Document 3QLyb863DvajD71rNQm23MXYE

Preventive Health Care Men with long experience as brake mechanics should have a physical ex amination at least once a year and preferably every six months. This should include a chest X-ray. The examining physician should be informed of the man's job and his exposure to asbestos. * If you'have, or have had, exposure to asbestos, cigarette smoking is particu larly bad. If you smoke, stop. How You May Contact Us Please let us know what action you are faking, what ideas you may have to offer, and what problems you encounter in following our suggestions for making your workplace safer. Contact: Center for Science in the Public Interest 1779 Church Street, N.W. Washington, D. C. 20036 (202)332-6000 BRAKE REPAIR WORK CAN BE District of Columbia Department of Human Resources Community Health arid Hospital Administration Occupational, and Employee Health Program Center for Science in the Public Interest r, 4 ' . HWBUI0011633 4 What Are The Hazards? Brake linings contain large amounts of asbestos fiber, a substance harmful to your bod/. The risk of lung cancer for people who smoke and work with asbestos is 92-limes greater than for people who neither smoke nor work with asbestos. Among a number of groups of asbes tos workers, one out of every five deaths is due to lung cancer. The risk of a serious lung disease, called asbestosis, and cancer of other body sites is about the same for smokers and nonsmokers alike who work with asbestos. At present, it is not known what level of exposure to asbestos, if any, is safe. Even a small amount may be dangerous in some circumstances. Asbestos-related disease usually takes 20 to 30 years from the time of exposure to become evident. Work ing with asbestos for even a short time could result in asbestos-related disease later on. Dos & Don'ts For Your Protection To protect yourself and others in your workplace against this hazardous sub stance: DON'T clean brake assemblies and drums with an air hose. (Fiber dusts generated by this method are danger ously high.) DON'T b rush or, by any other method, raise dust. DO vacuum out all the fiber you can. DO wet-wash the parts with paintbrush and kerosene. DO use a protective mask when ex posure to asbestos dust cannot be avoided. Several companies manufac ture disposable masks, costing from $.50 to $1.50. For information on where these may be purchased locally, call the Center for Science in the Public Interest at (202) 332-6000. -A XT HWBUI0011634