Document dDa9357pM4n53w8B7d5ydyp00

Asbestos Information Association/North America 22 East 40th Street New York, N. Y. 10016 212-689-3378 January 30, 1973 Gentlemen: ... As mentioned in my memo of January 17, attached are two documents concerning the Bill introduced by Congressman Dominick Daniels to repeal the Federal Metal and Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act and to transfer standard setting and enforcement responsibilities for U.S. mining operations, including asbestos, to OSHA. The two documents are (1) an excerpt from the Congressional Record of January 11, and (2) an analysis of the situation by our government affairs consultants. I In recent weeks, we have received a sizable number of news paper clippings concerning a recent paper by Dr. Mearl Stanton of the National Cancer Institute on fiber size being the main determinant in the causation of mesothelioma in test animals. Both the DPI and Los Angeles Times articles on the study (a copy of the latter is attached) contained the statement that "asbestos is second only to cigarette smoking as a cause of lung cancer." We are trying to track down the source of this comment (it is unlikely that it came from Dr. Stanton himself). The L.A. Times attributed it to the Institute, the UPI story did not. On the other head, a story (also attached) from the Occupational Health and Safety Letter did not use the quote at all. In any case, attached is a copy of Dr. Stanton's paper as presented at the. Lyon Conference last October. Far. from being a-damaging study, Dr. Stanton's research indicates that electron size asbestos fibrils are of little or no concern in the causation of cancer. Since it is fibrils of this size that are being found in community air, in drinking water, beverages, drugs, wine, beer, etc., his findings could prove a valuable weapon in defending attacks in these areas. Also enclosed is .a copy of an article from the December issue of Occupational Hazards magazine, consisting of an interview of Dr. Selikoff on various occupational health topics, including asbestos. Mike Isser of Cunningham & Walsh contacted the magazine on behalf of the Assocatidn, 'and they agreed to do an article on the efforts being made by the asbestos industry UCC 011759 A 19543 2 to comply with the OSHA standards. Arrangements will be made within the next few weeks for a writer from the magazine to interview both me and an environmental control expert from the industry. We will keep you informed on the progress with this article. The final item enclosed is a clip from the Occupational Health and Safety Letter concerning an automatic asbestos fiber bag opening device recently developed by Johns-Manville The announcement was made in a speech by E. M. Fenner at a safety conference in Olympia, Washington, late last year, " and was publicized in a press release put out, on behalf of the Association by Cunningham and Walsh. Sincerely, Matthew M. Swetonic Executive Secretary Enclosures UCC 011760 A 1 9544 ' CONGRESSIONAL RECORD --HOUSE January 11, 1973 Statement by Rep. Dominick 7. Daniels (D-Ii.J.) intro ducing HR 1720, a bill to repeal the Federal Metal and uonmetallic Mine Safety Act* SAFETY AMD HEAI/IK IK METAL AND NON Mi- iViLLIC MINIM (Mr. Dor::-:ic:c v. d.\ni;:l3 asked and \r:-.s rive-. j;;.-.::sr.-.icn tp extend lus remarks at th:s po.nt in the ViECoao anti to include extraneous ut.V.lcr.j Mr. DOMINICK V. DANIELS. Mr. Speaker, I am today introducin'? legir:*Uori to repeal the Fedtral Metal mid NonisctsUic Mine Safety Act because, paradoxical as it may sound, that la the best way to promote health and safety In these mines. The eilect of the repeal is not to leave metal and nonmetallic min ers without the protection of Federal safety law; rather it is to make them subject to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, a much stronger and more effective statute than toe Metal and Nonnterallie Aline Safety Act. The Metal and Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act was a lorwaru-looking. pro gressive piece of legislation when it was enacted, and I am proud to have been a member of trie subcommittee that de veloped it. But wc have now had G years of experience under tint act, and we have also--through the enactment of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of If!;9 and tbs Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970--acquired a great deal more experience in writmg safety and health legislation. The Select Labor Subcommittee's hearings last year demonstrated at least two major weaknesses in the Metal and Nonmetaiiic Ahr.e Safety Act--and my bill is designed to correct both of them. The first weakness is in the administer ing agency. We pluCid enforcement of safety and health responsibility in the Bureau of Mines because we thought that its tech nical expertise in mining operations made it the logical agency to protect the worker's safety and health. 5ut we were wrong. The Bureau of Mines' basic char ter is to promote production and that, we have found, is inconsistent with rigorous enforcement of safety laws. Safety and maximising production are not always consistent goals--and the Bureau of Mines has shown that workers will not be adequately protected while their lives are In the hands of an agency that is "pro duction first" oriented. The failure of the Bureau's enforce ment program is evident from the fig ures. The injury frequency rates have not declined in the industries subject to this act, while experience under the Longshore Safety Acc, administered cy the Department of Labor,, demonstrates conclusively that a well enforced safety law will bring injury rates down. The most appalling evidence of the in effectiveness of the Bureau of Afincs pro gram in the metal mining area is the disaster at the Sunshine Silver Mine in Kellogg. Idaho, in May f "7b. The interim report ol the independent hearing exam iner on that disaster is a tragic indict ment. Let me just quote a few sentences from his report: It Is evident that a large number of deaths ar.d the magnitude ot the disaster are x direct result of inadequate safety stand ards, industry-wide poor safety practices, the leek of trai!i::tg of the .T.iner-.i in the event of a disaster, ar.d the fact that no oue expected a disaster of this r it tide to o-eur. Fv.r- thrr. rat only are some standards iuade* n.;..re. hut ll.