Document OzR0xJGveE5QKpbON89d3wyVL

FILE NAME Colonial Sugar Refinery CSR DATE 1961 Sept 18 DOC CSR043 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Letter to Dr. Rennie from Dr. McNulty RE Wittenoom Asbestosis & Lethal Blue Haze of Dust around the Mill .- { JMCN. AW DISTRICT HOSPITAL Date 18th September 1961 Dr. H. Maynard Rennie Macquarie , Chambers 183 Macquarie Street Dear Dr. Rennie his has kindly forwarded a copy of your reply to Dr. Hunt at Australian Blue Asbestos letter concerning conditions ; Wittenoom W.A. pleural mesothelioma is entirely medical I am not My approach to the problem of the workers at an engineer andcamuysecdobnycertnhefnourmbtheer hoefalmtehn seriously affected by and short Wittenoom is at relatively early ages asbestos Thi ess e include a malignant exposures boss in the mill At considerable after two years as a shift Wittenoom on two occasions personal inconvenience I have visited the mill were worse in August and in my opinion conditions in levels when a light 1961 than in November 1959 In certain was appreciably reduced stirred the dust visibility mound of black dust bRruenenzieng a hand along a rail produced a hair and clothes coarse asbestos fibres Hands of containing with dust after a short time admittedly some the mill were filthy Colour photographs show that this dust is innocuous enveloped in a pretty but lethal blue haze and surroundings are were wearing respirators and During my visit most of the men failure in dust this in itself is a confession of complete work in near century control I do not see how a man can time his wearing a respirator continuously at any the summer heat reduced Dust extracted from must be greatly underground air intake Dry emfiflilcifeinncdys its way into the main from the main workings ore residue is dumped a few hundred yards Even in the town- blows all over the place and in a breeze ship much of the road and path surfacing blue asbestos is De of waste fibres are obvious material from the mine and permissible have prepared reports on Mines Department inspectorIswould refer you to them dust conditions at Wibtettewneoeonm aAnudgust 14th and August 19th During an inspection 1000 + P.P.C.C. were not uncommon in mine 1961 dust counts of times the maximum and mill This is over three containing free silica and the rock concentration of dust is highly silicious Ome, commented that there were asbestos fibres The inspector sample the Konimeter used for dust sampling in every underground instrument for counting asbestos fibres is not a reliable obvious during the afternoon shift Dust and fumes were He quotes the following figures Average Average " dust dust " count " ~t for tt " day Ce] shift ~t " - June - Nov. - Aug. 60 - 230 * 60- 180 '61 - 420 P.P.C.c. P.P.C.C. P.P.C.C. Average dust count for afternoon shift - Nov. '60 QUO 110 P.P.C.C. ( All these averages readings vary greatly are very crude and the individual The mine air seemed more dust laden than ever due to contribute and the increased production Outside sources the mill 130 P.P.Mc.c. main Adit air is polluted by dust from in one instance In the Mill figures were as follows Dust count - June 60 = 330 P.P.C.c. Average Average * ~ Sept. 60 420 P.P.C.C. P.P.C.C. At the primary crusher figures of 1000 + P.P.C.C. were . recorded hat These figures speak for themselves and do not conditions have improved over the last 3 years suggest _ letter concerning the lack of a The statement in your did not come from me I have always One well developed conscience and helpful found Mr. Allan and Mr. Thomas courteous and that the cannot help feeling that production comes first The health of the worokferasCroemcpeainvyes issectoonpdraoryducceona sipdreordautcitonfitably , primary concern time and time again that apart from gross but it has been shown this is best achieved where the interest exploitation of labour is considered The contrary where and health of the workers of the health of the the product is produced at the expense in a civilised community community If I worker cannot be tolerated at Wittenoom and I that this state of affairs existed thought else close the mine I would resign could not correct it or dust hazard is not properly appreciated What I do say is that the attitude is ostrich I am certain and that the companies not ideal and have very grave conditions are that working 7 | } | | doubts concerning the statement that everything possible has been done I have reason to belive that much of the dust extracting machinery is ineffective at times and further before extracting the dust some means of disposing of it away from the workings should be discovered Increased production should go hand in hand with ventilation and not precede it Frankly I do not think that the company C.S.R. or A.B.A. know how to control the dust In little more than 10 years the industry has produced 20 cases of industrial chest disease including one proved cancer and a number of suspected cases As the years go on I have no doubt that many more will come to light It should be remembered that many experts in this field claim that the asbestos fibre takes many years to produce significant pulmonary disease If this is true the men diagnosed now represent gross pathology and exposuraned the real nature of the hazard in terms of disease may not become apparent for another 10 years No one connected with this problem should rest until conditions at Wittenoom are ideal and the foregoing does not suggest that this stage has been reached The known hazard is real enough but reading papers on pleural mesothelioma notably J.C. Wagner C.A. Sleggs & P.Marchand British Journal Indust Med 1960 17 260 is left with a suspicion that a combinatioonf individual idiosyncrasy and minimal asbestos exposure such as from road surfacing may be dangerous I have written this letter because Dr. Hunt has assure me of your good faith and in the hope that your influence may ' effect an improvement in the working conditions of the asbestos workers which we have been unable to achieve through the regular channels in W.A. Yours faithfully