Document 2RKYRNvmX6KkNexZa4X8M33X5

/rr.Vs * 0k l c Inter Office Scientific Research StaN June 12, 1975 To: D. R. Coulson cc: T. Cole S. Gratch Subject: SRS Research Grant -- Mount Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York The grantee is utilizing the grant funds in its investigation of possible health hazards due to exposure of workers in vehicular inaintenance shops to respirable particles of brake dust. Measurements were made of asbestos fiber in the air of several such shops in Mew York City: and lung X-rays, pul monary tests, and blood tests were taken of garage workers. The asbestos fiber concentrations were determined at various dis> tances from different brake maintenance operations, including the cleaning of drums by blowing with an air jet, brake lining grinding, and brake lining beveling. (The Mount Sinai people recognize that vacuum-brush cleaning of brake drums is preferred to air jet blowing because of the clouds of dust raised by the latter method, and indicated that the larger shops in New York City are in fact converting to vacuum systems.) The clinical tests were performed on 93 garage workers (not necessarily associated with the garages which were air-sampled), and the incidence of ab normalities in lung X-rays, pulmonary functions, and blood were assessed, seme of the examined workers regularly do brake work while some are exposed only occasionally or incidentally. The investigation is headed by Dr. William Nicholson, a physicist on the staff of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Nicholson will forward details of the results of the study. Ann Mackler, a M.S. mineralogist who is working toward her Eh.D. degree, is a participant in this work, along with CUNY staff mashers. R. L. dealer Chemical Engineering & Catalysis Department ao 9000 0211 PRODUCED BY FORD SCF-ALLF-05510 Table I PERSONAL SAMPUSS - AUTOMOBILE BRAKE SERVICE Operation Distance Concentration (fibers/ml.)* Blowing ft duIst t oIut t otft drutfm brakttes It It ft tl It tt It It ft 11 II tt II It tt tt tl it 1 tt tt tt II ti ft tf H 1 tl tt - tt tt tt tt It ti ft tl If- tl tt tt 3-t5 ft. t tt 5t-t 10ft. tt 10-20ft. ti 13.8 29.4 6.6 13.6 3.8 2.0 4.2 0.4 4.8 BACKGROUND SAMPLES - AUTOMOBILE BRAKE SERVICE Operation Blowing II dutsl t oIuI t oMf drum It brakes tl tt tf tl ft ft It ft 11 tl tl tt ft tt ft ft If It tt tl ft tt tl tt Vt Distance from Operation 10 ft. 20 ft. 12 ft. 50 ft. 65 ft. 75 ft. Time Concentration Lapse (fibers/ml.) 0 min. 0 min. 5 min. 5 min. 7 min. 14 min. 0.3 0.8 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 *Only fibers longer than 5[i were counted by phase microscopy at 400x.. 218 BOOO 02f 2 PRODUCED BV FORD Table II SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF CHRYSOTILE FIBERS IN BRAKE PRIM DUST (LENGTH) Fibers counted and measured at 42.000X (all fibers bad diameters from 250/1 to 500$) Sample 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 750-1500$ 40% 32 20 26 - 57 23 50 29 6 11 1500-2250$ 34% 23 25 37 17 9 26 30 41 6 2250-3000$ 11% 32 25 26 4 12 21 21 18 31 30C&3750$ 11% -- -- 7 -- 12 2 17 10 31 Total 96% 87 70 96 78 56 99 97 75 79 219 8000 0213 j. bE nPtumK'" ' PRODUCED BY FORD Table III PERSONAL SAMPLES - TRUCK BRAKE SERVICE ew ing used liniInt gs by11 grin11ding ft vv II f tl ti 1 It tl 11 ft If 11 It 11 It It IV VI If IV TV l 11 It If tl If 11 ct ft 91 *1 It VI . Concentration (fibers/nl.) 2.7 7.0 2.2 4.1 5.0 4.7 5.6 1.7 2.5 BACKGROUND SAMPLES - TRUCK brake service Operation Distance Concentration (fibers/n>l.) Background to grinding used linings V It fl If IV . i11 ft II t II II It tl II If If It 11 11 10 it. 10 ft. 25 it. 25 ft. 60 it. ' 1.2 1.7 1.0 0.6 0.2 Table IV PERSONAL SAMPLES Operation TRUCK BRAKE SERVICE Concentration ( fibers/ml.) Bevelling new linings I ft li ft If Tl ff ft ft 31.7 23.7 32.7 72.0 26.3 BACKGROUND SAMPLES - TRUCK BRAKE SERVICE Operation Distance Concentration (fibers/ml.) Background to bevelling linings 11 Tl 11 If 11 11 11 ft 11 11 tl 11 8 it. 12 ft. 12 it.. 30 ft. 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.3 220 8000 0?li PRODUCED BY FORD / ; V..; X-ray Changes in 93 Vehicular Maintenance Workers with over 10 years - Experience Occupational History Brake work > 1/week Mechanics doing brake maintenance -64 > 1/week Asbestos exposure I Known direct ^s5 Total t~l/Q Pleural thickening or Ca-H-_______ Both parenchymal and pleural changes 64 16 125%) 5 (8%) 2 (3%) Brake work < 1/weekt General mechanic - 7 Body work -6 , Painting -6 Undcrcoating ' - 4 ' lubrication -3 S . Miscellaneous -3 Clerical (parts) - 2 o tv I Indirect and/or not fully evaluated 29 6 (21%) 4 (14%) 93 22 (24%) 9 (10%) ft4^**-t*/i* 1 (3%) 3 (3%) ^0 PRODUCED BY produced by ford OOOD W O' rMo o G-** ~xfcz> f ^t ll^f)^S 1(/ ,/t- 1 >''C v?)\ asbestos exposure Direct 64 dry rales :3 (5%) clubbing 3 15*} Indirect and/or not evaluated X . (3%) 29 Total 4 93 (4%) 2 (7%) 5 (5%) Other pulmonary findings 93 vehicular maintenance workers with at least 10 years on the job rhonchi, wheezing 5 (84) chronic bronchitis 5 (8%) dyspnea r* *' on exertion (2 flights) 3 (5%) 3 <io%) 5 (17%) 5 (17%) 8 (9%) 10 (11%) . 8 (95) o c o f*\>* PRODUCEDBY FORD History of job related symptoms 104 vehicular maintenance workers Humber . Percent Headache only on job 33' 32 Headache also off job 2 2 Light-headedness 6 6 Blurred vision 3 3 Tinltus 44 Cough 33 Palpitation 33 Angina 22 Nausea 55 . T 8900 0218 PRODUCED BY FORD PRODUCED BY FORD o ,; o, r o |V o< Blood test findings In . vehicular maintenance workers lead - 94 active workers 20pg/100ral and below 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 >60 CBC's - 104 workers Blood Hemoglobin <13gm wbc < 4800 wbc < 4000 (10 Inactive workers) So. _% 4 (4) 4 (40) 33 (3) 35 (30) 36 (2) 38 (20) 17 (1) 18 (10) 44 00 No. 18 Liver function tests - 102 workers Alkaline phosphatase > 85raU/ml Other abnormality (SGOT > 40, S0PT > 40 and/or Bilirubin > l.0mg%) 24 7- Blood calcium - 102 workers 10,5mg% 5 $$***' ^r .7 .................... i.:; . eor,o??tPQ '<fri,kx PRODUCED BY FORD ff. # - 6y'lJyT tjt ZjL &v&l T ~L-' /d fQ ^,. <?, d - .<^.5T Ul^0) <y^r-*jLj.... . ... ... 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