Document zzy8gLmRk1Vd2mz8v3xRVNzw6

(com jo) Interoffice Communication To Plant Supervisors From R. 0. Gamblin om - . May 6, 1974 subjact VCM Plant Conmunication Meetings - May 2, 1974 The VCM Plant communication meetings were held with all employees on May 2. Information covered during these meetings is attached- Generally, there was more interest in the details of the VCM problem. Particular problem areas pointed out by the employees during the course of these meetings, that need our attention, are listed below: 1) T-252 exhausts considerable EDC and hypochlorite fumes around the east end of Block I. The source appears to be the overflow pipe. Can something be done to eliminate this problem? 2) The opinion was expressed that the 1/4-inch tubing being Installed on the VCM sample educator systems was too small ____________ and would probably result in pluggage problems. ________ __ 3) A higher priority should be placed on revising the sample points for C-102*reflux and the vinyl chloride tar still reflux samples. These samples are particularly irritating and revision seems to be relatively simple. 4) Communications with the Pumper/Loader during car loading is very difficult since he is required to continually wear fresh air protection. Would utilization of a throat mike tied to the existing communications system be possible to eliminate this problem. Some means of communications is badly needed. 5) Rail car bauxite bed clearing releases a considerable amount of VCM. Some change in this procedure is needed before the next bed change. We heed to review these problem areas as quick as possible and determine what can be done to eliminate them. is Enc CC + enc: DVP-LNV-REL CCR 000081922 VCM PLANT COMMUNICATION MEETINGS INFORMATION PRESENTED TO EMPLOYEES 5-2-74 When will the last blood toxicity test results be available? Answer: The toxicity test results are available now and have just been returned to Gordon Monroe. You should be receiving results of your test within the next week. If you have any questions concerning these results, discuss them with Gordon Monroe; or, upon request, we will put you in contact with Dr. Whetstone for the purpose of discussing any of your test results. If in the course of future testing you desire to have access to the complete test results, this can be accomplished by you having your personal physician contact Dr. Lembke of the CONOCO Medical Department. With your permission Dr. Lembke will release this Information to your personal physician. What is the current situation on deaths associated with angiosarcoma? Answer: The current situation is that there are 12 deaths associated .with angiosarcoma within the U.$., and there are two deaths outside the United States. There are two people still living that have angiosarcoma. In all of the known cases of angiosarcoma the employee had worked 13 years in the PVC industry. A minimum of ten years was in association with PVC polymerization. The number of cases associated with particular plants and their locations are: Company Location Deaths 6. F. Goodrich Union Carbide Goodrich I.C.I. Norsk Hydro Firestone Louisville, Kentucky $. Charleston, W. Va. Niagra Falls, N. Y. United Kingdom Norway Akron, Ohio 5+2 Ambulatory 1 3 1 1 1 What are the details on the animal test data? Answer: The test data being conducted by the MCA involves three animals-- mice, rats, and hamsters. The results of the test as of April 15 show no deaths have occurred at any of the exposure levels with the rats and hamsters. There are four exposure levels--0, 50 ppm, 200 ppm, and 2500 ppm. The data on the mice deaths as of April 15 are: Group Deaths Cases of Anqiosarcoma 0 50 ppm 200 ppm 2500 ppm 20 40 20 21 0 2 4 17 OCR 000081923 Meetings--5-2-74 Page 2 The significant factors here appear to be for the first time in the animal test there were cases of angiosarcoma at the 50 ppm level of ex posure. Secondly, it appears that with mice the percent of deaths by angiosarcoma increase with an increase of VCM exposure level. Exposure during these tests is controlled so that the animal is exposed 5 days/week 7 hours a day and has been exposed for about seven months thus far. Test duration will be nine months for the mice and one year for rats and hamsters. 4) What will the company do If you show signs of angiosarcoma? Answer: Initially, all attempts will be made to definitely verify that the signs are real. Once it has been defined that an employee definitely shows signs of angiosarcoma, he will be removed from VCM exposure. The manner in which this is done is not clearly defined and probably will not be determined unless necessary. Generally, it would depend on the particular case involved. 