Dear Ms. Dumas:
The hearing representative found that as Mr. Farmer’s exposure continued after February 25, 1993 and until his retirement on April 7, 1994, that he had timely filed his notice of occupational disease on October 21, 1996 as that was within three years of the date that he first realized his condition was related to his work on February 25, 1993 and of the date of last exposure April 7, 1994.
Please provide a statement from the timekeeper or other official reflecting the date that Mr. Farmer was last in actual duty status prior to his use of sick leave pending retirement on April 7, 1994.
It is known that he had his transplant on September 9, 1993 and did not return to the shipyard for work after the transplant. Therefore, the time limit would begin to run on the last day that he was exposed which may be August 1993 according to a document from Dr. Boehme.
This claim, A14-320904, is based upon any exposure he may have had from February 25, 1993 until the date he was last exposed to employment hazards.
During the period February 25, 1993 until his last day in work status (not in sick leave or annual leave) what days was he at work in 1993 and 1994?
During the period February 25, 1993 to the date he was last at work, did he complain to his immediate supervisor, Jean Cook, that he believed his chronic lymphocytic leukemia was related to the exposure he had from February 25, 1993 to the date he stopped work for the September 9, 1993 bone marrow transplant? Did he ever return to work at PSNS after he stopped work for the transplant?
During the period February 25, 1993 until his last day actually working, what work was he assigned to do? Did he have exposure to Benzene, EMF from radios; nuclear radiation, non-ionizing radiation, radios, paint, and exhaust fumes? Please provide this office with the statement from Jean Cook, his immediate supervisor, reporting when and under what circumstances Mr. Farmer first alerted the supervisor that he believed Benzene, EMF from radios; nuclear radiation, non-ionizing radiation, radios, paint and exhaust fumes contributed to the chronic lymphocytic leukemia for which written notice was first filed on October 21, 1996.
Provide the industrial hygienist’s report testing for Benzene, paint, dust, vehicle exhaust fumes, EMF, EMPs for the spaces in Building 850 where Mr. Farmer claims he was exposed to hazardous working conditions from February 25, 1993 until the date he stopped work due to his transplant.
His November 22, 1996 "exposures to carcinogens" statement claims that until 4/9/94 he worked in building 850 and was exposed to vehicle and crane exhaust fumes from an air intake for the building in the carport under the south side of the building on the first floor. He reported that the vehicle exhaust can be smelled within the building.
Please provide the air quality survey for building 850 conducted in 1993 preferably, or if a 1993 air quality survey is not available, the one performed in building 850 nearest to 1993. Please provide a sketch of building 850 showing his specific work space, dimensions of his work space, and showing the location of doors, windows air intake vents, exhaust vents, locations where vehicles were parked or left running in proximity to intake vents for the building he worked in beginning February 25, 1993 to date of last exposure.
The Office acknowledges RM Shipley’s August 21, 1997 safety alert report that Code 106.22 monitored Radio Frequency exposures on 18 and 19 August 1995 and found exposures to be well below the allowable levels for continuous occupancy. This was accompanied by a report which indicates that RF emissions from the USS Carl Vinson and USS Abraham Lincoln had been conducted. Was this at Building 850 or anywhere on the premises at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard? Was Mr. Farmer tasked to work aboard or in close proximity to either the USS Carl Vinson or USS Abraham Lincoln during the period February 25, 1993 to the date he was last at work in a working capacity? Was there any event of excessive exposure reported or tests conducted on these ships from February 25, 1993 to the date he was last in a working capacity? Mr. Farmer has asserted to the Hearing Representative that exposure Benzene, to electro magnetic force (EMF) and/or electro magnetic pulse (EMP) has caused him to have chromosomal damage.
Currently, the medical evidence does not reflect any medical connection between the employment exposure specific to the period February 25, 1993 to August/September 1993 and the development or worsening of his CAL disease, nor is there any medical evidence reflecting that Mr. Farmer has personally sustained chromosomal injury from the employment exposures he has described as occurring between February 25, 1993 and the date he stopped work in August or September 1993. During the period February 25, 1993 to the date he stopped work, did he work in an office space above the public works garage and were the windows adjacent to his desk left open to permit tractor fumes, and fumes from wheat handling equipment, forklifts, trucks and car fumes to go into his window?
During the period February 25, 1993 to the date he stopped work, was the roof of his building re-roofed?
During the period February 25, 1993 to the date he was last performing work at PSNS (as opposed to being on leave), did he have exposure to Benzene, to electromagnetic fields or electromagnetic pulse? Please have the industrial hygienist provide a report specifically identifying whether such exposure occurred in Mr. Farmer’s workspace at Building 850, the frequency, duration and intensity of such exposure during the period February 25, 1993 to the date Mr. Farmer stopped work in August/September 1993. Please toward all of the dispensary treatment records pertaining to Mr. Farmer during this period.
Sincerely,
CA9999- -
Cc: Mr. Ketter
Cc: Dr. Dabe