Document dQoqooo16bO60EXE8RgwQKN6Q

DEPARTMENT OP HEALTH, EDUCATION, Af.'fJ WELFARE cnc, Miosn ' Minutes of Occupational Exposures .to Asberstos Dust Fron Drake Linings Meeting July 21, 1973 . . Attendocn See Attached . Proceedings Dr. John F. Pinklca, Director of HXOSll, welcomed the attendees. Ue stated that the purposes of the meeting were (1) to consider preliminary data on asbestos exposure among brake lining workers anJ (2) to discuss a future course of action based on this preliminary information. hr. Finklea then turned the meeting over to Dr. Irving Selikoff of Mount Sinai-for presentation of some of his work on,this problem, - T>r. Selikoff described the background for our currant sonsnrn. The health effects of asbestos are veil known, However, the health hnr..u\l associated with aobestes in brake linings until recaritly bar. recoiled little attention. It was thought that Che intense heat generated from braking nodified the asbestos and that brake lining Just contained insignificant amounts of asbestos fibers. hr, Mancuno in 17C.3 did describe asbestos-related health .effects in the nanufficturii:;; of asbestos for brake linings but apparently thin caused little concern. In 1973, o ease of mesothelioma wac reported in a brake repair worker. This stimulated a re-examination of the problem. hr. Selikiu'f consulted with Mr. Meyers of CAW, *!r. Ccfalo of IAM and the Ford llotor Company and the groin at Mt. Sinai initiated' a study to determine if brake lining workers were exposed to significant levels of asbestos. . Dr. Selikoff introduced Mr. hanger of '.it. Sinai who revievo..! the composition of brake lining** and the brcakdoim product* thought to occur fron heat generated during braking. Previous studies did not demonstrate asbeatos fibers in the amounts or prevalence ns Indies con by the current studies at Mt. Sinai However, recent studio.? Jt Mt. Sin..I demonstrated typical ehrysotllc asbeeteo fibers along with a.wide ra.igo of other forms of crystalline and fibrous m.acerinl.a. Me unnhnslucvl tii.\c the composition of brake linings may differ, for example, brake Unlays, in elm U.S. sod Crc.it Britain and product,' here in the L'.S. nay have undergone many changes over the yearn. Thin iu particularly important oince nxunt data show that ME of the new car .market is made ui of thano imports. Furtlmr research is needed to char no tor l r.c thu jsi'wwtus 8004 0631 SCF-ALLF-04660 * --I . . -2- \ \ \ i 1 I <I 1. I I *fclJ content of past and present durst exposures. It nhould bo recognized Also that Clio health effects of other Materials in brake dust hove not been studied. Dr. kohl from Mt. Sinni reported on studies of asbestos dust expo sure* in autonobile repair shops in '.Jew York City. Peak exposures from 5-8 minutes duration were measured. Fiber counts, using the OSHA method, were from ft to 30/ml at 3-5 fcot from brake druns denned with conorenneJ air. At 5-in feet, counts ranged from 2 to 4 nl; at 10-20 feet 0.4 to 4.3/nl, Druns cleaned with n brush conerated less airborne asbestos, 1.3-3.6 fibers/ml in the operator.*! breathing .tone. Eighty to 992 of the fibers ns observed by electron microscopy vero less than 1.4 microns in length, indicating a much higher exposure to asbestos flboi*3 than indicated by optical microscopy. Workers engaged in grinding operations to renew brake linings were exposed to 2-7 optically visible fibors/nl. .Those bevelling linings hod high exposures ranging fro;.*. 32 72 fibcrs/ml. Dr. George Wright pointed out that earlier studies showed that 1 to 32 of brake dust is fibrous asbestos. Dr. Lorlncr of Mt. Sinai reported on medical examination of 13 brake repair workers with l')-40 years- of exposure. A substantial number were reported to have ."-rsy and ventilatory function abnormalltd so. Further studies need to be done in this oreo before any conconluolom; on health* effects enn be drawn. However; it was pointed out that at least four cases of mesothelioma have beer, reported nationally among auto mobile repair work, *ers and this lends urgency . to the problem. Dr. Flnkloa asked for comments and recommendations for. addressing' the problem. . ., ' . Mr. Meyers suggested that several practical control measures arc feasible now. Indeed, these measures have been instituted in several shops. His union alerted its members via its newsletter and ucvolopcc; posters to alert workers to the problem. :tf, Meyers emphasised t.iat the employers vith whom ho worked were most exonerative, .Employers ware encouraged to use vacuum cleaning of brake drums and, where nccenKnry, masks to reduce exonsurr.. His union has made nrrnngomo.nts for continued medical evaluation of its members. 11c emphasised the importance of union representatives having access to workplaces for observation of sanitary practices.- Dr. George Wright, nn industrial consultant, or.phasir.cd that manu facturers have a responsibility to ascertain vhac hnncns to their products after being sold to othern. This problem ronresentr u diffi cult problem for the manufacturer and for their industrial cust nwrs. Dr. Wright stressed belief that the asbestos industry would cooperate In ` every possible way, Dr, Wright wnn not totally surprised by tho fiber ' counts' reported and expressed the belief tint one might subsc-giontly encounter the full npuctrum of asbcntos-relatcd disease among ,;rin:cr*. Dr.* WrJglit expressed concern that conditions might bo worse and PQj 8004 0632 3 exposures higher among none smaller businesses. Dr. Wright cautioned that Che Influence of fiber sice should bn considered nml c.iat any extrapolation to the general population be made with caution. lie urged that any subsequent investigations. utilize the UICC classification and the inclusion of negative controls. Dr. Writhe cautioned against over interpreting the occurrence of four mosothcliona cases. I llr. Samuels of 11)1) urged that HIOSllj . ' -- Jlotify fhe Department of Labor about this problem; .t -- !lake minutes of this meeting available to public along with a sultnblo press release; * -- llotlfy other involved unions; -- Institute an anproprlato national sampling program; -- Institute a program of surveillance and intervention. Other unions involved include: -- United Auto Workers -- Teamsters . ' -- American Federation of Government Bnplcyces -- Allied Industrial Workers '* . -- Laborers International - --International Association of Machinists ' -- American Postal Workers Union' '' ; -- United Rubber Workers -- Amalgamated Transit Union . -- Transport Workers Union of America . -- United Transportation Union Hr. Samuels of IUD urged that everyone bo. informed of existing, easily applicable control measures. Mr. .icyern suggested any vuleuso *<n . control technology be built upon their asbestos safety bulletin. Hr. Angnlo Ccfalo of XAM dincusseJ the need to in for: affected localr and union members in an orderly fashion. Hr, Cofalo stated taut , , I 8004 0631 ( --J \; i*if # # * ' >.. . -4- the needed research program should he planned and funded. He offered his assistance in obtaining any needed support for thin program., ` ))r. Mancuso of the University of Pittsburgh at the request of the International Association of Machinists conducted a pilot study of death records and identified in 1373 a noiothcliona ease (proven by aicopay) of a garage Mechanic and another case of pleural nusothellcma in a nlllrlght who was blowing out asbestos, frictlon-tync clutchc. rich compressed air at a paper eoranany, hr. !Iancuso felt the nature of the death records vas such that other case.* of mesothelioma nay exist but are unrecognized, lie spoke of the `need to use this opportunity to develop an effective Industrial nodical surveillance ayaten. Herb Morthrop of Ford ashed that any alert bulletin place this problem In perspective -- pointing out other recognized exposures to` asbestos, John Dement of DFSCI presented preliminary dntn fron a NIOSJI study shoiilng seal; exposures of ug. to 5 fibers/ril during brake drun blowing. He also showed peak lead levels of approximately 4.5 ng/M3 during bloving operations. MIOSH elcctronnlcroscopic studies of brake drun dust also shoved a predominance of snail asbestos fibers with nose fibersbeing less chan 1 micrometer in length. At a plant rcnai'ing lined brake shoes, exposures of 2h fibere/wl (during grinding) and ps.:ks of up to 10 fibcrs/nl during emptying of a drun containing old lining.", were -observed, .. *' *. Dr. Weaver of .\ri offered to communicate with gasoline stations and he supported further studies of the problem and emphasized che ncc-J to use appropriate controls of b'lCC filn reading techniques. Ed Alpaugh of International Harvester .urged preparation of .i joint release. Paul Toth of Ford offered to help with suggestions or. control technology and In disseminating information from HIOSIl an thin matter to appropriate Ford Motor Company dealer relations personnel, John Moran of EPA pointed out that disc brakea release mare asbestos into the general environment than shoo brakes, lie stated that the EPA expressway roadside study could look at asbestos levels along a gradient away from the expressway. Dr, Sclikoff pointed out that braking, itself, nay. bo important and that roadside studies should consider the effect of braking, ' Dr. Mnneuao was asked to comment on the needed health studios. He suggested an cpidonlology study of tho mortality experience of a Conors of unionized workers and their families. He cianhaftized need for extreme e thougut S'.iCii a study I'.hoald look for other concern and accusational reapIratorv* ilismscs art well as nrfbentee-related disorders. PQ8004 0634 '*** . .Ik, " 5" It was emphasized that workers were estrone*! to metals, plastic dusts (body shops), solvents and t::ic gases JLi 1:o carbon monoxide. nr. Mnneuso rocorncndcd clinical studies in the same population of workers, lln especially requested evaluation of so-cnllcd "nuisance dusts" which he claims nay be more liarnful than now realized, h'e cnnh.isizcd ul&J to look at vrorkers who left the Industry as veil as thoso who arc still employed. . Mr. Toth stressed*the need to ascertain the role of tobacco smoking in any studies. Others agreed vrith hie. J.'r. Mancuio tool: exception to the undu.c emphasis on Che snoklnc ospocts, to the exclusion of proper recognition of the magnitude of inherent' health risks due to the chemicals.in dusts of the working environment. . Dr. Sellkoff suggested seven areas for urgent study: -- Analysis of brake naterlalo utilized since 1940 using literature survey and laboratory analysis (EPA/llIOSI!). +. -- Broad based national industrial hygioua survey to assess exposures for various occupational tasks (NIOSti/OSHA). -- Epidemiologic studies of mortality experience of exposed vrorkers from several sources (H7.0SH). Ho suggests this receive the highest priority. -- Further clinical studios of 1(000 workers including suitable controls (JHOSii). . * -- Autopsy survey of lung asbestos burden of exposed workers in t auto maintenance industry (HI0SJ1). -- Industrial hygiene measures to better- control exposure (Joint effort of'unions, industry and NI0S!'<). . -- Education of workers to hazard and to use control measures (DOL/llOSH). Dr, Sellkoff suggested that there be no delay in getting this program underway. ', Dr. Joe Wagoner of MIOSH generally supported the discussed research program. He emphasized need for careful characterisation of exposures: to agents* other than asbestos and tho nouJ to assure that li'.-.JteJ research funds arc used to answer sono of our major remaining scientific questions about* tho effects of cxrooure to relatively low levels of abort asbestos filters. William Best of I.CI offered bin assistance and asked whether or not a case-control study might bo. of. sorso help. \ / 8004 0635 Home Edward Alpauph Edward J. llaicr Otto A. Bcsscy, Killian Hose, :!.!>. Hector Blcjcr, !'.T>. t Kenneth "ridLord, Jack Butler, *!.;>. Angelo 0cfalo John II. Dement John F, Finklca, M.D. Arthur Lancer, ;:,D. Will lorn Lorlncr, M.D, Thoranc F. Kancuso, M.D. Samuel Moyers John Koran Herb-DorChrop, M.D. Arthur F.ohl, M.D. Sheldon Samuels Irvine J. Selikoff, M.D. Paul L. Toth Joseph Wagoner, S.D. Hyg. Helll Weaver, M.D. George VJ. V?richt, M.D, ATTr.nnKr.s Affiliation International Harvester Conpnnv KIOSK- ' Mt, Slnnl - National Cancer Institute. KIOSK KIOSK HIOSll . International Association of Mac'. KIOSK * NIOSll '` Ht. Slnnl Mt, Sinai . `Univeroitv of Pittsburgh * Local 235, IW.J EPA Ford Motor Company 1 1ft. Sinai IUD/APL-CIO . Ht, Sinai * Ford Motor Company KIOSK American Petroleum Institute Johns-'lanville 8004 0636