Born in Detroit, Henze received a bachelor's degree in both chemistry and botany at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in 1943 and a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Purdue University in Facilities $ Billion 1951. He remained at Purdue to teach Extraction plant $0.9--1.0 until 1958, when he moved to WashNatural gas liquids pipeline ington, D.C., to join the ACS staff. 2.0--2.4 During World War II he was engaged Petrochemicals 3.5--3.8 in rocket propellant research with Methanol/benzene/ 1.0--1.3 Styrofoam Monsanto in Dayton, Ohio. Sites and support facilities 1.2--1.5 In his most recent ACS post, Henze $8.6--10.0 TOTAL oversaw such diverse society operations as educational activities, meetings and divisional activities, chemical expositions, membership activities from Alaska in addition to other fa(such as employment aids and local cilities supplying the market. section activities), professional relaAs for timing, if the natural gas tions and manpower studies, and repipeline project proceeds on schedule, search grants and awards. it probably will be built before an In addition to being a member of NGL project. Building both at the ACS, Henze was a member and twice same time would put a severe strain president of the Scientific Manpower on Alaska's economy. • Commission (also serving in several other offices with the commission), a member of the National Research OSHA finds flaws in Council Board on Human Resources Data & Analysis, and a fellow of the workplace hazard study American Association for the AdRobert Henze, ACS vancement of Science. The Occupational Safety & Health An expert amateur photographer, Administration has found serious staff member, dies Henze participated in numerous flaws in a study conducted by the Council on Economic Priorities, Robert E. Henze, 59, director of the photography shows in the Washingwhich finds that despite decline in American Chemical Society's mem- ton area and won a number of awards injuries and illness since 1972 the bership division, died of cancer Sept. for his still-life studies in black and chemical industry is still a hazardous 5 at his home after a brief illness. white. He also pursued welding as an place to work. Henze had been a member of the art form, producing ornaments from The study (C&EN, June 29, page 6) ACS headquarters staff for 23 years, scrap metal and other materials. • analyzed data contained on an OSHA the past 11 of which he directed the data tape containing records of in- membership division. Before that he spection of the chemical and allied served as director of the society's ed- Work continues on products industry conducted between ucational activities and as director of 1972-79. the Petroleum Research Fund grants sulfur paving material One general flaw mentioned in a program. memorandum prepared for OSHA Despite a worldwide tightness in director Thome G. Auchter by Rosulfur supplies, research is continuing land Droitsch, acting deputy adminon ways to replace a substantial part istrator for policy evaluation and reof the asphalt in paving materials or search, is that while the report itself the portland cement in concrete with provided a summary of methodologsulfur. Among the latest developical problems, it proceeded to draw ments: licensing of Japan's leading conclusions as if the problems didn't cement producer, Onoda Cement, to exist. have exclusive rights in 16 East Asian countries to the Sudicrete sulfur "The major problem with CEP's concrete technology developed by the analysis of percentages," the memoSulphur Development Institute of randum says, "is that the sum of the Canada. percentages must equal 100% and this really does not provide any substanThe Sudicrete process, invented by tive information." For example, it a research team at the University of says the fact that a higher percentage Calgary, uses sulfur and a patented of the inspections of the eight largest additive in place of portland cement chemical firms than for the industry and water to bind aggregate (sand, as a whole are accident inspections stone, or crushed rock) into concrete. does not imply that these firms exAs part of the 15-year agreement, perience more accidents per 100 emOnoda Cement will conduct research ployees or per establishment than the and commercial development work rest of the industry. The percentages on the process. should be linked to number of emAlthough much of the initial deployees or establishments if a useful velopment of this material was unRobert E. Henze
Alaskan petrochemical capital costs are high
conclusion is to be drawn, the memorandum points out. The memorandum goes on to say that, although the CEP study shows that health violations cited in the chemical industry have increased dramatically since 1976, it did not mention the two most likely explanations for the increase. One is the increase in the number of industrial hygienists hired as OSHA inspectors since 1976, the other a concerted effort by OSHA beginning in 1977 to reduce the number of so-called "nitpicking" safety violations it cited. But the most serious fault OSHA finds with the CEP report is that it doesn't even mention that the chemical industry's incidence rate of injuries and illnesses, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is significantly below the rates of all manufacturing and total private sectors, indicating that the chemical industry may be far safer than most other industries. •
Sept. 14, 1981 C&EN
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