Document bJQ1qozLXzBDwDrqDdJwJxL1

FILE NAME: Asbestos Sacks and Bags (ASB) DATE: 1965 Aug 24 DOC#: ASB011 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo to Turner & Newall's Members of the Chairman's Committee RE Handling of Asbestos Fibre T urner & N ewall MANCHESTER MR- A. D. N. JOKES Ltd. Co py to c j 3 ADNJ Committee 24th August ll*C5 Handling of / sbesto^ Fibre Khen the trouble arose in th#Idocls at Mr. Howard's suggestion wa prepared a docum entor use in case oi as approach by the press. Subsequently we have revised the statement and I cow attach a copyylor your information. The Lnstruedons to Mr. flowsrd are that, if approached by tre press on th is matter, he will endeavour to contact myself or Mr. Clogg t jr its truedoes but that If he Is unable to achieve such contact/ he may use the statement if necessary. A ste.-ho?. Tlbre Turner Ss Xev/all L td ., like ether members of the A sbestos Industry ir. the United llingdom, hnve been awar e of the dangers of f sees .sis for very many years and were largely instrumental in setting up the ;ein: research body which keeps mis possible hazard to health under constant review. The various companies in the r&M Group receive asbestos fibre in its crude or only partially opened state, packed in strong hessian bags. They have spared no expense over the years ir installing special dust extraction and a ir purification plants in order to remove from the a ir the dust produced by the subsequent fibre opening treatment. The resu lt is that in some of the factory areas the a ir is purer than in the atmosphere outside; in areas in which there is danger from dust respiratory masks are provided, the use of which eliminates any risk. All manufacturing processes a re so organised as to reduce health hazards to the minimum. The health records of operatives in TLX companies compare well with those of operatives in the generality of tdustry. We believe that there is no danger to the health of deckers who handle the hessian bags containing crude or partially opened asbestos from cur mines, provided the bags are not split or burst by the careless use of hocks c r some sim ilar accident. Heavy concentrations of dust a te unlikely unless bags are damaged in this v r y . Kevertheiess, we are accelerating existing plans for the prevision of impermeable bags which will, quite apart from any health factor, make this cargo more pleasant to handle. 24th August, 1965 JAEC/AML 24th August, 1965. M r. A .D .N . Jones. Handling of A sbestos F ib re / Thank you fo r your m em orandum of 20th August. M r. Howard and I discussed the position and then jointly saw M r. B att,,ian. The outcom e was the adoption of a statem ent, fo r use in case of need, as per the attached. I re tu rn herew ith D r. Knox's le tte r to you of 12th August, having m ade a copy fo r m y ow n'file. Handling of Asbestos Fibre T u rn e r & Newall L td .. like other m em bers of the Asbestos Industry in the United Kingdom, have been aw are of the d angers of asbestosis for very many y ears and were largely instrum ental in setting up the joint re se a rc h body which keeps th is p ossible h az ard to health under co n stan t re v ie w . T h e v a rio u s co m p an ies in th e T &N G ro u p re c e iv e a sb e sto s fibre in its crude o r only p artially opened state, packed in stro n g hessian bags. They have spared no expense o v er the y e a rs in in stallin g special dust extraction and a ir purification plants in o rd e r to rem ove from the a ir the dust produced hy the subsequent fibre opening trea tm e n t. T he resu lt is that in som e of the factory a re a s the a ir is p u re r than in the atm osphere outside; in a re a s in which th e re is danger from dust re sp ira to ry m ask s a re provided, the use of which elim inates any r i s k . A ll m anufacturing p ro c e sse s a re so organised as to reduce health hazards to the m inim um . The health records of o peratives in T &N com panies com pare well with th o se of o p erativ es in the generality of industry. We believe that th e re is no danger to th e health of dockers who handle the hessian bags containing crude o r p artially opened asbestos from our m ines, provided the bags a re not split o r b u rst by the ca reless use of hooks o r som e sim ila r accident. Heavy concentrations of dust a re unlikely unless bags are damaged in this way. N evertheless, we a re accelerating existing plans for the pi ovision of im perm eable bags which w ill, quite ap art from any health factor, m ake this cargo m ore pleasant to handle.