R. J. Sexton to L. N. Dickinson Enclosing Union Carbide's Thermobestos and Kaylo Dust Survey (1962)

A memo of March 21, 1962, from Dr. R. J. Sexton, plant medical director of Union Carbide Chemicals Company's Institute plant near Charleston, West Virginia, to plant manager L. N. Dickinson, enclosing industrial hygienist R. E. Peele's survey of the plant's Construction Insulation Shop (19 pages). The survey began after band-saw operators complained in November 1961 of heavy dust when cutting Johns-Manville's Thermobestos blocks, and little when cutting Owens-Corning's Kaylo. Peele concluded that cutting Thermobestos with band saws "produces a definite atmospheric hazard to health" above the threshold limit value of 20 million particles per cubic foot, while cutting Kaylo did not, and recommended that Thermobestos not be cut with the existing equipment.

What it shows

This is a customer's own test of a J-M product. Sexton's cover memo said the plant had stopped processing Thermobestos and that the men exposed to its dust would have chest X-rays and be followed. The report sets out the sampling, dust counts, particle sizes and silica content, with a drawing of a ventilated band saw. J-M's reaction to this finding appears in Sexton's memo of December 1962.

In Johns-Manville's index

Johns-Manville's legal department indexed the Motley 1,000 in 1984. Its index describes this document as follows:

Dr. R. J. Sexton (Plant Medical Director, Charleston, W. Virginia, Union Carbide) memo to L. N. Dickinson (Plant Manager, Union Carbide), 3/21/62, entitled "Insulation Block Dust Survey, Construction Insulation Shop, Plant 511." Memo encloses an industrial hygiene survey (Report 62-IH-2-G-1) by Robert E. Peele (Industrial Hygienist, Union Carbide) of Union Carbide's Construction Insulation Shop. This shop is engaged in the cutting, sawing, and shaping of Thermobestos (J-M product) insulation block and Kaylo (OCF product) insulation block on high-speed electrical band saw equipment. Peele's report indicates that the survey was prompted by complaints from Union Carbide employees in the Construction Shop of "uncomfortable and dusty working conditions." Peele's report concludes that the fabrication of Thermobestos insulation blocks with band saws produces a definite health hazard, because the dust levels present during this operation exceed the TLV selected by Peele (20 mppcf). On the other hand, the fabrication of Kaylo insulation blocks with band saws does not present a health hazard, because the dust levels created during that process are below the TLV. Dr. Sexton in his cover memo states that Peele notified the Construction Shop supervisor (P. E. Henry) of his conclusions so that the fabrication of Thermobestos would cease. Dr. Sexton reports that Henry has notified him that Thermobestos will no longer be processed. Also, Dr. Sexton states that the plant medical department has been informed that those persons who have been exposed to Thermobestos are to immediately have up-to-date chest films and that the progress of the exposed men is to be followed. Additional information on Peele is in the J-10-49 Miscellaneous Issue file: J-M Knowledge Issues, Vol. II.

Related documents

• R. J. Sexton to G. J. Ratcliffe Enclosing Union Carbide's Survey of New Thermobestos Blocks (1962)
• R. J. Sexton to S. C. Giambruno on Johns-Manville's Thermobestos Proposal (1962)
• R. J. Sexton to S. C. Giambruno Enclosing Union Carbide's Third Insulation Block Dust Survey (1963)
• Union Carbide Institute Plant Dust Surveys of J-M Thermobestos Insulation Blocks (1962)

About this copy

This is document 611 of the Motley 1,000, from the set the Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust's records facility certified as true copies, pages CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-002026 to CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-002044.