Document N2LeNYNXBVzYnadobLZGx3vqb

FILE NAME Manville JMA DATE 1974 DOC JMA323 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Report - A Review of Background and Projects Sponsored by the Quebec Asbestos Mining Association Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health 00714 A INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH A REVIEW OF BACKGROUND AND PROJECTS SPONSORED BACKGROUND The Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health was established by the Quebec Asbestos Mining Association in 1966 with the objective of assessing the biological effects of asbestos on the health of the asbestos worker the latter in many instances operating in a working environment where asbestos fibre has become increasingly associated if not sometimes merged with many other substances and this under changing conditions of circumstance time and place Although the Quebec Asbestos Mining Association had in the past done its share in the field of industrial health and hygiene it was nevertheless becoming evident that new health problems were mounting and this to a point that only the implementation of an adequate long range scientific research program could bring light to the question Such a research program had to be planned and evolved so that the needed points of comparison all over the - world would be investigated true as it is that asbestos fibre is reach- ing now into so many varieties of uses and commodities and at the same time becoming more and more of strategic if not of essential valuteo humanity Over the years imputations have periodically been levelled at the Asbestos Industry as a whole in the field of mining milling manufacturing and processing or in some specific building trades such as that of insulation materials sprayers Even the mere user of asbestos the consumer was being singled out as subjected to serious hazards of exposure It was felt that the Q.A.M.A. should take immediate steps so as to seek and coordinate all possible information and data over the whole world in connection with the asbestos and health problem whilst establishing and maintaining contacts with and sometimes enrolling into the process such bodies or agencies which were already at work or susceptible of becoming constructive parts of the study Accordingly the Q.A.M.A. decided it should carry a substantial share of this responsibility and devote much of its resources time and energy in that direction even if the search into the causes of the changes in the health conditions of workers examined should not happen to impugn specifically chrysotile asbestos as such Hitherto the concern as to the health of the worker in the chrysotile mining industry has included the development and maintenance of preventive industrial measures and safeguards of proven effectiveness and the provision of adequate medical services through organized industrial clinics These were established in the early thirties in Asbestos and in the mid- forcies in Thetford Mines and were supported by such consultants and advisors as the Trudeau Laboratory Saranac N.Y. directed by Doctor Leroy U. Gardner an eminent pathologist and industrial health pioneer professor AnthonJy. Lanza New York University and professor J.A. Vidal a Canadian pneumologist Whilst the Association did not and still does not believe that asbestos problems threaten the general public it seems that same are rather occupational and not environmental it could see that one avenue that could lead to a sound and thorough quest into the possible causes and ways to redress such a situation was the enlisting of a competent team of research people to investigate advise recommend and SET IN MOTION a plan of scientific research worldwide in scope This ambitious scheme has over the past eight years been pursued with the guidance of the Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Scientific Committee under the vigorous and enlightened direction of Dr. George Wright an authority in Labour Medicine and a foremost pioneer on this continent in the field of physiology The chrysotile mines in Canada being responsible for some 40 of the world chrysotile mining production it was not possible to avoid the pursuit of research in those fields beyond mining and milling proper and not to embark into further fields such as manufacturing processing and uses As a result since the establishment of the Institute Occupational and Environmental Health in 1966 the industry has sponsored and continues to support major epidemiological and other research projects designed to eliminate asbestos health risks not only for thousands of asbestos production workers but also