5) Will the company relocate you upon the employee's request strictly to get out of the VCM Plant and its associated exposure problem? Answer: No. Any request for transfers from an employee without definite signs of toxicity problems would be treated as any other transfer request. 6) What happens if an employee develops angiosarcoma and his medical coverage Is depleted? % Answer: The case would probably be determined as being associated with his work environment, and in this case it would be covered by Workmen's Compensation. The company would be obligated as defined by the Workmen's Compensation regulation. 7) Who is responsible for reviewing the medical test results? Answer: The current doctor retained by the company, Dr. Bennerscheidt, is responsible for giving the employee the physical examinaton and re porting his findings to the company Medical Department. The physical results and all test results will be reviewed by company Medical Depart ment personnel. 8) How long a time normally passes before symptoms begin to show? Answer: There does not appear to be a good answer for this question. 9) What are the symptoms? Answer: I can't tell you specifically what the symptoms are. Generally, I'm told that the symptoms are the same as cirrhosis of the liver. We will try to get better information on this question. 000081*^ ccft Meetings--5-2-74 Page 3 10) Will the tests currently being made tell you If you have angiosarcoma? Answer: It depends on the extent of the development of the tumor. Generally, the blood test being given will show a toxicity only in the later stages when the tumor has affected a large portion of the liver. The tests being done are the best the medical profession has at this time. Any improvements that develop will be incorporated into our testing program invnediately as they become available. 11) What is the plant program for reducing VCM emissions?. Answer: Our main sources of emission and the areas most likely to cause employee exposure above the 50 ppm level were issued in a recent plant bulletin. Briefly, these areas are--VCM sampling, tank car loading, and ship loading. The first stage of the plant program has been directed entirely at defining these areas and placing them under the restriction of requiring the use of fresh air breathing apparatus. The second stage is toward containing the emissions and removing them from the immediate employee work area. By this we hope to quickly eliminate the need for many of the breathing apparatus requirements. The third phase will be directed toward recovering as much of the VCM as possible thereby reducing Its release to the surrounding environment. 12) What are the current governmental regulations concerning VCM exposure? Answer: The current regulation just issued by OSHA limits the maximum Instant exposure of an employee to VCM at 50 ppm. Any exposure at higher levels requires the use of breathing air devices. It includes provisions for full disclosure of exposure data to the employee. It requires that monitoring be done on the person of the employee and that this monitoring be done weekly until three consecutive weeks of data show exposure below the 50 ppm level. Once this is accomplished frequency of monitoring can be reduced to monthly. However, if excursions above 50 are shown in the data the frequency of monitoring must be increased to weekly until three consecutive weeks of low exposure are shown again. Two other regulations released recently by OSHA concern the use of vinyl chloride as a propellant in aerosol sprays. These regulations have banned the use of vinyl chloride monomer in hair and insecticide sprays, the regulations also require a recall by the various companies to remove these sprays from the market. We have a list of some of the sprays in volved. This list will be published in a bulletin for your home use. 13) What is the data In the plant showing on VCM exposure? Answer: Briefly, the exposure data show that if you are involved in any o the areas of VCM sampling, tank car or ship loading, or opening of any process lines or vessels containing VCM you are probably exposed to levels above 50 ppm. That is the basic reason for establishing these particular Jobs as requiring fresh air protection. CCR 000081925 Meetings--5-2-74 Page 4 All the plant data Is being kept by the Chief Chemist in the Laboratory and It is available to each of you for your review. We request that you attempt to schedule the review so that it does not reduce the man power available to continue our sampling and collection program. At the present time we are in a very tight manpower situation. A great deal of plant staff time is being devoted to designing and eliminating the areas of exposure. ccr ooooai926