J. McNulty CHEST PHYSICIAN Jic ve ~ SIMPSEN Exhibit . a 7 % KALKOONLIK KALKOONLIK 12th September 1961 140a 140a me, 1. Kaynard Ferie nog alle Chambers 183 ncquarie Street qtr a Dear Dr. Tennie his Dr. Hunt has kindly forwarded a copy of your reply to letter concering concering conditions at Australian Blue Arbestos Wittancom P.A. My approach to the problem is entirely medical I am not an engineer and my concern for the health of the workers at Wittenoom in caused by the number of men seriously affected by asbestosis at relatively early eres and short These include a malignant pleural mesothelioma exposures after two years as a shift boss in the mill At corsiderable personal inconvenience I have visited Wittenoom on two occasions _ in my opinion conditions in the mill were worse in Angust and 1961 than in November 1959. In certain levels when a light breeze stirrethde visibility was appreciably reduced Puining a hand along a rail produced a mound of bleek drst containing coarse asbestos lbres ~ardshair and al thea filthy with dust after a short time ndrittedly some of were dust is innocuous Colour photographe show that the mill this and surroundings are enveloped in a pretty but lethal blue have During my visit most of the men were wearing respiratore and this in itself io a confession of complete failure in drst control I do not see how a man can work in near century heat wearing a respirator respirator continuously at any time his summer efficiency must be greatly reduced Dust extracted from the mill finds its way into the main underground air intake Dry renilue is dumped a few hundred yards from the main workings ore blows all over the place Even in the town- and in a breeze ship much of the road and path surfacing as estos is made of waste fibres are obvious material from the mine and blue Mi Department inspectors have prepared reports on Aunt conditions at Wittenoom and I would refer you to them During an insrection between Angust 14th and August 19th 1961 dust counts of 1000 + P.P.C.C. were not uncommon in mine and mill This is over three times the maximum permissible silica and the rock mined concentration of dust containing free is highly milicious - The ingrector corrented that there were used cotestos for dust fibres sampling in every underground sammle the Fonimeter asbestos fibres is not a reliable instrument for courting shift Orst and fores were obvious during the afternoon To quates the following figures count for day shift June 160 - 230 P.P.C.c. lust Avevano " " " " " - Nov. * 60- 180 P.P.C.C. ee " bad = Aug. 6p 420 P.F.C.C. P.F.C.C. a, yy " Aad ad ms. Average Average dust count count for " afternoon * shift t - Nov. - Aug. '60 - 110 '61 - 630 F.P.C.C. P.P.C.C. All these overages are very crude and the individual | readins vary greatly dust lader than aver due to The mine air acemed more contribute and the increased production Outside sources from the mill 130 P.P. C.c. main Adit air is polluted by dust in one instance In the Mill figures were as follows Averare " Dust " " count " " = Ju.e 160 = 330 P.P.C.C. = Sent 160 420 P.P.0.0 P.P.0.0 P.P.0.0 ~ Nov '60 = 460 P.P.C.C. * bad " - Aug. 16 -_ 390 P.P.C.C. crusher figures of 1000 + P.P.C.C. were At the primary . recorded that Those ficures speak for themselves and do not conditions have improved over the last 3 years suggest letter concerning the lock of a The statement in your I have always well developed conscience did not come from me and helpful One found Mr. Allan and Mr. Thomas courteous first and that the cannot help feeling that production comes consideration The health of the workers receives secondary a product profitably , of a Commany is to produce that apart from gross primary concern time and time again but it has been shown where the interest of labour this is best achieved where exploitation workers is considered The contrary and health of the of the health of the at the expence If I the produccatnnoits bperodtuocleedrated in a civilised community and I worker thought that this state of affairs existed at Wittenoom else close the mine I would resign could not correct it or dust hazard is not properly appreciated What I do say is that tahtetitude is ostrich I un certain and that the companies are not ideal and have very grave that working conditions ed -3- -3- doubts concerning the statement that everything possible has been done I have reason to belive that arch of the st extracting machinery is ineffective at times and further before extracting from the workings the duct should be some means of discovered disposing Increased of it away production Prankly o do in hand with ventilation and not precede it Prankly I do not think that the company C.R.R. or A.B.A. know how to control the dust In little more than 10 years the industry has produced 20 cages of industrial chest disease including one proved cancer and a number of suspected cases As the years go on I have no doubt that many more will come to light It should be remembered that many experts in this field claim that the asbestos fibre takes many years to produce significant pulmonary Aisease If this is time the men diagnosed now represent pross pathology and exposure and the real nature of the hazard in terms of disease may not become apparent for another 10 years No one connected with this problem should rest until conditions at Wittenoom are ideal and the foregoing does not that this state has been reached The known hazard suxigest pleural mesothelioma is real enough but reading papers on C.A. 3leggs & P.Kanchand P.Kanchand British Journal notably J.C. Wasner one is left with a suspicion that a IcnodmubsitnaMteidon1o9f60in1 di7vidual idiosyncracy minimal asbestos exposure such as from road surfacing may be Gangerous I have written this letter because Dr. Hunt has assured 10 of your good faith and in the hope that your influence may effect an improvement in the working conditions of the asbestos workers which we have been unable to achieve through the regular charnela in V.A. Yours faithfully J. J. Helults Helults Helults Helults Helults Helults Helults PITYSICIAN