for worldwide fabricators applicators and users of the vast range of containing products RESEARCH PROJECTS As of January 1974 nineteen projects had either been completed or were still in progress These can be briefly described as follows Project No. 1 - Epidemiological survey of the biological effects of asbestos All employees of asbestos mines in Quebec to be recorded and employees traced A random sample of current employees to be examined by a questionnaire and by a series of pulmonary function tests The latest rays of all employees to be read The past dust exposure for all employees to be assessed The mutual relations between exposure to dust symptoms radiolo- gical changes of the lungs and the impairment of respiratory function to be examined The cause of death of those who died to be traced and correlated with dust exposure Cost 230,000 Dr. J.C. McDonald M.D. Department of Epidemiology McGill University Montreal and Health Project No. 2 - Epidemiological study of primary malignant tumours of the pleura and peritoneum in Canada All cases of primary malignant tumours of the pleura and peritoneum that occurred in Canada since 1960 to be registered and two matching control series to be found one series comprising patients with secondary malignant disease of the lung Relative importance of previous exposures to 1 asbestos at home and work 2 other environmental carcinogen ) tobacco smoke to be investigated in the epidemiology of mesothelioma , Cost 6,940 Dr. J.C. McDonald M.D. Department of Epidemiology McGill University Montreal and Health Project No. 3 - Chemical and mineralogical studies of chrysotile asbestos with particular reference to oils and waxes Samples of rock and dust to be collected in a carefully controlled manner pulverized and extracted with organic solvents The extracts to be examined for polycyclic hydrocarbons and other chemical constituents The aim is to investigate their presence prior to any processing of the rock Cost 17,750 Dr. J.C. McDonald M.D. & Dr. G.W. Gibbs M.Sc. Department of Epidemiology McGill University Montreal and Health Project No. 4 - Ultrastructural study of experimentally induced asbestos granulomas in hamsters Samples of chrysotile obtained from Dr. Holt Reading to be injected into the peritoneal cavity of hamsters Formation of asbestos bodies to be investigated by classical histology microscopy and histochemistry Other samples of chrysotile to be injected into Selye's granuloma pouches Local reaction to be investigated and its modification by various agents incl 204 . Cost 11,266 Dr. Andr^' Dumont M.D. " Dr. A. Alcindor M.D. Universit^' de Montr^'al Montreal Project No. 5 - Epidemiological study on the biological effects of asbestos dust at the Balangero Mine and among the Port of Genoa and LaSpezia Arsenal insulation workers Epidemiological study of all workers past and present of the chrysotile mine and of a representative cohort of insulation workers from the shipyards and environmental study of their dust exposure Objectives are 1 Does the inhalation of asbestos fibres bear any relationship with a the occurrence of carcinoma of the lung and b the occurrence of mesothelioma of the pleura and the peritoneum 2 Do people exposed to the inhalation of very low concentrations of asbestos dust such as workers exposed to concentrations well below any threshold limit or people living in villages in the vicinity of asbestos mines exhibit an abnormally high incidence of calcified pleural plaques 3 Do the different types of asbestos behave in the same way in regard to lung cancer mesothelioma of the pleura and pleural plaques or is one type of asbestos prevalent among the others as a causative agent . Dr. Enrico C. Vigliani Clinica del Lavoro Milano Italy M.D. Cost 85,000 Project No. 6 - The cellular basis of the biological effects of asbestos Study of morphological and biochemical changes of macrophages and fibroblasts cultured in vitro in the presence of well defined particles of asbestos such as chrysotile amosite crocidolite anthophyllite tridimite and in each of them long fibres and very finely divided particles seperately Whenever indicated the in vitro experiments to be expanded by suitable studies on experimental animals Cost 45,000 Dr. Benvenuto Pernis M.D. Universit^ degli studi di Genova Via Balbi 5 Genoa Italy Project No. 7 - Anthophyllite asbestosis in Finland 1 Clinical picture of anthophyllite asbestosis fibrosis of the lungs to be investigated in a cohort of past and present workers of Finnish anthophyllite mines and mills Differences from the classical asbestosis in radiological picture speed of development frequency of simultaneous