor Hearing  \ U^ITZD STr.i^z DEFAEIMZkT Op LAHOP &SHIR2TCS, 2 .C. In the Matter of: STAm^IS) FOP SXrCSUPE TO A.-- {*?np nrr^fT, PROPOSED' HUIS iikVTvn JwI' FurLIC n-r-.. - -X Conference Poom 3 Interdepartmental Aucitc 12th c Constitution Ave Washington, D.C. ' Thursday, March 16. The above-entitlJ"eda nr*'-n-^wcr ,,__ css on _ for further haez pursuant to recess, at 9:CO o'clori- - _ . .. * 61 > Thursday, March 1972. BEFOSE: AitTHUH M. GOLOSEES, Hearing Eraminer A ? f'iiAiICSS: t As heretofore noted.) fe jerry on jestos * ' . > * AFTERNOON SES5T0V . . (23Q p.n.J - SXAMIEES G0LDS2LG: On the`record. 4 A s ^ * Fsy rod Mr. Suetonic -- excuse me, is - V, XX *. ei.u Doctor Tetrich in the room? All right, Mr. Fay and Mr. Swetonic.* ,i E 1 fi I is. 6 KL. FAY: My nans is Aluerr H. Fay. i ^ Vica =tC Gld ZQd Preducts Division ox to Kational Gypsum Company in Buffalo, Bet: York. I am aPF8ari hare today in By capacity as president-of the Asuestos Information Association of north America, located in Sew Yo: . 1r r M j i l City. The Asoescos Information Association is eoopriaed o f euelve oi the nation's largest miners, uaacfacturers and importers of asoescos^ and asoestos^containing products. The craPanies'<>t the association are listed on a fact Shoot, which I ail! sucxit Xiith ay testimony. ' ' /is an introduction to *`ndusf~ _ -noustry testimony that aill . iollou. T uould like to uriefly-Sketch for-you a general : * * * " " f 81=8 " d of the **dsseos dustry in tin . .L-xtac States, the types of products produced, the nuaoer of \ i ; FS=?le C=?iyed' and oi:he`r iac ~ e*e ill b k P position a ! " JC" OS " nua" '" i=S industry in the economic end social x structure of this country: * * 1 i: 2S }! I snould rationed oefore proceeding chat chc ' . =-jo^ity o t -he data that I present refers'only to the n manufacturing side of the industry, and does not include detailed information on industry using finished asueatos products, such as the construction industry or the insulae < i application and removal trades. : Asbestos is the generic name given Co s group of ' inorganic hydrated silicate minerals that have o n e ___ m1 attribute, namely, the ability to be separated into releti, . ; " i. soft, silky fibers. The three most ecamonly used varieties of asbestos are ehrysotila, crocidbUte, or blue fiber and i 20 : 'aoosite. .<!i . It is important to note that chrysotile accounts more than 987. of the total annuel Doited, states consumption of asbestos. In the past, erocidolite and amosite were use, far more er.tensively in the United tates than they are tod The leading producers of chrysotile ricer are Canada and the Soviet Union, with smaller deposits being found in South Africa,.. Shodcsia, China, the United States and Italy. crseidolice and rsosite are mined almost erslusive: in Couth Africa. . - .auc total annual world production of asbestos is = a i d million tons, with Canadian production accounting f, . : aocuc 307. of the total, end the United States about 37.. The properties or asbestos that give it commercial - :: value arc- its fibrous structure, the great tensile strength ii !! :l * or the fibers and its resistance to high temperatures and to D . ... certain types of chemical action. " ' As a fireproofing material, asbestos has over th ; 7003:5 saved uoCold lives -- ny billions of dollars in property damage. It is used in products ranging from , asbestos-cement shingles, panels and siding'to. fireproof, clothing, insulations, floor tile and friction materials. It has been estimated that .seme 3 thousand different produc i-aaily use around ttenorld contain asbestos. Host of th products, even though the percentage of asbestos in them me 1 1 . cannot adequately perform their function without one or more of the unique properties that asbestos imparts. For most of these products, no'adequate'substitute for asbestos is available today. ' It mould tahe me an hour' to enumerate for you the major uses of asbestos fiber t ,, x .am submitting with ny testimony a listin'- n._ . . _ " 03 ^ soestoe Fact Book, a publi cs tia. of Asbestos iagsuino, of seme ef the primary uses of asbestos in our m o d e m society.' I think it bill becone quite d o r r after retd:-- this list uhy asbestos has~often been cciies the indicpcnceble mineral. ' `- . In tlie United States, the cone-caption of ran as.