Document BRrwX5KydajnQ4NoJMgYj0dbE

% Item 13(b) Turner A Nowell Uni<tnd Bonrrt HnntlM/; - l?^th Ayrl I 1968 Aibeatoa And lloalth - Progress Report Quarter ended )lat Hsrch 1968 c c 1 Statutory Raffilatlona Hr. J. M. Atkinson end Or. 3. Holmes of T.B.A. Atten ded nt the Klnlstry of Labour on kth April to diseuss the Industry*a comments (expressed in the Aebeatoeie Research Council*e letter of 7th July 1967) on the preilailnary draft Regulations. Useful progress was made. The Ministry is accepting several of the most important submissions of the A.R.C. 2, Litersture The Aebeetoe Information Committee pastphl*** A-hestoe Safety and Control* and the confidential .*t<l for asbestos Industry Salas Representatives * Putting tlis Case for Asbestos* hove been published and circulated to ell companies in the Oroup. Publication la awaited daily of a raport *Hygiene Standards for Chryeotile Aebeetoe Duet* prepared by a Sub-Committee of the British Occupational Hygiene Society, and based largely on data accusnalated ever the years in T.B.A's Rochdale Factory* This la to bs used as a guide by the Ministry of Labour in connec tion with the new Regulations. 3. Speakers Panel The A.Z.C. is building up a panel of speakers on asbestos who will bs given proper training and briafing on health matters. A presentation was successfully ... given to an audience of Yorkshire plant engineers in * Leeds by an A.I.C. panel on 13th March. Press Relations and Advertising The Central Office of Information film on asboatoe ia expected to bs distributed in May. Dr. A.P.L. Deeson was appointed by the A.X.C. aa a retained medical Journalist on an experimental basis for three months with effect from let March 1963* at V a fee of 1230 for the quarter plus a lineage of 30/-d per hundred words published. An unfortunate American report published here on tha pollution of the air by asbestos from cars* braking was countered in several provincial newepapara by a letter from the Seeretary of the A.X.C. More press publicity can bs expected on aebeetoe and health during and after a Conferenoe on the subject which is being held in Dresden in the week of 22nd April. Contd ,,T ~ i - 2- c i IC 1c Th Docks The London docker* are still refusing to handle any aort of asbestos except In container*. The Asbestos Fibre Importer* Co***lttee and a reprenentative of the A.Z.C* are meeting soon to discuss a proposal that the Unions be approached afresh by the A.I.P.C* dock employer* and shipowner* regarding programme of eon* trolled trial shipment* of aabeato* flbr* through London* Southampton* Hull and Liverpool are handling asbastoa Inproaa-pnekad bag* wrapped and strapped on pallets* Newcastle, Glasgow, Honchoater and Avonmouth are handling aabeatoa* packed in impermeable baga with* out pallets* Smaller ports, with the exception of Leith and GrangeoMmth, will handle asbestos in impsrms- able bags, though somotimss at axorbitant rats*. Crocldollta la being imported only in Impermeable bags, wrapped and strapped on pallets* Agreement has been rsachsd between the Asbestosls Research Council and the A.F.Z.C. on a draft Code of Practice for handling aabeato* in ths docks* Printing will proossd, but publication is to be deferred pending the rasult of the A.X.C.-A*F,XC. meeting on ths London situation* S* Architecture and Building * Vhen the British Occupational Hyglsns Society Report has bsen published it should be possible to relate the findings of the A*R*C* Research Committee, who ars sponsoring dust counts of oocupled buildings, 3 construction sites and, in due course, the urban atmosphere, to the B.O.H.S* Standards* Xf the result* on ths two former era favourable, they will be oommunl eated to architects by direct mail. t Representative* of the asbestos industry who sit on Committees of tho British Standards Institution h been asked to resist the incorporation in British Standards of prominent warnings on the dangers of inhaling asbestos dust* Customers . A questionnaire has been circulated to the sales forces of member companies of ths A*X*C with a view to identifying the key health 'policy maker* in each of the nationalleed undertakings and of 204 leading industrial companies* Vhen the list is available ths A*XC* will consider calling a conference, prob* ably in London in the Autumn, to be addressed toy . experts of the calibre of Dr* J* C* Gilson (Medical Research Council) on the following subjects! (] Vhy Asbestos?, (b) The health risk in perspective, (c) Control of the risk, and (d) Industrial hygiene advisory services* This would follow the publication of the statutory draft of tha new Asbestos Regulations 8* Parliamentary 18 Members of Parliament attended a meeting at the House of Commons on 30th January- at which an AXC* 1 c c i 5S -iJ /S 1 - 3 48 panel explained the asbestos industry's aehlevsasnti end policy onesbeeto* and haalth and answered M.P*s questions. Tho panel received a favourable recap- * tlon and was Impressed by the reeponalble and Inroneed approach of the N.P'a present. 9 Civil Service It appears that two interdepartmental meetings have now taken place on asbeatoe and haalth# the Ministries represented being Labour, Health# Housing and Local Government and Board of Trade. We have hearsay evi dence that the civil eervants present expressed balanced views, though we ettll understand that the Factory Inspectorate aro proposing to circulate e list cf substitutes for asbestos. The Ministry of (lousing and Local Government circulated varioua bodiea and companies in the aebeetoe industry on >th January regarding the Disposal of Aebeetoe Waste. Representa tives of the A.X.C.# A.R.C. and the Asbestos Association will in due oourser^be Invited to a meeting at tho Ministry to discuss the contents of a queationnair# and the sample of the industry to whom it should bo sent. World Health Organisation Dr. Holmes# Secretary of the A.R.C.# visited Copenhagen at the beginning of January and met Dr. Aage Orut* Director of the Danish Department of Occupational Health# and Mr. fiomann Pedersen of the Elsinore Shipyard# who had circulated a memorandum damaging to asbestos to the Association of Danish Shipbuilders. Mr. Pedersen has subsequently circulated an addendum to his original report# recommending (a) alternatives to asfasatoe* where possible# for insulation# and (b) a framing system for asbestos - based bulkhsads which eliminates the necessity for screwing and drilling* The A.X.C. have written to the Board of Trade drawing their attention to the damage which may be caused to the British asbestos industry's exports by irroaponalble statements from officials of the World Health Organisation. ll ^ItC, Expends The expenses of the A.X.C. for December 1967 and January and February 1968 were as follows * a. d. Hill A Knowlton staff time charges 3#282. 1* 8 Hill A Knowlton out-of-poeket expeneaa 309* 8.10 T.B.A.Co.Ltd. speoial expenses 60. 0. 0 3*851.10* 6 Tho T.A N.Ltd. share of these expenses amounted to 2*188. 9. 4d. \. JOHN WADDELL. /