findings of pulmonary fibrosis with pleural plaques cause of death etc. to be explored 2. Prevalence of pleural plaques and calcifications in the general population to be investigated in correlation with the environmental conditions 3 Prevalence of all signs of asbestos exposure to be investigated in a cohort of construction workers Cost 42,000 Dr. Leo Noro M.D. Institute of Occupational Haartmaninkatu 1 Helsinki 25 Finland Health Project No. 8 - A study of the health effects related to asbestos exposure in workers of the industry and other residents of New Orleans Phase I All employees of a Manville plant and a National Gypsum plant manufacturing asbestos goods to be examined by a questionnaire on occupational and respiratory history by a physical examination by PA and two oblique chest rays and by spirometry and transfer factor measurements Additional physiological measurements to be done in those with abnormal clinical or radiological findings Past employees to be traced and the cause of death to be investigated in those who died Attempts to be made to assess the past dust exposure and current measurement done in the plants to be utilized Phase II Plans for community investigation of risk of malignancy in individuals outside the plants to be prepared during the first year for the later realization Cost 291,380 Dr. Hans Weill M.D. " Dr. Morton Ziskind M.D. Tulane Medical School - Section of Pulmonary Diseases New Orleans Louisiana Project No. 9 - Monograph The Health Problems of Asbestos Preparation of the manuscript of a new book entitled The Health Problems of Asbestos Dr. John Beattie Ash Tree House Swavesey Professor Cambridgeshire England Cost 3,291 Project No. 10 - Continued Epidemiological Research Relating to the Effects of Asbestos on Man 1 Cohort Study Observation of causes of death in the present cohort of workers of asbestos mines who were born 1891-1920 to be prolonged up to 1972 to see causes of additional about 100 deaths expected until then 2 Mesothelioma Survey All cases from Ontario and Quebec which occur until 1973 to be investigated epidemiologically Additional about 25 cases a year can be expected in these provinces 3 Clinical Study Standard examination of chest radiogram two simple tests of pulmonary function vital capacity and ventilation rate on exercise and a questionnaire of respiratory symptoms to be introduced and their reliability and their relative efficiency to be evaluated 4 Etiology of pleural plaques to be investigated by a case control inquiries b chemical and mineralogical examination of plaque material c geological studies of mines where the plaques occur d review of dust radiograms from population groups also elsewhere in Canada as prompted by the results of the inquiries above 5 Further Radiological Studies Development of abnormality in individual workers to be correlated with exposures to fibres the aim to extablish a maximum allowable dust concentration Dr. J.C. McDonald M.D. Department of Epidemiology McGill University Montreal Canada Cost 474,700 Project No. 11 - A chemical and mineralogical study of insulation material a The nature of the insulation material used now and in the past in Canada and in the U.S. to be investigated and samples to be examined for mineralogical and chemical composition b Samples of insulation material from old boilers and heating systems to be obtained and examined for mineralogical and chemical composition Changes to be sought between a and b Cost 52,000 Dr. Graham W. Gibbs M.Sc. Department of Epidemiology and McGill University Montreal Canada Health - 20 - Project No. 12 - Identification and quantitation of fibrous dust and ferruginous bodies in lungs of autopsied adults Lungs to be obtained from autopsies of persons 1 not occupationally exposed to asbestos whose life has been spent chiefly in urban areas 2 not occupationally exposed to asbestos whose life has been spent chiefly in rural areas ) occupationally exposed to asbestos with asbestosis 4 occupationally exposed to asbestos without asbestosis Fibre counts and ferruginous bodies counts to be made in the lungs and compared in order to determine whether there is any relationship between asbestos related disease and fibre content of the lungs This one year study should test feasibility of method available to authors Cost 19,921 Dr. Paul Gross M.D. & R.T.P. Treville M.D. Industrial Health Foundation 5231 Centre Avenue Pittsburgh Pa 15232 U.S.A. 11- Project No. 13 - Epidemiological study on the biological effects of asbestos dust at the Balangero Mine - Continuation as a prospective study 1 Causes of future deaths in Balangero miners and miners to