-.cstos fiber over the past decade has remained fairly staule at an average e approximately 775,000 tons per year, th an estimated value of $90 million. Of this annual total approximately 125,000 tons valued at $10.5 million introduce. I 1 jj domestically, the resc being imported, primarily from Cana Based on Bureau of the Census^manufacturing statistics and other data, the estimated value of asbestos ii t*( ! containing products manufactured in the United states last I f! year was roughly SI billion. Only around $35 million uorci of fiber and products ware exported, the rest being consume ii domestically. ' ' i<i These products were made in well over 500 differe manufacturing facilities, both `large and' small, throughout ! the United States, with a work force of at least 50,000 . * { employees, and a payroll approaching i billion. It should ba remembered chat chase employment and sales figures refer only Co companies and industries in nhie asbestos fiber is converted into finished produces. In most eases, ehese produces are roe sold direeely to ultimate eon- sunar, buc are used in che menufaceure of ocher produces, such as aucomobUes, electrical appliances and fireproof" clothing. In ocher inscaoces, che finished asbestos-contain ing produces pass through a dealer or distributor to an applicator or sort other' craftsman oho installs them. This is obviously the case in the construction industry. . lims, products containing asbestos fiber tsay pass through throe or four levaIs of t-r-r* _ . j-evwxs oi tr*de or manufacture before they arc purchased,by the ultimate consumer. For this reason, it is quite difficult to accuratel' :> H^\ O- /"* 1 I : judge the tonal economic value of the asbestos industry t; the nation. T;e firmly believe, however, .that the Arthur l 0 LiCCla Company eeeaomie study nou under uay, w i n sllcw it *1 `*I be substantial. Far example, it has been estinated that: t j : !i .i ; ^ ! ' r:i ii. 3 ?! insulatian trades alone involve 40,000 can who spend at lc a quarter of their tine working tilth asbestos-containing products, other employees whose livelihood depends at laa to-same extant on the'use of asbestos-containing products 3 ;i; *! j :n. include other types of construction workers; sidin2, roafi and d i e installers, pipe layers, salesmen, distributors a, dealers in asbestos products. It is impassible to calculai :* :j ?3 : the total income derived by these workers from the use or sale of eshestas-containing products, but it is certainly i the hundreds of millions of dollars. ' If cue adds in the value of services, machinery, " " " rials " * otter commodities purchased by the asbest manufacturing industry each year far use in the production shipment of finished asbestos products, the total econcmic contribution of the industry to the nation's eeonony would -dwell, peraaps. $3 b i l u sn, cud would involve, to come degret < the livelihood of at least half a million u a g e T a ^ s aad their fcailies. U. believe the eccnomie and eoeial contrib! fci ' 'I 1 nr l!:i . li W-on of the asbestos industry to the nation is substantial. In addition to the many and varied lifesaving u-es of asbestos, they play an important role in our modern^ f; ; l t, > a ,, I* technological society. 1 For these reasons the establishes of reasonable and feasible occupational -health standards " i O: asbestos is a oacter of great importance, not only Co the ; t : Hhose health ee are 'trying "to protect, but also to ch2 * and to the country as a whole. " ; _ {; i * i` ^ I I " . 0ur " * " <=7 is oooperatiag fully u-ith the -y,,- Little Company in the economic- study they have L-eea retains to make byOSEA. He are all orbing hard to. develop precis 3 i! 4*1 fiscres as to the potantial economic effect of the proposed *I regulations on our industry. To'date.uo have been able to * I t I ~ * y = l y m u s h estimates, m gnneral, they`shoo a cost to tbs industry of approriaately 5200 million in ce eeuipmunt to comply with the proposed standard of teo 'fibers.per cubic centimeter in those sections-of the industry ,,here ,,e belie, a tao-fiter standard is technolo3ically feasible. rae proposed regulations unuld also produce a loss io sales of ^least 5400 oillieu because of the laholieg retirements =nu cue shut a of operations hare -tuo fibers io teehno- -c..i.-.ly unfeasible. A number of companies lavs already fadieatod that they do net believe a Co-fiber standard is .