Mesothelioma

Beginning in 2001, as part of a federally funded study to determine if cancer clusters exist in a two-mile radius of the plants, the department mounted a fruitless search for former employees, who had the greatest exposure and run the highest risk.

Unable to acquire payroll records from the defunct owner, W.R.

Grace and Co., the department called the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration.

It contacted the Utah Tax Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and various business licensing agencies.

But it never called the news media, which would have publicized the warnings to former employees for free.

Now, six years later, after the study has concluded and news accounts were written, several former Advertisementemployees have learned of the danger and contacted the health department.

They are advised to see a physician, and are questioned about the whereabouts of their co-workers.

But with diseases for which early detection is crucial to survival, the department shouldn't have been dragging its feet.

Dr.

Wayne Ball, the lead epidemiologist at the department, said contacting the media during the study is not part of the "procedure." He said the study took six year...

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