be investigated and correlated with same in a control - group selected from adjacent villages 2 The CO transfer in the workers exposed to asbestos to be repeatedly studied and compared to radiological appearance of the chest in order to see whether changes of the transfer factor precede radiological changes 3 Prevalence of pleural calcifications among the adult population of the villages nearest to the Balangero mines to be investigated by mass survey with 10 x 10 ray film apparatus 4 Dust concentration measurements to be repeatedly done in the mines in question Cost 49,220 Dr. Enrico C. Vigliani Clinica del Lavoro Via S. Barnaba 8 20122 Milano Italy M.D. Project No. 14 - Fibre shape and biological activity 19 samples of fibres glass microquartz and asbestos of various lengths and diameters to be tested for carcinogenicity in groups of 50 hamsters each The tests are designed to disclose whether carcinogenicity of fibrous particles is dependent on some critical shape independent of chemical composition and thus controllable by a general principle Cost 276,000 Dr. William E. Smith M.D. Director - Health Research Institute Fairleigh Dickinson University Rutherford N.J. 07070 - U.S.A. Project No. 15 - Fibre Diameter of Dust in Mining Milling Manufacturing and Insulation operations A Pilot Study - A preliminary study to be carried out of the asbestos fibre diameters of airborne dust to which workers are exposed in a mining and milling b textile manufacturing and c insulation work Five samples to be collected at each of at least 3 locations in each of A B and C All samples to be examined using a scanning electron microscope and the diameter and length of fibres to be measured 13 Results to be interpreted in the light of available epidemiological information Cost 18,830 Dr. G.W. Gibbs M.Sc. Department of Epidemiology McGill University 3775 University Ave. Montreal 112 Canada and | Health Project No. 16 - Study of the health effects related to asbestos exposure in workers of the industry and other residents of New Orleans - 2nd Phase 1 Analysis of data collected in previous study IOEH % 8 a correlation of clinical features with radiographic changes and pulmonary function b relationship of pulmonary function and total dust exposure c relationship of smoking and radiographic changes and pulmonary function 2 A study of mortality in 8,000 previously employed workers in the two asbestos cement factories > 14 - 3 ? Follow examinations the 300 men aged 40-59 in yearly intervals of from the original study group IOEH # 8 Cost 270,000 Dr. Hans Weill M.D. Dr. Morton Ziskind M.D. - Tulane Medical School Section of Pulmonary Diseases New Orleans Louisiana Project No. 17 - Relationship between asbestos and tissues A. Mechanism of coating in formation of the asbestos body to be studied 1 in the lungs from patients with asbestosis 2 in tissues of animals exposed to asbestos and various other dusts 3 in cell cultures of fibroblasts and macrophages 4 in vitro systems incubating asbestos and various other dusts with substances present in asbestos body coating 15 15- B. Studies on the relationship between the asbestos content of the lungs and the degree of fibrosis To be examined 1 lungs from workers exposed to asbestos inhalation with and without fibrotic lesions 2 lungs from comparable exposed population 3 tissues from experimental animals exposed to asbestos and to various other dusts 4 fibroblasts cultured in vitro with asbestos and various other dusts Dr. Benvenuto Pernis M.D. Instituto di Medicina del Lavoro della Universit^ di Genova 16132 Genova Italy Cost 45,000 Project No. 18 - A factor to convert total airborne dust concentrations using the midget impinger technique to fibre counts as recorded by membrane filter method At 20 locations at each participating asbestos mine a minimum - 16 - of 5 duplicate samples of airborne dust will be collected using side by side millipore membrane filters and midget impingers These at least 1,800 samples will be counted at McGill and by participating members of the industry Simul- taneously the total and respirable mass concentration of dust will be determined using Hexhlet and MRE samplers Objectives are 1 The calculation of a conversion factor to convert midget impinger counts to membrane filter fibre counts 2 The description of observer variation in counting fibres using the membrane filter or total dust using the midget impinger techniques 3 Measurement of total and respirable airborne dust mass concentrations in the mines and mills to examine their relationship if any to particle and fibre counts Cost 37,375 Dr. G.W. Gibbs Ph.D. Department of Epidemiology McGill University 3775 University St. Montreal Canada and Health 17- Project No. 19 - Epidemiological study of mesothelioma in USA 1 Ascertainment of fatal cases of mesothelioma by getting an answer from every pathologist as to whether or not he has made such diagnosis during the previous year 2 Visits by M.D. to every pathologist who reports a case to review the case and to select a control case 3 A field survey in which Public Health Nurses obtain occupational and residential histories for cases and controls 4 Pathological review by the US mesothelioma panel Cost 59,800 Dr. Alison McDonald M.D. Department of Epidemiology McGill University Montreal Canada Expenditures incurred by the Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Inc. showing payments to end of 1972 No. PROJECT 1 McDonald AUTHORIZED $ 230,000 2 McDonald 6,940 3 McDonald Gibbs 4 Dumont 17,750 11,266 5 Vigliani 85,000 6 Pernis 45,000 7 Karvonen 8 Tulane Univ 9 Beattie 42,000 291,380 3,291 1966 $ 46,000 wo----oe wane -+-ween -o 1967 $ 81,400 ~--~ ------------wen---~ 1968 $ 68,375 6,940 9,250 6,000 4,555 9,412 5,257 ---- wane ---- w--- 10 McDonald 474,700 ---- aaa ---- 11 = Gibbs 12 Ind Health Fdn 52,000 19,921 ---ne =------ we ---- 13 Vigliani 49,220 ---- ---- ---- 14 Smith 276,000 ~--+ ---- ~~-~ 15 Gibbs 18,830 ee Total 1,623,298 46,000 Gathering and Distribution of Scientific data Operating costs etc. 113,157 ---- 81,400 161,338 oe 109,789 153,766 1969 1969 1970 1971 1972 TOTA $ 34,375 oo-- ---- ---ween wane anne $ 230 6,1 8,500 5,266 ---=--- we-+ --++ ---- 3,946 17 7,3 29,911 32,946 13,184 15,928 11,069 5,429 ---- 78,4 ; w--- 43.9 10,504 10,506 10,513 5,257 42,0 32,401 71,385 99,502 89,111 292,2 3,292 o--- ---- ---- 3,2 ---- 102,500 102,500 102,500 307 os == 27,750 24,250 52,0 aH+- ---- 20,505 ~--- 20.5 ---- ---- ---- 12,305 12,3 ---- wnee ---- 28,235 28,2 ---- ---- ---- 18,830 18,8 137,433 233,265 276,968 276,542 1,161,3 128,654 97,266 124,952 138,372 817,5 GRAND TOTAL . 159,157 242,738 263,555 266,087 330,531 401,920 414,914 2,078,9 INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE George W. Wright M.D. Head of the Medical Research Division until Saint Luke's Hospital Cleveland Ohio U.S.A. 1972 Fernand Gr^'goire M.D. F.R.C.P. F.R.C.P. F.A.C.P. F.C.C.P. F.C.C.P. Clinique Lavoisier Inc. Montreal Canada Assistant Professor University of Montreal Ian T. Higgins M.D. M.R.C.R. Professor of Epidemiology University of Michigan School of Public Health Ann Arbor Michigan U.S.A. Paul Kotin M.D. Vice President of Health Sciences Temple University Philadelphia Pa U.S.A. Marvin Kuschner M.D. Dean - School of State University Stony Brook New Medicine of New York York U.S.A. Premysl V. Pelnar M.D. C.Sc. Scientific Secretary Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health Associate Professor part McGill University Montreal Canada time THE NEED FOR A CONCERTED EFFORT The asbestos related industries at one time concerned only with preventive pulmonary fibrosis are now faced with additional biological hazards associated with the fiber To correct the situation the options available to the industry are apparent 1 The production of this very useful material could be abandoned 2 Users of the fibre might minimize their responsibility by adopting substitutes of lesser biological activity ) It is conceivable that the fibre might be altered to remove any injurious effect while retaining its desirable qualities None of these options are attractive or appear to be practical Therefore the remaining option that industry is pursuing is to determine what exposure patterns can be tolerated without the production of disease and to adopt commensurate engineering methods capable of reducing the concentration to that which is consistent with good health throughout the life of persons who might be thus exposed This objective must be achieved if the industrial use of asbestos fibre is to continue With imputations moreover pointing to the existence of additional biological hazards associated with prolonged exposure to asbestos dust concentrations the industry is deeply convinced of the vital importance of scientific studies aimed at identifying and pursuing devising objective means of eliminating asbestos health risks not solely for production workers in Quebec but for all persons in all countries who are engaged in the manufacture or use of containing products There is no reason to believe that these problems will disappear nor that adequate information will be obtained spontaneously without directed effort The time accordingly has come for a concerted approach by industry and government towards a vigorous pursuit of the problem