Document Kzy9QLnGxnjaDZO6yNrvya5JQ

FILE NAME Allied Signal Bendix ASB DATE 1980 DOC ASB129 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Article - UAW and Bendix Corporation Sent A.S A.SA.S TO FROM 9 | M. LEONARD J. W. ARMSTRONG $ Bost RECEIVED RECEIVED JAN 24 24 1980 BAC ARMSTRONG UAW AND BENDIX CORPORATION Bendix Automotive of Canada Ltd. employs 650 workers in the manufacture and assembly of brakes in Windsor Ontario The oper- ation includes drilling refitting and fitting of asbestos brake | Linings According to UAW Local 195 Health and Safety , ex- unsta o uf nsae fe working condihtasiro esunltsed in 13 cases of can of tc he e laryr nx stomach and lungs The Health and Safety Committee began to investigate the situa tion when the deaths three workers apparfreomncatncl er y of the Larynx were reporwittheindg a five year period According to Dr. John Marshall medical consultant of the OFL of to cancer the larynx might normally occur Once in 3,000 5,000 people Dr. Selikoff commenting on the situation at Bendix that ominously If there are three people with cancer of the | larynx there must be at least 30 or even 100 who have died of concer of the lung Since beginning the Investigation the Health and | Safety Committee has uncovered 10 more cases of cancer including lung cancer and has The Health and Safety Committee submitted a documented brief the Workmen's Compensation Board The company has con- sistently refused to cooperated with the union claiming that any medical data and statistics are confidential and that there is no evidence that exposure to asbestos caused cancer in any of our employees aa The UAW brief documents a long history of unsafe conditions | For instance In 1940 the ventilation in the plant was inadequate most hand grinders did have local exhaust systems Employees J attempted to their faces combat the dust by wrapping a . handkerchief around Between 1974-77 an asbestos dust collector bag system was used with the clogged bags simply being shaken Inside the plant Until 1977 drysweeping of asbestos dust a procedure widely recognized extremely dangerous was also common According to Tom Shafer president and general manager of Bendix Windsor operations are now well within established limits Dr. John Marshall has stated that the Ontario standard was ] designed to combat asbestosis but is not low enough to protect workers from cancer And like most occupational hazards the risks are not restricted Health Jack McCann UAW and Safety representative has stated that the company used to dump open boxes of asbestos dust in outdoor bins which released fibers in the alr sending clouds of dust into the neighborhood file 11 ~~ PLAINTIFF'S 80-63198 EXHIBIT PENGAD 793 HW Reese -37 -37