Document MMn5nZE5Z8oo4eg8bQRmNbmDz

A school against asbestos 'my wrtd C. Rodgers Globe Stall They look like Msrtbns out of t Buck Hagen comic snip. Instead el toy guns (hey wldd scrap er*. shovels and high-pressure hoses, wesr White psper suits anti respirators, and-work surrounded by sophisticated vacuum cleaners, klclg llghu and 30 x 14- Ineh signs warning: . "CMJTtON - ASBESTOS DUST HAZ ARD. AVOID BREATHING DUST. WEAR required protective equipment. DO NOT REMAIN IN AREA UNLESS TOUR WORK REQUIRES IT... ' They, are members cl the Laborers In ternational union who arc going to school lo learn the safest way la dismantle and dispose of one of the deadliest killer* of our lime - asbestos. .' The US government estimates that since World War II more than 11 million Americans have been exposed to asbestos. And an estimated one-half of that number may die of lung cancer or other diseases due to their exposure. ' - There Is a nationwide attempt to rid Oder buildings of I he most hazardous ms - tertsb containing asbestos. Invariably member* of the Laborers In ternational union are called upon lo be the soldiers In this cleanup war. That Is why Umctar-James Merloni Ur. el the Nrw * England Laborers Academy In Hopklnlon "H up Ihe mining program. *......... Merloni wants New England laborer* ` who have lo do this work lo do II under the safrst passible conditions, while limn ing the public's exposure to asbestos dual - a substance pinpointed by doctors as a 1 cause of lung cancer. The trained cleanup learnt, whose mcmhers even wear paper than, will toon be seen throughout New England at towns and municipalities began ridding their public buildings - particularly schools - of `atbsloa constnitlnn material used more than a decade ago. The work in schools. . has been given lop priority. ' - Although the official war against as bestos has only been under way for 10 -years the number of victims ond lawsuits b increasing. In Connecticut. 300 suits seek more than tl million In damages from workers at the Electric Boat plant In Groton. Firms supplying the asbestos ma terial are the defendants In the suits. . Asbestos has been used by man for centuries. The Greeks had a word for ft - "aabesta." meaning Ihe unquenchable, since when used at o wick In a bmp. (he Laborer* International union classes are held under simubted asbestos-removal asbestos didn't burn. conditions. The "asbestos" b rock wool. evost roro ar no ouur Jim Stump of the Seagull Corp. of Ft. Lauderdak. Flo., has another word for II '`killer." Seagull has pioneered Ihe diffi convince them that smoking Incrtkars Hie home any or the asbestos dusl urn) infect cult a tarsim removal problem. danger of Infection from asbeslos dutl." their families, rvery worker trained lo Stump lectures and trains members of Stump soys work In oslrslov rrinnval wear- a paper Ihe Labocrra union In New England on the Hut ofler reading all the gov-crnim-ni suit nm! n inn-il. When win k iv limslu-d. aalest me*ns ol dismantling asbestos ma publications and warnings by the US gnv- Ihe worker goes Ion shower, where ihr pa terial in buildings. He Is assisted by John crnmenl ond seeing lirsi hand tome ol ihr per suits are earelull)- wrapped ond placed DeLeo. a regular instructor at the Labor er's Academy. "Everyone hat been exposed lo tome degree to asbestos dutl - particularly In effects of asbestos poisoning on workers. II didn't take Merloni *t the Laborers Acade my long to be eom-lnced Consequently all the Laborers union lo- In a big (or disposal Next romes a sham poo ond shower "II isn't Ihr osbrslos particles you eon see thru ore the most dangerous." Slump this area, where there has been so much culs In New England will be sending work -warns the wnrker-studeniv. "n (Or fine boat building." Stump says ers lo the JVi-day course. Except lor lire panicles that can nny be seen under a mi "But our object Is to cut down on Ihe absence of asbesin - rock wool Is used In croscope that are Ihe real klllerv" hazard (or those men who. to protect the stead - Ihe trainees uckle the project just And It is during dismantling projectv Kent population, hove to remove the as- as they would a real asbestos dismantling that Ihe fibers break down. too tram public buildings. That it what .project. ' ' Merloni lirsi Introduced Ihe training we art here foe." he adds Last week Loral S60 of Waliham wws program when II was discovered one New - He admits one of the toughest problems participating. To Iwo metohers. such edu England contract Intended ridding a high b to convince the workers of the danger - cational projects are no! novrliy. Sieve school oresbeslos material without any nl an tnelptceit danger since the (fleets of as- Goodspeed attends Wentworth Institute (hr safeguards needed Inpruleel Hie work beatoo poisoning may not show up tor 10 nights whlk working * a laborer in the ers. the community or the schoolchildren years lo 80 year*. \ '. daytime. And Joseph Ibvoneba graduate When the contractor was appraised of Ihr *Tt b difficult to convince older workers of rramlngham Slab. . dangers Involved, hr enrolled his workers of the danger. And It k difficult ts also To make sure Ihkl workers don't carry In the first course ot the Academy. 8005 0941 SCF-FA-0036 PPnrTfr,T?r\ nv ennn