-ey have beet diluted and rea- ucrcd iis.-rlf.-ttve by inter;,: cu-Uon. Wt* will not hr.vc a vigorous enforce ment program in th:-t indti-dry until wo transfer responsibility to tnc Depart ment of Labor. That is what my bill does, and 15 injures that -the Department of Labor wiil have sufficient cxpc-rier.ce in the mining field by transferring to that Department the personnel in the Interior Department who have been engaged in the administration of the law. We have, as I said before. learned much about the relative efficacy of dif ferent enforcement, procedures in occu pational safety and health laws. The Oc cupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is the distillation of that experience. It improves in many ways the procedures of the Metal and NemnctaUic Mine Safety Act. and I am attaching to my state ment a memorandum outlining the weaknesses of that act which are im proved in the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Mr. Speaker, death and injuries in tha mines are not inevitable. Effective safety and health laws effectively administered can make a difference. It is time that the metal and nonmetallic miners of this country received the protection that they deserve--and that my bill will provide. I include the following; Weaknesses or Funt-tc Law 80-5T7--Feoesm. XlETAZ, ACT AKn NONHETAEUC STAHUAXSS MlNE SaTZXT There ore no mandatory Interim standards. There Is no time-limit within which per manent mandatory* standards must be set. The Secretary of Interior is bound py for mal rule-making procedures which can often he lengthy. Under a state plan. standards do not have to be at least as euoctive as the federal ones. There is no provision for a variation in. standards and for the employe-3 to be in formed of one. There are no emergency temporary stand- ~There is no general duty to cover unique circumstances where no standards have been promulgated. There is no distinction in the standards between gassy and nongassy mines. ENTOSCEME.vr Inspections The Inspector is required to visit each mine only once per year. There la no prohibition against advance notice of an inspection. There is no provision for the employee rep resentative to accompany the Inspector. There is no provision for the employees to get the results of an inspection. There is no reo.uirement for an inspector to reinspect to determme if an employer has corrected a violation of a standard. Penalties There are no mandatory penalties. There are only permissive ciosl penalties: (1) if the Secretary of Interior chooser to bring a civil action for failure to correct a violation of a standard; (2) if the Secretary of Interior eiiooew to bring a civil action iu the District Court for failure to abide by a reporting requirement: (3) if the Secretary of Interior chooses to bring a civil action for an employer's refusal to permit an Inspection or for interference with an Inspector. There are pcruiuieive criminal penalties if; (11 the Secretary of Interior wisher, to fcrin,; an action for refusal to comply with a withdrawal order ::i Casts ot imminent dan ger causing death or serious physical f2) or refusal to comply with an order of debarment. A 10 5 4b UCC 011761 MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH Policy Developments Metal and Non-Metallic Mine Safety: Congressman Dominick Daniels (D-N.J.), chairman ox the house Select buocomraittee on Labor, has introduced legisla tion which would strip the Department of the Interior of its responsibility for the Metal and Non-Metallic Mine Safety Act of 1966. Daniels' bill would transfer this responsibility to the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Such action has long been favored by organized labor, particularly the United Steelworkers, who have most of the metal and non-metal mines under contract. The Steelworkers demanded the transfer of responsibility last year following the Sunshine Silver Mine disaster which killed 91 miners I During the oversight hearings held on the disaster by Daniels' subcommittee,- Steelworkers legislative director, John Sheehan, said that the Department of Interior's Bureau of Mines was too cozy with the private mining interests to adequately enforce the law. In commenting on the disaster. Steelworkers President I.W. Abel demanded that "Congress act to shift responsibility for enforcement of metal and non-metal mine safety to the Occupational Safety I and Health Administration. . . " The mechanism of the Daniels' bill which would effect the transfer is the repeal of the Metal and Non-Metallic Mine Safety Act, thereby placing the mines under the jurisdiction of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The bill ensures that the Department of Labor will- have the necessary expertise in the mining field by transfering to OSHA the Bureau of Mine's personnel who have been engaged in the administration of the mine safety act. On the day he introduced his bill (HR 1720) Daniels stated that "The Bureau of Mines basic charter is to promote production and that, we have found, is inconsistent with the rigorous enforcement of safety laws. . . the Bureau . of Mines has shown that workers wall not be adequately protected while their lives are in the hands of an agency that is 'production first' oriented." The bill has a high priority wdth Daniels, and his subcommittee can be-ex pected to hold hearings sometime during the spring, if not sooner. According to a subcommittee spokesman, the bill will probably be the second order of business following the committee's work on public service jobs and manpower policy. Since the subcommittee has not yet organized itself, this time schedule may change over the next few weeks. Forecast/Assessment GRC expects a similar bill to be introduced -shortly in the Senate and it will probably be initiated by Sen. Harrison Williams (D-N.J.), chairman of the Senate Labor and Public Welfare Committee. There is a good possibility that this legislation will pass during the 93rd Congress. UCC 011762 .aids 4 3 Scientist says chemical make-up not to blame UCC 011763 A 1 054 Occupational Health & Safety Letter, January 8,1973 NEW STUDY DEMONSTRATES MECHANISM OF ASBESTOS EFFECTS: The carcinogenic activity of asbestos is due entirely to its fibrous structure, regardless of the chemi cal composition of the fibers, according to a scientist of the National Cancer Institute. Dr.Mearl F. Stanton of NCI's Laboratory of Pathology reported on his asbestos study in laboratory rats at a conference in Lyon, France, on the biological effects of asbestos. The series of experiments was undertaken to test the ability of various fibrous and non-fibrous sub stances to cause cancer of the pleura. Results showed that very fine fibers of asbestos, glass or sapphire caused a high incidence of pleural cancers in the rats, while coarse fibers or powdered material of the same compositions only rarely caused cancer. The carcinogenic fibers were between one-half and five microns in diameter and less than 80 microns long (less than one-hundredth as thick as an eyelash and under one-tenth as long, says NCI). He and his colleagues used surgical methods to implant asbestos-covered glass-mesh pads directly against the pleura of rats. The pads remained in place until the rats were autopsied; then the pleura! mem branes were examined for cancer at the site of asbestos exposure. I High rates of mesothelioma, ranging from 58 to 75 percent, were found in 450 rats treated with asbestos fibers, regardless of which of three chemically distinct types of asbestos (crocidolite, chrysotile or amosite) were used. The rate of cancer production by various asbestos samples did not depend on the presence or absence of impurities, and neither of two common metal contaminants of asbestos tested separately produced any cancers. Treatment with fine particles of silica, the major constituent of all types of asbestos, caused only one mesothelioma among 48 rats. Thus, Dr. Stanton said, neither the chemical composition of asbestos nor the presence of impurities could account for its carcinogenic potential. In one experiment, a sample of asbestos was ground to reduce its fibers to submicroscopic size and very short lengths. This treatment reduced cancer incidence in test rats to less than half the rate in ruts exposed to natural fibers of asbestos. The glass-mesh pads alone did not cause cancer, but mesotheliomas occurred in rats exposed to glass that had been treated to reduce it to small fibers, making it comparable to asbestos in size. At the Lyon conference. Dr. Stanton described more recent studies designed to test whether particle size and shape are the critical factors in causing this type of cancer. In these experiments, rats were ex posed by the same technique as before to particles of asbestos, glass or aluminum oxide of many different sizes and shapes. After two years, fibers of all three materials have been found capable of causing high rates of pleural cancer in rats. Two standard samples of asbestos, two of very fine fibrous glass, and a sample of fine sapphire (aluminum oxide) "whiskers" caused cancer in more than half of the 150 rats that have been autopsied so far. Lower rates of cancer, between 5 and 40 percent, occurred in rats treated with either long, thick fibers or short, thin fibers of glass or asbestos. None of the 150 rats exposed to two samples of fully pulverized asbestos, non-fibrous aluminum oxide, or two samples of glass with large fibers have so far developed any cancer. "We know that asbestos fibers cause cancer in man," said Dr. Stanton. "We have no evidence on whether other kinds of fibers will aiso prove hazardous. It's rare to find other substances with fibers the same size as asbestos, and few people are known to have been exposed to them. But the resuits in ani mats suggest that it would be judicious to avoid inhalation or ingestion of any finely particulate fibrous material." UCC 011764 A 1 954 BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ASBESTOS LYON, October 2-5, 1972 Paper 43A Some Aetiologic Considerations of Fiber Carcinogenesis' Mearl F. Stanton t '* (With the technical assistance of Constance Wrench & Eliza Miller) UCC 011765 A 19549 43A - 1 SOME AETIOLOGIC CONSIDERATIONS OF FIBER CARCINOGENESIS by Mearl F. Stanton *' (with the technical assistance of Constance Vrench and Eliza.Miller) The Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda', Maryland, U.S.A. SUMMARY Various structural forms of asbestos, fibrous glass, and aluminum oxide have been tested for carcinogenicity on the pleura of rats. Preliminary results indicate that all three materials when composed predominantly of durable fibers between 0.5 and 5 microns in diameter and lengths of less, than 80 microns are more carcinogenic than fibers smaller or larger than these dimensions or non-fibrous materials of similar composition. The carcinogenicity of asbestos, glass, and aluminum oxide is primarily related to its structure rather than to physicochemical properties. UCC011766- A Or- ^-- . 43A-2 The exogenous agents which contribute to the cause of cancer generally fall into 1 of 3 major groups{ ionizing radiation, chemicals, and viruses. There is a wealth of speculation as to how the members of these groups act to induce cancer, but the mechanisms of their action remain unknown. Asbestos is of particular Interest as a carcinogen because it has attributes of two of these groups. In all its forms, asbestos contains chemicals that are carcinogenic under certain conditions. At first hand, the various metallic ions or the polycyclic hydrocarbons that are either inherent^ or acquired through processing would seem the best explanation for l asbestos carcinogenicity. On the other hand, asbestos particles that are within the dimensional range of viruses are abundant in all forms and conceivably these submicroscopic particles could act in a * fashion similar to viruses, whatever that may be. However, there is reasonably good evidence that neither of these attributes are related to the carcinogenicity of asbestos. The evidence for this conclusion can be summarized as follows: 1. There is no indication that any of the asbestoses are contaminated sufficiently with known carcino genic hydrocarbons to account for their carcino genicity and rigorous extraction of those hydrocarbons present in asbestos does not affect Its carcinogenicity for the pleura of the rat '(Vagner, J.C. et al. 1970). 2. Variations in inherent metallic content of various types of asbestos are great, yet these various types of asbestos show only slight differences in carcino genicity (Harrington, J.S., 1965; Timbrell V., 1970; Wagner J.C. et al. 1970B; Stanton et al.. 1972). UCC 011767 A *1 9 5 5 1 43A-3 3# Finely particulate metallic nickel, stainless steel, or non-crystalline silicon dioxide applied to the pleura of the rat are not sufficiently carcinogenic to account for the carcinogenicity of asbestos through mill contamination (Stanton et al. 1972). 4. Reduction of fiber size by partial pulverization of asbestos, a process which, increases contami- nation by metallic particles and increases the number of submicroscopic fibrils in asbestos, reduces its carcinogenicity (Stanton. et al. 1972). 5. Hand-cobbed crocidolite ore, hand milled without - metallic contamination^is equal in carcinogenicity" to machine-milled crocidolite (Stanton et al.1972). 6. Non-asbestiform fibers such as fibrous glass are increasingly carcinogenic as they approach the size range of milled asbestos fibers (Stanton et al.1972). r One thereforefaust consider that the structural features of asbestos may be the critical factor in its carcinogenicity and it is toward this hypothesis that' we have directed our attention. If the structural features of asbestos are important, then it follows that similar fibers, if sufficiently durably should also induce tumors and on this reasoning we have based a large series of experiments. These experiments are still in progress; only preliminary results of part of them are available at this time. For this reason interpretations are limited. A 93D UCC 011768 43A-4 The interpretations of tumor incidence are reasonably conservative and may need to be revised upwards in the final calculations. The analysis of fiber distribution by size is admittedly crude and subject to considerable error, but again ve have tried to be conservative in our interpretation. Materials and Methods: Various specimens of crocidolite, chrysotile, fibrous glass, and fibrous aluminum oxide were applied by open thoracotomy to the left pleural surface of 30, 11- to 14- week-old, female Osborne- Mendel rats at a single standard 40 mg dose level by a method previously described (Stanton et al., 1969). The single unique aspect of these experiments is that all test materials were applied to small 45 mg fibrous glass pledgets prior to application. The * glass pledgets are composed of large-diametered fibrous glass which when intact has no apparent carcinogenicity in itself. We use it simply as a convenient and accurate means of uniformly applying the test material to a wide surface area of the pleura. The test materials are listed in tables 1-4. The UICC standard reference sample? of crocidolite and chrysotile A have been previously described (Timbrell V. 1970). These samples were treated by grinding in a stainless-steel ball.mill (Spex model 5000) to produce the three pulverized samples, and the crude fibers were stripped by hand from hand-cobbed ore specimens, with an attempt to retain bundles of fibers as long as feasible without contamination by extraneous mineral. This processing was previously described (Stanton et al.1972). The fibrous glasses were obtained from both the Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, and the Johns-Manville Research and Engineering Center, Kanville, New Jersey. *) 955 3 UCC 011769 ` / 3 S G l V l \ '< <=^ Vs0r5it 4C! e HcOfi lp9i 4o u S ^a f-o4 *N 2b 0 Vi * tf 0 *h .* a ad 4d> hi * o p-l 5f v* a o * -aOH 4a eS u m J*i fot JS a -n -i a r-ril a a<P OH r-4 Erd4l O as a 6 s. a u a `t K9* E* cl -vev UCC 011770 TABLE 2 MESOTHELIOMA INCIDENCE Hi RELATION TO DISTRIBUTION 0? FIBERS BY SIZE . MODERATE INCIDENCE CROUPS (40-25X HESOTKZLICMAS) 8 A o CNJ A 10 > 8,0> 160 <r fr * 7 20 40 80 160 320 _____ _____*____ i____ i 42 22 1 10 2 12 12 23 2 _____ ' 20 1$ 10 12 .4 2 76 14 i t i 17 2 11 9 8 9 10 2 1 8 i i 24 1 15* 10 9 22 9 8 10 1 2 4. 1 <1 -cl till! * UCC 011772 * J 43 A* 1$ TABLE 3 MESOTHELIOMA INCIDENCE I'A RELATION TO DISTRIBUTION OF FIBERS BY SIZE LOW INCIDENCE CROUPS (20-51 HES0TEELIC1AS) I t ' lO UCC 011773 *105 TABI.S U MESOTHELIOMA INCIDENCE IN RELATION TO DISTRIBUTION O? FIBERS BY SIZE . ZERO INCIDENCE GROUPS (NO MESOTHZLICWS) I UCC 011774 A 1 055 43A-5 We are particularly indebted to the latter Institution for the size separation of fibrous glasses, which were carried out through a series of millings and sedimentation .of exceptionally fine-diametered glass fibers. All of the glasses were of the usual borosilicate type with mineral oxide contents previously recorded (Stanton et al. 1972). The non-fibrous aluminum oxide and aluminum oxide whiskers were commercial products obtained from the Artech Corporation, Falls Church, Virginia. These are single crystal fibers that are more than 99.5Z pure The method of counting fibers was previously described (Stanton at al. 1972). Samples of the materials suspended in Formvar were air-dried on glass slides and photographed at 1000' magnifications. From the photographs, 1000 consecutively counted particles were assigned to the 30 ranges of dimension indicated in t text-figure 1. Assuming that the particles in a given range were normally distributed around the mean size of that range, the total mass of all particles could be calculated, and the percent of the total mass occupied by particles in a given range or size compartment are the figures tabulated in tables 1-4. In the tables, the first and % the second entry in each row entry of each row//consist5 of particles that are non-fibrous. The plus figures below the designated specimen, indicate the extent of pleural fibrosis most commonly observed in the rats of each experiment. The rats are being observed for 2 years following- application. All dead or sick rats are necropsied and histologic sections taken from the site of treatment and any other abnormal lesion. There is a limit to how precisely one can interpret results in terms of tumor response, because rats die at various times and from various causes during the 2-year period. A 1 9.55 3 UCC 011775 43A-6 Nevertheless, from the present rates of mesothelioma development we can estimate the final incidences of mesotheliomas in broad terms of whether the incidence will be high ( i.e. 502; table 1), moderate to low ( i.e., `402 but >52), or negative(table 4). Results and Conclusions: The data are arranged in 4 tables according to our preliminary estimates of mesothelioma incidence. In table 1 are the 5 specimens that have yielded a tumor incidence greater than 502. These are the UICC standard reference samples of crocidolite and chrysotile A, two samples of very fine fibrous glass with diameters of 3 ji or less, and the aluminum oxide whiskers. All of.these samples are composed almost entirely of fibers, and further have in common a predominance of fibers below 5 p. in diameter. The I AI2O3 fibers are of particular interest because they are totally different from asbestos and glass, both in internal structure and chemical composition, yet their size distribution is remarkably like that of UICC crocidolite. However, one-third of the fibers are slightly longer and thicker than the crocidolite fibers and, since the density of AI2O3 is greater than asbestos, approximately one-sixth as many fibrous particles are present. The AI2O3 fibers are very durable and do not fragment to submicroscopic fibrils as crocidolite does. Whether this persistence of optically visible AI2O2 fibers relates to increased carcinogenicity remains to be seen. Tables 2 and 3 list the 7 samples of asbestos and glass which fell in the middle ground of carcinogenicity.'^ These materials may prove more carcinogenic than we predict at present, but all show a lesser carcinogenic response than those of table 1. These groups show no single outstanding difference in fiber distribution from those of table 1. A ! 9 5.0 O UCC 011776 43A-7 Both extremes in the dimensional ranges of fibers are Represented. For example, the two crocidolite samples show similar incidences of mesotheliomas, but one is composed almost entirely of long,large- diametered fiber bundles while the other has less than half as many fibers all of which are short and small in diameter. explanation for this result is that fragmentation of fibers in vivo may play a role. The distributional array of fibers in the glass specimens would strongly indicate that carcinogenicity is decreased if fibers exceed 2.5 yu in diameter. Finally, table 4 lists 5 samples including asbestos, glass, and AI2O3. which thus far have not yielded mesotheliomas. Except for the whole-fibered commercial glass, which is the type used as a vehicle in all experiments, none of these experiments with non- fibrous materials have progressed sufficiently to assure that no mesotheliomas will occur. However, the expected incidence in the remaining 4 groups if far lower than the materials in tables 2 and 3. If one analyzes the experiments in terms of individual types of material, some additional points are evident. Comparisons of the 4 samples of crocidolite (sections 1 of tables 1-4) indicated that none of the 3 extremes in fiber distribution yield as high an incidence of mesotheliomas as the more evenly distributed U1CC standard reference sample. Either progressive pulverization to non-fibrous form by optical standards or preservation of the test sample in large bundles of fibers clearly reduces carcinogenicity. la considering the 3 samples of chrysotile (sections 2 of tables 1, 2, and 4), it is again apparent that the presence of * A i 956 UCC 011777 43A-8 particles smaller than 0.5 x 1.5 ^ (i.e., the clumps and masses of s'ubmicroscopic fibrils represented in the distribution of fully pulverized chrysotile) decreases carcinogenicity and that fibers vith diameters of more than 2.5 i; and lengths of more than 80 n reduce carcinogenicity. In considering the 8 glass samples (sections 3 and 4 of tables 1-4) conclusions are not as easy. It is apparent that samples composed over 90% by weight of fibers with diameters of 2.5 or less are the most carcinogenic and as this diameter is exceeded by more and more fibers carcinogenicity is reduced .&j"Length does not seem critical here since the crude AAA fibrous glass applied >1 virtually intact yieldj more mesotheliomas than the same glass reduced to shorter lengths (section 3 of table 1 vs. sections 3 in * tables 2 and 3). However, reduced carcinogenicity in the glass samples may have resulted simply from reduction of the fibers to a non-fibrous form or to fused masses of glass of greater than 5 in diameter. Final conclusions on this interesting series of sized ' glass fibers must await more accurate tumor-incidence figures. Nevertheless, it is certain that in the pleura of the rat, fibrous glass of small diameter is a patent carcinogen. Finally, the contrasting results with the fibrous and nonfibrous forms of AI2O3 reemphasize the importance of structure to carcinogenicity. These exceptionally pure, inert fibers composed of materials foreign to asbestos and glass seem to carry the dame carcinogenic hazard for the pleura as asbestos and glass. A 95S2 UCC011778 43A-9 It would therefore seem that carcinogenicity Is in some way related to the presence of a durable particle of fibrous configuration in the dimensional range of optical recognition but presumably very near the limit of this range, and that carcinogenicity of asbestos, glass, or AI2O3 has little relation to the chemical composition of these substances or their potential contaminants. ------ -------- f UCC011779 A'i9563 43A - 15 REFERENCES 1. Barrington, J.S, (1965) Chemical studies of asbestos. Annals of the Nrw York Academy of Science 132, 31-47. 2. Stanton, M.F., Blackwell R. and Miller, E. (1969) Experimental pulmonary carcinogenesis wtth asbestos. American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 30. 236 - 244. 3. Stanton, M.F. and Wrench, C. (1972) Mechanisms of mesothelioma induction with asbestos and fibrous glass. Journal of the Rational Cancer Institute, 4S. 797 - 821. 4. Timbrell, V. (1970) Characteristics of the International Onion Against Cancer standard reference samples of asbestos. Pneumoconiosis: Proceedings of the International Conference. Johannesburg 1969. Cape Town, Oxford University Press pp. 28-36. 5. Wagner, J.C., Berry, G.and Timbrell, V. (1970A) Mesotheliomas in rats following the intrapleural inoculation of asbestos. Pneumoconiosis: Proceedings oS the International Conference. Johannesburg 1969. Cape Town, Oxford University Press pp.216-219 6. Wagner, J.C.(1970B) The pathogenesis of tumors following the intrapleural injection of asbestos and silica. Morphology of Experimental Respiratory Carcinogenesis, AEC Symposium Monograph Series 21, Oak Ridge,Tennessee. Oak Ridge National Laboratories pp. 347-358. UCC 011780 A 19 56 4 Science, center's 1973 In 1972, a surge oj activity in occupational health was triggered hy the Occupational Safety and Health Act. 1973 should prove an even more eventful year. In this exclusive interview, Dr. Irving J. Selikoff, a prime mover in occupational health, out- ` lines his plans for the year ahead. by Richard 1. Snider Jr., Assistant Editor t Dr. Selikoff, in 1972 your study on asbestos workers provided impetus for the development of a permanent OSHA standard on asbestos dust. Will you be completing a study of com parable importance next year? Yes, one on coal tar pitch and asphalt, which should have exten sive application, notably among roofers and steelworkers. It is a mortality study, similar to the one we did with the asbestos workers. We drew on data covering all 1 S.000 members of the Roofers' Union and charted cause of death in 3.000 con secutive deaths that took place from 1959 to 1971. We`re also doing a study with the cooperation of the Printing Press men's Union on inks and oil mists which may be completed by the end of next year. Of course, there arc others. Tell us a little about them. What subjects do they cover? Wc arc studying the health effects of pesticides and detergent en/.ymes with the International Chemical Workers', titanium with the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers' and the Painters' Union, polychlorinated biphenyls with the Papermakcrs' and Union, cotton dust and carbon di sulphide with the Textile Workers' Union, cement and adhesives with the Tile Setters, epoxies with the Painters' Union, a bone disease called caisson disease with the Tun nel and Caisson Workers', and lead and other substances with the Ty pographers' Union. We will also be continuing our studies on asbestos with the Asbestos Workers' and the Tapers' Union. Dr. Irving J. Selikoff joined the fac ulty of Alt. Siif.it in 1941 atui contin ues his tenure in the Medical School as a professor of medicine and commun ity medicine, in 1955, he received the Albert lM\kcr Award from the Amer ican Public Health A wociadon for his studies on tuberculous, ll'hcn Mt. Sinai formed the Environmental Sci ences Laboratory in 19tiJ, Dr. Selikoff was appointed director. Doctor, what are your thoughts on the present permanent standards for asbestos promulgated recently by OSHA of 5 fibers longer than 5 mi crometers long per cubic centimeter of air, dropping to 2 fibers in 1976? I call it the 20-million-fibcr stand ard. That is flow many asbestos fib ers a worker can inhale dtirine a workday if the air contains 5 fibers per cubic centimeter. The Job Safe ly I.aw requires OSHA to assure as far as is practicable that no worker A 1 956b ` December 197J/OCCUPATIONAl HAZARDS UCC 011781  -A .i 2 'A Dr. Irving J.,Selikoff (right) discusses his health targets for 1973 with Occupational Haxards' assistant editor Richard Snider in his office at the Environmental Sciences Laboratory in New York. suffers ill health from his work en posed to the agent we are studying; Cooperation from the workforce vironment. This has not been done and all our studies are epidemiologi is sometimes essential for a success under the present OSHA standard. cal, that is, based on large popula ful study. Working wifi the labor Our study indicates that, if past tions of exposed workers. This is union can usually guarantee that co experience is an index and if the where the labor unions can make a operation. situation remains the same 95.000 significant contribution to the study Finally, and perhaps most im of the 250,000 asbestos workers in of occupational medicine. The labor portantly, we work with the labor the United States today will die of unions are large; built-in control unions because this is where the ac occupationally related cancers. Be populations allow the study of a tion is. The initiative for the study fore the standard drops to 2 fibers in broad spectrum of health effects of hazardous substances in the work 1976, perhaps another 100.000 new from exposure to a substance. The environment is coming more and workers will have been exposed to unions cover a large geographical more often these days from labor asbestos dust. If there is no chance area. A company usually concerns leaders. . - we can expect that 25.000 of them itself only with its own employees, will die of occupationally related and is thus often limited in popula Are the workers as enthusiastic as cancers. All of these deaths are tion and geographical range. the'lobor leaders? Isn't there consid unnecessary. There is a 20-vear or greater lapse between the first cxnosure to asbestos and the onset of asbestos- The unions have long-term health information about their members, including workmen's compensation, records, post retirement health in erable conservatism on their part, a disinclination-to cost company man agement such large sums of money that their fobs might be at stake? induced cancer. If we want to con trol this disease in the year 2.000, we must start now. The case, however, is stilt not closed. The Industrial Union De partment of the AFL-CIO has filed petitions and briefs in the U. S. Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. to contest the standard. formation. and death certificates. Companies, on the other hand, usu ally have records for only as long as the worker was employed by the company. Union records, in some cases, go back as far as the Civil War. thus enabling us to trace the health effects of new materials and new processes from the very first Yes, many of them feel that wav, and I understand their position. For older workers, leaving the job does not mean leaving die dust. They carry it with them in their lungs. For them, the potential gain is lim ited, and their job is precious. For many younger workers, especially those working in small communities, day thy came into use in- the work there might be no other jobs avail How does it happen that so many place. able to them. I can understand why v of your studios ore done with labor The unions arc usually able to such workers might choose a steady *1 unions? follow a substance in process from job over good health and a loneer raw materials to finished product, a life. This is not conservatism ini: All our studies arc clinical, that process often spread over many realism. is, based on workers who arc ex- companies and industries. According to the law, however. 40 OCCurATIONAl HAZAKDS/Dcmbof 1972 A 1 956o UCC 011782 lory, identifies mineral particles with a polarizing microscope. employers are required to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards. Workers should not have to choose between health and a job. Besides your health hazard studies, do you cooperate with unions on any other projects? Yes, wc conduct courses, educat ing workers to recognize, avoid, and eliminate the hazards in their work place. In 1971, we ran a 5-day course on occupational health hazards for 75 trade union representatives. We ran a course for 50 shop stewards in the Textile Workers Union of America on occupational health haz ards in the manufacture of viscose fiber and film. Later this month, we'll begin the first of three sched uled courses on occupational health hazards in the asbestos industry. Each course will be attended by 50 shop stewards. The course will be given in New York this month, and later, it will be given in St. Louis and Los Angeles. Docs industry ever participate in your occupational health projects? Wc work with industry whenever we catt. Johns-Mum ille Corp. co operated with us in our study of asbestos. The Printers' League is cooperating in the study wc arc con ducting with the Typographers' Union. Industry experts are often fea tured lecturers or panelists in our health hazard education courses. Johns-Manviile supplied lecturers for a graduate course on asbestos which we ran for doctors at Mt. Sinai. FMC Corp. heiped us in the course we ran on viscose fiber and film for the Textile Workers'. Industry' is also a source of some funding. One student on our staff doing research on asbestos is sup ported with a Ford Motor Co. grant. diometry at a Mt. Sinai conference. What are the other sources of your funding? They arc' many: Our Environ mental Sciences Laboratory has a budget from Mt. Sinai Hospital. We also get funds from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, the Environmental Protection' Ag ency. the Department of Air Re sources and Health Research Coun cil in New York City, the American Cancer Society, business, and labor unions, Dr. Solikoff make:. liii point witu emu union leader attending a conference. A 19567 December lW/OCCUPATIONAt HAZARDS 41 UCC 011783 '' til 4 A 3 i . n> ?: $ 3 .-3 :r h Research minerologist Anne Mockler operates the electron microprobs analyzer, Mt. Sinai's Environmental Sciences Lab- oratory Is one of the most extensively equipped in the country. Our costs this year were approxi specializing in occupational medi take H you have some reservations mately SS00.000. In 1973. that cine. The doctors chosen will spend about the efficacy of threshold limit figure will probably rise to SI mil one year in residence with a major values and instrumentation for en lion. labor union where they will come to forcement of OSHA health standards? grips with real life problems of Are some funding sources, such as the labor unions,- drying up? No, I see no indications of that. The labor unions have never been a major source for funds, and I don't think they should be. We're not hurting for funds. If a study is important, funds are us ually forthcoming. Our primary need is manpower. There are so many studies so urgently needed, but so few hands to tackle them. workers and learn to speak their language. Candidates have already been lined up for the AFL-CIO. Textile Workers', Oil. Chemical and Atomic Workers. The residency will be supplemented with classroom work and ward, laboratory', and field training under the supervision of Dr. Harry "Hermann of our staff. How would you rate the perform ance of NIOSH in occupational health? I do, indeed! When you consider that there are only 44 industrial hygienists on OSHA's staff and that they have to cover 4 million work places, you suddenly appreciate that it's mere idle chatter to talk about TLV's and instrumentation for en forcement. We asked 11,000 members of the Asbestos Workers Union if they had ever observed a dust count being taken in their workplace. Averag ing the total response revealed that workers had observed oniv l dust count for every 20.000 manhours How large is the staff here at the worked, meaning the individual Environmental Sciences Laboratory? Very high. I know many of the worker had seen a dust count being men working at NIOSH. They arc taken only once every ten years. Wc have 49 scientists on our staff. well qualified and do excellent work. Unfortunately, they are tied down I think wc need less discussion about dust counts and more discus ji by underfunding. sion about engineering controls. I Are you doing anything to attract i am confident that industry's re < people? sourceful engineers will find some 7he recommendations attached to means of control if industrial lop Next year, we hope to begin a your study an asbestos played up the managements will give tlnm that residency program to train doctors importance of engineering controls. I assignment, ta 1 43 OCCUrAIIONAl HAZAOS/D.cn!>i.f WJ A 1 9O6O UCC 011784 I Occupational Health & Safety Letter, January 8,1973 AUTOMATIC BAG OPENING STATION FOB ASBESTOS FIBER DEVELO; Johr.s-Mauville Corp. has reported the development of a completely automatic fiber bag opening, station to protect workers from the hazards of asbestos dust. The development was announced by Edmund M. Fenner, corporate director of environmental-con trol for J-M but representing the entire asbestos industry at the 23rd annual Governor's Industrial Safety Conference in Olympia, Wash. He explained that J-M is currently testing the design of the station. When it is fully developed, bags of raw asbestos fiber will be cut open and disposed of, with the fiber being removed and introduced into the manufacturing process without exposing any employee to significant levels of asbestos dust. Fenner spoke of the importance of effective dust control systems, as well as regularly schediflecl industrial hygiene surveys and properly planned plar.t/cquipmcnt maintenance programs. Asbestos fiber is widely used in the manufacture of floor tile, asbestos-cement pipe, brake linings, clutch facings, roofing, siding and flooring, insulation, textiles, paper, felts, plustics'and fireproof clothing. Nearly 750,000 tons of asbestos are consumed each year, according to the Asbestos Information Associa tion/North America. . ft 1 0563 UCC 011785 ' 'AIA/NA member complies cc: lit} ' euf eoe, gid George Barge E. C. Bratt H. Randolph Brown J. D. Christian A. H. Fay W. E. Gatewood A. R. Hooker J. H. Marsh C. G. Morgan C. A. Neuman J. L. Rainey J. W. Rawlings Wes Sauerland Kurt Schwarz F. J. Solon, Jr. J. R. Stetson S. D. Weaver Paul Weiner J. K. Whittaker Atlas Asbestos Company H. K. Porter Company, Incorporated Uvalde Rock Asphalt Company Cassiar Asbestos Corporation, Ltd. National Gypsum Company Certain-teed Products Corporation The Flintkote Company Raybe s tos-Manhattan North American Asbestos Corporation Kentile Floors Incorporated Amatex Corporation Union Carbide Corporation Jim Walter Corporation Supradur Manufacturing Corporation Johns-Manvilie Corporation Congoleum Industries, Incorporated Cement Asbestos Products Company GAF Corporation Nicolet Industries, Incorporated AIA/NA ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SUB-COMMITTEE E. Mi Fenner W. J. Dickson W. Fassuliotis Ralph Lanz / John Myers ^ Wes Sauerland Ike Weaver Frank Zimmerman - Johns-Manville Corporation - Flintkote Company - GAF Corporation - Nicolet Industries, Incorporated - Union Carbide Corporation - Jim Walter Corporation - Raybestos-Manhattan - National Gypsum Company f AIA/NA LEGAL COUNSEL Joseph W. Burns Burns, Van Kirk, Greene & Kafer AIA/NA PUBLIC RELATIONS COUNSEL Tony Federico C. L. Forbes Mike Isser Jack Steinberg - Cunningham & Walsh AIA/NA ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL CONSULTANT C. L. Sheckler i --! iJ Vw' / JI A1957C UCC 011786 -2- CCs A. E. Alpine G. M. Armstrong James Armstrong I. C. Campbell Richard Carter C. Nelson Codding A. A. Cross Hugh Dawson-Walker Mike Donovan Doris M. Fagan Lyman Field J. A. Gossip Joseph Hall Stephen Holmes Wilfred Howard Michael F. Howe Ellsworth F. Marriner, M.D. S. Monoky Art Neilson P. V. Pelnar, M.D. F.'L. Pundsack Ivan Sabourin Martin Sendecki George P. Vogel Hans Weill, M.D. G. W. Wright, M.D. Les Kaas Bruce Phillips Certain-teed Products Corporation - Amatex Corporation - Bendix Corporation - Q.A.M.A. - Johns-Manville Corporation - Jim Walter Research Corporation - Cape Asbestos Company, Ltd. - Hill & Knowlton (UK) Limited - Johns-Manville Corporation - Asbestos Textile Institute - Rogers, Field, Gentry, Benjamin & Robertson - Q.A.M.A. - GAF Corporation - Turner Brothers Asbestos - Asbestos Information Committee (England). - Turner & Newell - Johns-Manville Corporation - Certain-teed Products Corporation! - Fireman's Fund American Insurance Company - Institute of Occupational & Environmental He a - Johns-Manville Corporation - Johns-Manville Legal Counsel - Congoleum Industries Incorporated - Ertel Engineering - Tulane University - St. Luke's Hospital - Certain-teed Products Corporation - Certain-teed Products Corporation UCC 011787 \ 957 1