Document KRQ719Dabavzy70R00DLJyj0o

from J.B. CHAPPELL Training and Safety Officer. JBC/AET. 28th April 1976. TO MR. ROBERT P. CARTER Health and Environment Department, Pittsburgh Office 7AB. Alternatives to Asbestos We recently received a copy of your letter of 30th March 1976 via our Purchasing Manager, Mr. J.M.S. Roberts, and felt that we should inform you of the action that has been taken to eliminate where possible the use of asbestos on this site. In metal melting and pouring operations: 1. Replacing the seal between static and portable pouring launders with Kaowool, a proprietary brand of ceramic fibre. 2. Using Ciment Fondue and crushed refractory brick instead of rammed asbestos fibre or Marinite board as launder lining. 3. Substituting hand-formed furnace tap-hole plugs made from dampened asbestos fibre with pre-formed Fibrefax Cones, made from Aluminium Silicate. 4. We are still using pre-machined (at the supplier's) Marinite components for pouring floats (distributors) which we assemble prior to use, but are endeavouring to improve handling, transportation and storage to reduce minor damage and the subsequent dust and small particles arising from poor housekeeping. Elsewhere in the plant we are examining protective clothing, e.g. gloves, for handling hot rolled plate and seeking alternatives. As a result of information recently released in this country there has been a spate of reports in the media and we enclose photocopies of articles reproduced in two of our more responsible national daily newspapers. The Times and The Daily Telegraph. We will keep you informed of future developments. Encs: ALCOA 411084 1570 ALCOA OF GREAT BRITAIN LIMITED V/ KILLER ASBESTOS '1 J. FACTORY `FAILURE' (>-W ASBESTOS D! `a ujn^T?' rli\ O'ZjjU. `TO.200' By PETER GILL .A FKESH investigation into the health hazards of asbestos has been promised by the Govern- ment after the release yesterday of a report cn the "killer." asbestos plant at Hebden Bridge, York shire. . .. Sir Alan Marre. the Ombuds- man, says in his report that | there were 30 reported cases of j ttie lung disease asbestosis be- , tween 1964 and the closure of , the Acre Mill factory in 1570. But these figures were i j branded v*s;erdav as" a massive , j C-TnUaidde\rslftafMf"'a-exnt r; the pisit:on " M.'-id--..- Laoour i ' 1P for Sowerby. v.no brought i 1 e Acre Mili case to the tbudsman. Mr Madden said that 40 former employees at the plsr.t. which opened in 1534, hr.d dtr-d end a further 223 were suffering from asbestosis--caused hv I i asbestos particles scarring the lungs. Report accepted Mr Harold V.'alker. Under secretary for Err.pi-cn-.er.t. said yesterday tbit he accepted the Ombudsmans criticisms of the _. factory inspectors who handled Acre Mill am the Chief Inspector of Factories agrte-s v.i'.h hindsight, that even witn ;i:e --3^ difnciltics th0v fh.'-n r?th^y could have e.arcrc'-: ;he regulg. tions more rigorccsJ".'' Dr Bertram. Mann, the consult ant chest physician who ejag. nosed neariy all tr.e cates of asbestosis arising from Acre Mill said jfstcrciav nc feared 4 there cnuld ho op to 550 cases of the disea-e in the area over the next 15-20 years. He said that 'here were 37 new cases ia 1574 and 23 cases last year. Dr Mann s.vd that shout six people who had The disoise had not worked nr !>-! factory but were only rc .'d'r.t in the area. Report--P5 BY INSPECTORS DAILY TELEGRAPH REPORTER CIR ALAN MARRE, the Ombudsman, has ^ taken Government factory inspectors to task for their handling of a " killer " asbestos factory at Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire. In a 45-page report released yesterday, Sir Alan concludes that "the quality of the attention given to Acre Mill was not as high as it could and should Lungs starred havp hppn " nave ueeu. Asbestosis results from the scarring of the lur.es by tiny He strongly suggests the dust particles. There is no inspectors should have prose- known "safe" limit for the cuted the owners for failing to estimated^ 100.000 people work- implement adequate dust control measures. Community leaders in West Yorkshire claim that 40 former employees have died and more will die from the lung disease asbestosis contracted at the Acre Mill plant, closed down by its owners in 1970. Lawyers representing the workers sav that Cape Indus tries, which ran the' factory, have paid out some 2 million in damages in the past six years. AH but two of the cases have been settled out of court, with the highest single com pensation figure standing at 35,000. Fresh concent `ing clos..e..l.y....w. ith asbestos, and the disease can take as long as 15 to 25 years to mature. The Ombudsman's report tackles only tiie role of Govern ment factory inspectors. " I think that the district staff at Halifax--Lhe responsible in spectors--could and should have shown greater determination at various times over several years to put further pressure on the ifienagement at Acre Mill." Sir Alan said in the conclusion to his repon. " I am not convinced that they were, sufficiently derisive either in conveying to the management the sense of urgency that was appropriate or in pursuing the question of a prosecution when, In Hebden Bridge yesterday there was fresh concern over over a period of years, improve ments were not forthcoming." the dumping of asbestos waste in the neighbourhood. `Model' plant A junior and infant school 100 yards from ore of the biggest tips has halted nature walks :r. the area, ar.d mem bers of e local Asbestes Action Committee are pressing the Y.'est Yorks County Council to cover the asbestos waste. The Ombudsman's report is certain to be used by M Ps to demand a public inquiry into the continuing tragedies at Hebden Bridge and to investi gate the benefits and hazards of asbestos. " I shall use this as a batter ing ram to get a verv urgent public inquiry into a!! aspects of asbestos" said Mr Max Madden. Labour M P for Souerov. v.ho brought the issue to the Ombudsman a year ago. "The community should be able to ue.'Me rorr the risks are arrentab-e in the light Of the ber. fill of asoestos." The report discloses that Acre Mill was for a time regarded by local factory inspectors as a "model" pbnt to which trainee inspectors were taken to demon strate the working of regulations for the asbestos industry. Regu lations framed ia 1931 were tightened in 1969. Sir Alan's year-long investi gations into Acre Mill show that inspectors' reports on the plant were peppered with criticisms for almost 20 years. The threat of prosecution was mooted at least three times, and one former factory inspector toid the Ombudsman that he would "probably" have reconsidered taking Cape to court had he not been transferred from the area in 1966. The report quotes the minutes of a conf-rence held by the chief" factorv in'peanr last year " that with hindsight it might have been better to have allowed the district inspector to prosecute." * Over friendly' But the Ombud-min exoner ates the factory i-i-eo.rer.ne. no-.-/ part of the r-. i-il-:.'.<icp-'n.,i nt Health and Safety Executive, oil :1 !- i i a series of allegations which in cluded the improper destruction of files relating to Acre Mill, ths failure of Cape Asbestos to dis play factory regulations at the plant and an " over-friendly " relationship between the in spectors and the Acre Mill management. Mr Madden yesterday dis missed Government plans to mount a review of the latest asbestos regulations as an - in sufficient response to the Om budsman's report. " We do not want a hcle-in-thccomer review conducted in secret. In my view, the whole thing should be dragged out into the open, and an inquiry should be conducted in public" he said. " I feel that if the asbestos industry is confidant of the quality and the benefits of i's product and have taken the action thev should hive done under the I960 regulations, then they should have nothing to fear from such a public inquiry," Mr Madden added. ` Pretty mild ' Mr John Pickering, the Man chester lawyer who bas represented most of the Acre MEi workers in damages suits, said that the Ombudsmans reron. which did not deal with Cane's involvement, was " pretty niic." "Those who have had to dr---.1 with this knew what an ab;:lutelv appalling problem :t is. There are a colossal number o: cases, and the problem is far greater than is generally accep ted." A spokesman for Cape Incu-tries said yesterday that the clo sure of Acre Mill in 1970 w is "for economic and cmimrr'iil reasons" and was ur.conn.