Document MJ9XYvrZ5BYkGVM4e62pyJ0pL

Aebeetoels ! , It Is fait by the Board that you will ba Interested In certain facts relating to this industrial trouble, pertic-. ularly as the extent of the danger la .very often exaggerated and amongst our own people at any rate the truth should be ' known. .. *u . . * For a period prior to 1931 the Governaent were asking Investigations into the effect of asbestos dust upon those working in the Industry and after the scientists had discovered that long exposure to asbestos dust was bornful the Governaent introduced, in 1931, what are known as the Asbestos Industry (Asbestosls Scheme) Regulations. Prior to this no-one knew ' it was harmful. From that aonent the uanageuent have done and are doing everything possible to remove the risk, and have already spent thousands of pounds in this connection. They are now engaged in putting the finishing touches to the prevention and dust removal-apparatus in this factory, end when this is done the work oerried on here will, in our opinion,' ba Free - from risk to health. ., . . , During the last 20 years there has been an average of 1,250 people employed here, of whoa about 600 have been enployed in the scheduled areas. It will be seen that the per centage effected is very smell, end it is dear that the majority of the cases must have been caused before it was known that the ' dust was harmful end proper precautions taken. The average period of work of the ceses affaoted ao far is 20 years. Alto- ' gather there have been 53 medical suspensions, made up as follows: 10 Totally Disabled. 17 Fit for moderately heavy work. 18 Fit for light work. ` '* Out of these 53 oases thers have been 24 deoths up to the end of 1941, but in only 6 oosea out of theso 24 bss the verdiot been that asbestosls was the primary cause. In the other cases there have been ell sorts of coaplicotlons, consequently it night or might not be ccrreot to say that osbestosls was a eontrlbutory cauae. 8ooe of the bases were heart disease, cancer, and the usual othor diseosss whloh ooour whatever the occupotlon or sphere of life noy be, and which risks everyone hss to face. We do not doubt the bona fldes of the opinions expressed by doctors after a post aorteu, but when a man hos cancer, or heart disease, and his lungs are also offectsd in greater or leaser degree by asbestosls, it la an almost impossible scientific task for any- . one to say exactly what has been the aotual oause of death. . * . , ,, . . These figures, although such a small percentage of the . total enployed, ere not viewed lightly by the unnegeuent, wbo feel the greatest syUpothy for the workers suspended; coapen- eatloa payments node by the Coupany have not been limited to the ouounts stipulated by the Hone Office - whoro circumstances hove indlcoted that further s*uis were necessary to enable the individual to live in ooufort, the poyuonts hove been increesed. in the degree necessary to meet tbo needs of the csee. put of the suspensions noued, alternative employment hos be on found la the factory for about 21 employees. The reuoioder arc * either retired under the esbestosis schene or hove followed sooe other occupotlon. * ' The dlroctors are convinced that the working 'condltlone and health reoord of tbs factory ere as good, or better, than con be.fdund in most industries end wa would welcome fat any time an investlgotlon to prove this. A eociporlaon of our health record with that of an ereroge cotton spinning mill would indeed be welccne. The temperature end dust prevailing in the latter nllls have led to a large number of workers being Incapacitated by bronchitis end othor cheat conditions, whereas atmospheric conditions in this feotory created by the supply of lerge volumes of fresh air at uoderoto temperatures are exooptlonslly good; the whole olr content in the principal work rooms Is changed evory few minutes. . ,. With the desire to obtain oil possible Information on this dlseoee, and for guldoncs in preventive action, tbs direc tors docldod early in 1941 to lnstltuto a reeeoroh conducted by the works doctor and our own scientific staff in conjunction with tho British Fostgradunts Kediccl School, London, end it is'hopod that helpful information will be the outcome.