DuPont, Where Safety is aCondition of Employment

Norman W. Henry III, MS, CIHSafety and Health By Protection (SHBP)

DuPont (Retired)shbp65@comcast.net

DuPont’s Commitment to Safety (1800’s)

ν Over 200 years ago 1802 DuPont foundedν Gunpowder production on Brandywine River in Wilmington, DEν Work safely with explosives or loss of job, life and businessν Became tradition and commitmentν All employees held accountableν Many safety records, achievements and awardsν SAFETY FIRSTν Safety = freedom from risk, harm, injury, disease and loss of

lifeν Trust in employer and in employees to obey

Gunpowder

Safety Booklet 1915 (1900’s)

ν Given to DuPont employees at Explosives installations in NewJersey

ν Titled “Safety Health Efficiency”ν Safety imperativeν Health essential to happinessν Efficiency quality most valuable in employee

ν Welfare and success in life attainable by safetyν Director of Explosive Department, Harry Haskell established

Medical Division that included program for employee healthSurveillance

ν 1920’s and early 1930’sν TEL – lead poisoningν Cyanosisν Dyes – increasing number of bladder tumors

Booklet

DuPont Medical Director, Dr. George Gehrman

“We can see now that much suffering can beavoided if sufficient knowledge of the toxicity ofchemical compounds is developed before theprocess of manufacture is started and before ourworkman have a chance to become poisoned.”

Establishment of Lab

ν Recommendation made to establishmedical research laboratory, 1934

ν January 22, 1935 Building 249Experimental Station, Wilmington, DEdedicated as medical research labν First laboratory of it’s kind in the USν $150,000; 10,000 square feet, 9

employeesν “It’s a new idea in American industry”

local newspaper

Lamont DuPont’s Quote at Dedication

Today Haskell Laboratory celebrating 70 yearsof scientific excellence

ν Moved from Experimental Station in 1954 topresent location, Stine-Haskell Research Centerin Newark, DE

ν Dedicated March 29, 1954 - $2 MM Lab

ν Name changed to Haskell Laboratory of Toxicologyand Industrial Medicine

ν Dr. John Zapp, Medical Directorν Told to “keep DuPont out of trouble”ν - 50 employeesν Part of Employee Relations Department

1970 OSHA Act Created Business Opportunityfor Haskell

ν Haskell became part of Central Research and Developmentν DuPont business units and their employees entitled to

workplace free of harm injury, stress, disease and lossν Haskell offers services

ν Toxicity testingν Product safety evaluationν Environmental fate studiesν Industrial Hygiene

ν Joined Haskell as Chemist in 1967ν Emphasis on employee safety (obey safety rules)ν Line management commitmentν Safety glasses, meetings and inspections mandatoryν All employees and contractors empoweredν Failure to comply could mean loss of jobν “Snap, Crackle and Pop”

Contributions to Safety the next 30 years(1970 – 2000)

ν Haskell embarked on environmental studies and evaluationsν Lead studiesν Alternative to Freons (Ozone issue)ν Fiber solvent processes DMF, DMAc, HMPAν Sulfonylurea Herbicides (safe potent herbicides)

ν Impacted proposed regulations and guidelinesν OSHA (lead standards)ν EPA (TSCA)

ν Developed Industrial Hygiene Programsν R&D facilities and plant sites

ν Radiation (Savannah River, NEN)ν Chemical (Chemical Hygiene Plans) polymers, pigments & paintsν Biosafety (DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical)

ν Bio Polymers produced (Bio technology)

Contributions to Safety Continued…

ν Accredited IH Laboratoryν Employee monitoring

ν Air sampling and analysis (Pro-Tek Badges)ν Biomonitoring (urinary metabolites) MMF

ν Risk assessments, surveys and auditsν Product Stewardship Programs

ν Services to customersν DuPont Safety Resource Center of Excellence

ν Safety consultingν Training

Contributions to Safety Continued…

ν Recent changes to programsν 2002 Haskell becomes independent Business Unit within DuPont

Science and Technologyν Haskell Changes name to Haskell Laboratory for Health and

Environmental Sciences 2003ν ~200 employees

ν Current Activitiesν Still emphasis on employee safety and healthν Business units focused on new materials

through the “Miracles of Science” i.e. TyChem,Nomex, Kevlar

ν Shift from industrial consumer productsν Environmental concerns and safety of global

community business objective

Continuation of Safety Commitment

ν Safety Triad

ν Safety on topν Line management commitment and condition of

employmentν Based on tradition

ν Technical knowledge and expertiseν Trust in people

ν Key to Safety success is processν Anticipation – explosive hazardν Recognition – identify diseasesν Evaluate – created labν Control - obey safety rules or else

Safety

Regulatory Compliance Business Objective