Document NdYKox3K1wQQz9ern4wbZNqb

FILE NAME: Asbestos Sacks and Bags (ASB) DATE:: DOC#:ASB0 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION:>ZZZWZZD KZZ,Z Asbestos" at the docks hY Sir,-I refer to the articl~ Dr Alfred Byrne... Dockers Fear Health Peril from Asbestos." In the present state of scientific new "and :~tter methods of packaging ,crude c:argoea of asbestos eo mI n g Into the country. The report produced and ~f the medical departmenL In conclusion. it can be said that since December, 1946, when comprehensive returns of health medical knowledge. mesothe- to the parties concerned does of all Port of London Authority Iloma should not. surely. be not apparenUy diverge to any staff were initiated. there is no allowed to cause panic reactions until the fullest details regard- ing Its distribution and causes are fully understood. great extent from what .... sub- sequenUy clrculated bJ my depar~nt to Port of London Authority staff; It was ccmeJuded instance of any case of asbestosis, or malignant growth of the lung attributable to asbestos, or oC mesothelioma, The work of our dockers. unlike that of men in 8' bestos production industries, is noncontinuous and limited as to ti me and exposure to injurious that such risk as there might be In this country would not amount to more for dock labourers than for other workers. Dr Byrne's articles are of being reported in the service. . A M Lawrenee-Smlth, Medical Officer, Port of London Authority London E C 3 SUbstances. Dr Byrne's earlier article, to which he refers, . l' I i Imp les qu te terr fying risks even to persons handling pre- parations of asbestos commonly usecl in their own household chores. From what he has said it could appear that the danger of mesothelioma might be present on any building site or in the homes of the public where preparations such as asbestos, wool-lagging are corn- mon 1y used. Although asbestos has not been regarded as having likely association with the develop- ment of mesothelioma among the dockers one is unable to say that scientific investigations still going on concerning a variety known as crocidolite might not interest as cOntaining expressions of broad scientific conjecture published where they will attract attention from many who have no access to infonned and impartial opinion. In his concluding paragraphs one is happier when noting an admission that questions of packaging and loading are in fact 'exercising the 11 ingenuity of doctors, scientists and industnalists throughout the world." Dr Byrne. however, uCleS not give credit to the Port of London Authority for the part which they have played and are play'Ing In this connection. Whenever questions are raised about objectionable car go e s the Authority is invariably interested to seek for and press measures by which these can be Dr Allred Byrne wrttes: Or Lawrence" Smtth has failed to deal wtth the several points In his c:lrcular to the dockers. where, I lur;ll:ested. he was fHctuall~' wronl. His letter Is equally Inaccurate H It Is cla1mlnr that the P L A has removed the rllll!: of 8lIbestos from the docks. Moreover. I find no c:omfort In his a~sertlon that no cases of mesothelioma have arisen since 1946. seeing that it takes an a verue of 40 years for the tumour to appear. Fixing the rate Sir,-We were intrigued to learn from last Sunday's article ("Dockers fear health peril from asbestos ") that payment of 2s. per hour has some beneficial or preventive effect on pleural cancers from inhaled asbestos, and would appreriate information on the research which led to the fixing of a particular sum to combat the occurrence of mesothelioma. (;ne day show it as a noxious mitigated and controlled. This principle of prevention substance of more severe signi. The Authority's health policy by payment could perhaps be ficance. is directed to prevention rather extended to other forms of The Port of London Authority than passive acceptance of un during the summer of 1965 were"' knQwn risks., Accident Preven- active In co-operating :"wlth the . tion .CQmmittees, on which sit Ministry of Labour' and:' other~' represeritatives of the staff, to pursu'e investigations and meet regularly at the docks and disease. Just to make sure in the case of the dockers, we would suggest that 2s. 4d. or .2s. 9id. per hour may be even more beneficial. . formulate measures by which their questions and observations J L J de Bary, MRCS, any sort of risk from asbestos on subjects of physical accidents LR C P, D I H cargoes generally would best be tackled. On the findings and recommendations of ,these inquiries representations were made to the shippers to ensure and possible injuries to health are regularly passed to the Authority's head office, where they are consfdered and advised on by members of management A. Ward Gardner, MD, DIH . D C Murphy,' BSc, F R I C, 1" Inst Pet. Fawley, Hants / (" t, ~ 1/. (, b .. '