Jim Morris Houston Chronicle Jim Morris cannot be reached at the Chronicle. The petrochemical industry was alerted decades ago that asbestos, a fibrous mineral, and benzene, a solvent, could cause cancer and other diseases. They are still present in the workplace today, though heavily regulated. Roy Bonsib, chief safety inspector for Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, documents illnesses such as asbestosis and analyzes the dust-creating potential of installing and removing insulation. Working with this material does not subject one to this hazard to his health.
Insulators continue to work unprotected in many plants.
In the oil industry, exposures of hundreds of parts per million are not unusual. Based on a recommendation from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, OSHA lowers the benzene PEL to 1 PPM, drawing a fierce legal challenge from the oil, iron and steel industries. OSHA adopts the 1 PPM standard with no organized industry opposition.