2. Asbestos
Safety
Equipment, 1938
A safety engineer's
report
concerning the pipe installation and covering shop (Building
#10)
mentions that a "B-2 type half-mask with double disc is in use in the
asbestos
mixing room in the mixing of magnesia and fibre for insulation work by
workmen. Mr. Burt, the Quarterman in charge, states that the mask
appears to answer the purposes for which it is intended in the
elimination
of asbestos dust in the mixing operations."
[Memo, William Stewart,
Sr. Inspector of Safety, to Lt. Cmdr. T. E. Flaherty; "General
inspection
report for week ending February 4, 1938"; RG181; NA-NY.]
3. Some Asbestos
Workers
in the BNY, 1940
Not all asbestos
workers
were on warships.
A report listing
personnel
needs for certain projects in 1941 mentions that asbestos workers
will be among 19 trades that will be used to:
Extend the boiler shop;
Make various repairs and
additions to the Central power plant;
Reconstruct building
ways
#1.
[Letter, Commandant, to
Chief BuDocks; Public Works Program 1941; 23 May 1940; RG181; NA-NY.]
Contrary to
the
claim of some in government and industry that the dangers of asbestos
[at
least asbestosis] were not discoved until the 1960s, there are these
documents
from the BNY.
a. A report by
the
Yard's medical officer in April 1940 based on "a careful study of
industrial
occupational conditions" in the navy yard and standards advised by the
U.S. Public Health Service recommends that "periodical physical exams
[be
given to the following] employees exposed to potential health hazards":
-Sandblasters:
semi-annual
inclusive chest x-ray;
-Amosite or other
asbestos
workers: annual inclusive chest x-ray, in January;
-Industrial x-ray and
radium
workers: bimonthly complete blood study;
-Pickling plant workers
in coppersmith shop: semi-annual report;
-Electric and gas
welders:
"not indicated unless continuously assigned to welding/cutting metal
painted
with lead or metal containing lead, in which case a semi-annual exam;"
-Slate and red putty
workers
in paint shop: semi-annual;
-Spray painters: annual,
to include blood exams;
-Brush painters: not
needed
unless continuously assigned to lead paint;
[Memo, Medical Officer
of
the Yard, to Commandant; 26 April 1940; RG181; NA-NY.]
In May 1940, the
Commandant
orders the program put into effect.
[Commandant's Order
39-40,
25 July 1940; RG181; NA-NY.]
b. In
November
1940, the Shop Superintendent of the Charleston (SC) Navy Yard writes
to
his counterpart at the BNY inquiring about what safety precautions his
Yard uses in handling amosite and fibrous glass.
The BNY
Superintendent replies
that amosite and asbestos workers are given a physical exam including
an
X-ray of the chest every January;
Exhaust blowers are
installed
in the shops where the material is cut to shape and fitting covers are
formed.
For fibrous glass,
workers
must keep the collar of their shirt buttoned up; if they roll up their
sleeve, they fix them in place with bands; they wear clear goggles with
guards; and have pail of water to wash exposed skin.
[Letter, Shop
Supt, CNY,
to Shop Supt, NYNY; 19 November 1940; Reply, 28 November 1940; RG181:
NA-NY.]
c. In December
1940
the Yard's Safety Engineer conducted another inspection in building 10
where pipe insulation (lagging) was manufactured [see #2 above].
He noted that the motor of the exhaust fan over the hooded work bench
that
carryied off asbestos dust sparked excessively and needed repair.
He also noted that the fan was too small, and later in the following
year
a larger one was installed.
[Memo, Safety Engineer,
to Production Officer; 10 December 1940; handwritten note on memo dated
6 September 1941; RG181; NA-NY,]
d. A report
by the
Yard's Medical Officer at year's end notes that among other workers
[sandblasters;
slate and red putt painters] foundry amosite and asbestos workers are
due
to examined during the month of January 1941.
[Memo, Medical Officer,
to Manager; 31 December 1940; RG181; NA-NY.]