-.i-le ia cany operations, and that if SUCh a standard is promulgated, they nil! close deun those operations immediatel . # 1 I Sp8nd -caicvQ ha unachievable. sthaiial. ' dol^ = a vain attempt to The loss of jobs will be sub- , 9 7 G. r. 4 1*. Yesterday, there was a statement cade here that one plant can meet the standards, then all can. This is : i:t * Ii rt!; ! :i true. There are vest differences in the various aanufact: Industries and the dissimilarity makes it impossible for t to duplicate the other. '. ' One other point. Yesterday, it was stated that smokies substantially increases, the risk of disease. Sine i: s J! If* 1 Ii: e. are all concerned about the health ox those associated mith this business, me would like to recommend that the proposed standard should prohibit smoking during working h on the job and that the warning signs required to be pos should prominently display "no smoking." Precedents for t esict in regulations at the Department of Interior,' for crample, in uranium mines. ' la closing, it is our hope that CSHA will take a: or these considerations into mind in developing the standa; Ir this is not done, it could well spell the demise of at least half of the asbestos industry in the United States an in time, perhaps, all of it. %1! H Thank you, Hr. Goldberg. " I want to submit two exhibits. This exhibit is list of the members of the Asbestos Association of Korth / . America. .w..V *s IHtAHi!*tali GOLDBERG: The list of members of the Asbestos Association will be Exhibit 3L. \ * . *11 Ii 2 t !t1 ; H * * ll 4' wt ?! rl S ! 1 Sheet Cllie docusrsas above referre: . * w e carked as Exhibit K o . : . . ESAMBEFe'G0LDEZ2S: or identification.) All right. FAYi And the sesoad one is Che Asbestos ?a, concerning the uses of asoestos and asbestos prodc-t E X AKHEH GOLDEEiG: *hat Bill be Ernibit 39 . O h e desuaect above referred 1 . V d !! . as narked as Exhibit ;-to. 3 0 sxAmnni goldseeg: for identification.) ihank you. Esbabits 38 and 39 are received. (The docuaescs previously id, I feed as Erhibies :!es . 3b an, I! I' rare received ia evidence.) li ii GSU,EEr" : fesroducc ^ u . i! : !a. SBEBSOC, My rare is Urtthr- - . a t .. . ;* r .._ _ ---- - *wetonic, a or the sbs3Ces lzfoz,, t.. . --- Oi--acxca Assoc ut H e n ox north A f r i c a m ~ ica 2nd also caac'*'r e- ~ , . . a-r c- special pro-t-'-f- ^ thr-public A f e < ~ : tiQa. m ' * ' J-bcs-aanville Ccrpos i t ;: *"* ra7 has alrccdv des^rii-r, . . * "U d the e l a t i o n , an 1 - 4 . U the censanios fainh it r e p e n t - r ,, i a- , op-e-ect.. tvs are basic. -a w u o m a i i o n di-ssaniuitin" o - ~ i , - - - ! ,, a ?-b~*ieata.on and the acCs 0T .*-- ons ccneined in ny presentation are supported in the A Ou- MAY 1965 / / U.S DEFAFiMcNT OF LA302 CaiiiiajtM RECORDS AUTHENTICATION CERTIFICATE exhibit I HEREOF ATTEST. That the annexed copy, or each of the specified number of copies of each d, listed below is a true copy of a document in the official custody of the Department of Labor. 1 copy each of; ' * - Transcripts from March U.15,16, and 17 H. Comments and hearing exhibits of: K: V i HB = TM y' A ril lnf S,C^ TU* E Daniel Tuchnit ofFfFiIcCiIaAlL tittllee DIVISION ANO BUREAU DATE Docket Office/Technical Data rKarsick Center/Occup. Sfty & Hlth Ada/ ,,Information Specialist jLS. Dept, of Labor 7 Sep.78 1 HEREBY CERTIFY, t w Daniel j . .-iarsiefr migaed he foregoing attestatioe. ie no and a s at the time of signing (title) Technical Information Special!** end has legal custody of the official records of the United States Department of Labor therein ^att -ated and that full faith and creditahould begieentohie set a s auch. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, 1 J J. Lafranchise j^uly-designated by the Secretary of Labor aa Authentic ;auon Officer of the Department of Labor, have here* Jinto subscribed ay name sod caused the seal of the Department of Labor to be affixed t h i s ^ t h .d a y of '.'VTr<T' L.-1- 'r' MAY I96S r / y / *15'| U.S DEPAFi MENT OF LABOR Wurfiingten RECORDS AUTHENTICATION CERTIFICATE \ I HEREBY A T T E ST , That the annexed copy, or each of the specified number of co p ies, of each docum* listed below is a true copy of a document in the o fficial custody of the Department of Labor. 1 copy each of: Transcripts from March ',15,16, and 17 Comments and hcaxlng exhibits of: Cy W.J. Nicholson, American Petroleum Institute, D.A. Holaday, Brand Insula-mr Inc., L.J Bibri, B.J. Phillips(Certain-teed), M.W. Borow, J.D. MoranCFlrr Itkote), F.L. Pundsack(J-M), J.W. Rawlings, W.M. Hancock(Dow), W.K. Hesse(j-M) ^ t : ML t ( M A f 1 U a a (N a 6 * A*bestos Products C o ^ --4 the foregoing attestation, is now and was at the time of signing (title) Technical Information Soecia'<?- 1 w *d hai legal custody of the official records of the United States Department of Labor therein ait .sted and that full faith and credit should be given to his act as auch IN WITNESS WHEREOF. I Lafranchise j^uly designated by the Secretary of Labor as Autheati- Ration Officer of the Department of Labor, have here* ^unto subscribed my name and caused the seal of the Department of Labor to be affixed this day of 'tk~ .y. . t: