R. J. Sexton to S. C. Giambruno Enclosing Union Carbide's Third Insulation Block Dust Survey (1963)

A Union Carbide memo of October 23, 1963, from Dr. R. J. Sexton to S. C. Giambruno, enclosing Robert E. Peele's "very excellent and very complete" report 63-IH-3-G-1 on Thermobestos, Kaylo and Carey-Temp insulation blocks (17 pages). The report found that Kaylo blocks "can be safely fabricated with the existing equipment," while Thermobestos and Carey-Temp blocks could not, though both could be if the exhaust ventilation were improved. Also attached are Peele's note of November 29, 1963, that cutting Carey-Temp pipe covering appeared, on visual observation alone, to pose no hazard, and a faint memo of August 1965 from J. D. Young finding the hazard from grinding Carey-Temp block "very slight."

What it shows

The third survey asked whether the first test of Kaylo had been wrong, whether added overhead exhaust would bring Thermobestos within safe limits, and whether a third product, Carey-Temp, was hazardous. Its graphs show dust from Thermobestos and Carey-Temp above the limit of 20 million particles per cubic foot at most sampling points even with the added ventilation. Sexton considered "this particular project" completed.

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 memo to S. C. Giambruno, 10/23/63, entitled "Insulation Block Dust Survey, Construction Insulation Shop, Plant 511." Dr. Sexton encloses a "very complete Industrial Hygiene report [Report 63-IH-3-G-1 by Peele] on the potential hazardousness of Thermobestos, Kaylo and Carey-Temp insulation blocks which have been processed in the Construction Department's Insulation Shop." Dr. Sexton states that the report points out definitely that Thermobestos and Carey-Temp insulation blocks cannot be fabricated safely with existing equipment, but that Kaylo insulation blocks can be fabricated safely. Also attached is Peele's letter to Dr. R. J. Sexton, 11/29/63, entitled "Construction Insulation Shop, Building 511-2018." Peele states that based on his visual observations, no hazard is created by fabricating Carey-Temp pipe covering. Also attached is a very illegible memo from J. D. Young (Industrial Hygienist, Union Carbide) to F. P. Lamham (Fabrication Shop, Union Carbide), 8/24/65, indicating that a negligible health hazard might be created by using grinder machines to cut Carey-Temp block.

Related documents

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

About this copy

This is document 614 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-002058 to CRMC-Motley1000-Subj-002074.