-rrc-i with the incidence of ashes.osis. The spokesman added thar it would " not be. apnroi-ri.ito " for the comiunv to commenr :ae Ombudsmans rceorr v. hv.i dealt with the factory inspecto rate. 411084 1571 .a ssi m __ i M 535 Safety m'ov ^/ Precautions ate . after new '.- urged over asbestos 'asb ost'os;. I s rile with cancer By Neville Ilndgkinson An urgent rctiCw of precau tions surrounding the use of asbestos has hecti started by the Ile.ilih and Safety Excculive in t!ic light of a growing body of evidence that it is a potent cause of cancer. - In certain forms it,'is feared to be a tlucat to the publicas well as to those working .with it; yet because of its resistance ' to heat and acid it is in wide spread household and industrial use. 1. , ' ' Factory inspectors are being asked to report on the' degree of compliance with and diffi culties of enforcement of the Asbestos Regulations of 1969. There is particular concern over demolition and delating work,, because of the large. amounts of asbestos dust tliat may be released into the atmosphere. The Asbestos Regulations do not specify obligations to those who arc not workpeople, and an extension of the Health and Safety Executive's powers may be sought to improve the pro tection given to the public. Warnings to borne handymen about the dangers of inhaling the dust while working with asbestos products, and of the need to seal them to prevent fibres flaking off and contami nating the home, are being worked out between the Depart ment of Trices and Consumer Protection and the asbestos industry, with help from the Employment Medical Advisory Service. . . It is nearly eight years since a recommendation that such warnings should be issued was made .by the standing subcom mittee on cancer of the Depart ment of Health's standing medical advisory committee. In a confidential report entitled Ccnirol of the cancer i hazard due to asbestos "to the general population the com mittee said it.had been shown that mcvoibelSoma, a malienant tumour originating in the lining of the chest or stomach, could be produced by slight exposure to asbestos, and that on present knowledge it had to be assumed that no amount of exposure was completely free from the risk. The report, which has only just come to light, added: " The use of asbestos is so widesorcad that it is not practicable ro reduce exposure by protecting individual members of the public and ' efforts should be concentrated on . reducing the amount of asbestos dust in the atmosphere." ` ' 1, .-When the advisory- commit- tee's report was i.iitten, -th* observed annua! incidence^ of mesothelioma deaths had risen j Continued from page 1 ' j to about 120 a year, competed i with a total of 200 cases rccorI ded over the 15 years up to J 19S6- The number is row- run ning at more than 200 a year, but because of difficulties in diagnosis the true incidence may be much higher. StringeLt precautions are taken to keep down! the level of dust" among workers regu larly exposed to asbestos. Be cause of - inadequate j standards in the past, hundreds of wor kers have " died and still are , dying from asbostosis, scarring ; of the lungs caused bf inhala- ' tion of asbestos fibres. ' The condition is irreversible, unbeatable, progressive, and I often disabling or fatal. ' A maximum level of exposure <bf two fibres a cubic centimetre of air was laid down in the 1969 regulations on the basis of advice from . the British Occupational Hygiene Society. ,* However, dmihr has bven Taised whether that is low enough; the United States De partment of I-tdioiir has tecc-otly pmpo'Od a cut in the standard of five fibres to half a fibre a cubic centimetre. I ` Several retrospective studies have shown that in dusty con ditions asbestos workers run a greatly increased risk of devel. oping lung cancer and that the dustier the conditions the greater the risk. ..Cigarette smoking enhances the danger. Abnormally high incidences of cancer of the oesophagus, stom ach, colon and rectum have also been .discovered. Dr Irving Sclikoff, of New York, a pioneer in asbestos epi demiology, has suggested that asbestos may cause concert at other sites, including the brain, prancreas, and " the genito urinary area.. Asbestos fibres have been found after death in various tissues and organs. 411084 1572 i 1 I ! i n I jI I i 1