Document ymJBpqjk94YkG0qoE8zo8DmR2

June 26, 1974 9:00 A.H, OSHA VIHYL CHLORIDE HEARINGS OSHA's vinyl chloride hearings resided this morning at 9 with the Industry presenting Its case for achievable lower exposure Halts in vinyl chloride and polyvinyl chloride plants. In yesterday's 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.ra. opening session, OSHA. NI05H and Union witnesses repeated their support for the proposed "no detectable level" of worker exposure. Dr. Irving J. Sellkoff of Hew York's Kt. Sinai Hospital echoed this position in his testimony In which he reported results from "clinical field studies" of workers at Goodyear, Dow and Union Carbide plants. The URW's witnesses, Bonmarito and Pelic?ky, insisted that OSHA impose the no detectable level and demanded stronger enforcement of all occupational safety end health regulations. The URW's representatives conceded that "older marginal plants" may have difficulty "justifying major alterations" to achieve a no detect able level. However, in the case of new plants, the UftW said the problem Is one of "will not ability" to protect workers from any exposure to vinyl chloride. Yesterday's proceedings were alinost entirely predictable. While demanding that industry could and should achieve much lower or a "no detectable" level of exposure, most witnesses did concede that more data is needed about the effect of vinyl chloride on humans and that the industry needs time to develop and install new engineering controls. The government's case, as stated publicly. Is based largely on the fact there is no known "safe" level of vinyl chloride exposure, A government witness, reputed to be the world's leading expert on respirator equipment, took a position quite similar to the one that industry experts will express today cn these protective devices. The respirator export pointed out that extensive train ing would be needed for the widespread use of respirator equifsnent and that long lead time is necessary even to acquire it. '?? I 'I P u % O QD 0> O o h* Page 2 QSHft VINYL CHLORIDE HEARINGS (continued) Fourteen witnesses will speak for SPI at the opening of today's session. Major parts of industry's position were released to the press yesterday in an attempt to offset to some degree the largely negative testimony of yesterday's witnesses. Following SPI* depending on the amount of cross-examination, the witness schedule calls for presentations by Tenneco, Air Products* and Dow Chemical, which will probably require another evening session. 'VfKT.X; John J. Bell, Director External Communications and Public Affairs ,;;vc * ;Vl:VV/!v*; V< *>' At*;-. - v .......... . .. Z00980?2