Document dnD2YGjov0Vjwe0R25EDEm5Zq

FILE NAME: Newspaper & Magazine Articles (NMA) DATE: 1930 DOC#: NMA029 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Newspaper Article - Workers who Breathe Death / 3 U & ^ " /&$ 23 W O R K E R S who ,]lh\'K ilij, J<jj'j Breathe id Wheat Z through if the `A larm ' ou down, there iredded Wheat ou to pick up he morning. :d W heat breakys ready. N o tired. Just add a moment you ightful meal -- 1 sustaining. iVheat is pure it. It contains tents necessary > the body in ^ -ength and t energy you day's work and in Vitamin B. tod H o l d s , a x i s , Boarding , sem Shredded rcquefl. ACABINET MINISTER stated the other day that there are ten million workers In this country enguged In . unhealthy and dangerous occupations, and oi tills number three millions are constantly exposed to great danger. To the very worst trades Is now to be added another--the asbestos worker. It Is a newcomer because only during the last two years has any attempt been made to show the Unk between the causes and number of deaths of asbestos workers and their occupation. During that period twelve deatlis out of some 2,000 workers have been UeBnitely ascribed by the Investigators to a lung- complaint for which they have 'Coined the name " asbestosis." .' That figure takes account only of those cases where Inquests and post mortems have taken place or other attempts at establishing the presence ,of tIhe d*isease. , 1 V Will be worse It does not include the numerous' other deaths which have taken place amongst this class, of worker and have been ascribed to ailments like bron chitis and pneumonia. - ' Nor, of course, can it give any Idea or the numbers who have died, slowly strangled by this fell disease, before the authorities woke up to the fact that here was something which needed Investigation. The Home Office has Juut Issued an official report describing the nature of this tllseaso, and suggesting some method which asbestos companies should adopt to protect their work people. It ends on the bleak prophecy that there will be a rise to a peak in the death and disablement statistics, owing to the damage already done to the workers. As some measure of cold comfort, It adds that if the safeguards suggested are adopted there should be a loll after the peak Is passed. To what height this peak is likely to rise, or when it Is to take plaoe-- this year, next year, or ten years hence --the report Is silent. . ' This new disease, which menaces the , lives of thousands of workers, and which has already killed who knows how many, is a disease caused by dust --tlie asbestos dust given off by the material whilst It Is being handled or worked. the attacks of any ailment like bron chitis and pneumonia. What is being done to combat tills terrible menace? ` On tlie employer^1 side some of tha more- enlightened have curried out such safety measures 'as have been suggested. Nevertheless, according to II.M. In spector of Factories, there are numer ous places where antiquated machinery and hand-processes are used, all of which raise clouds of asbestos dust and flakes. Many of the factories, too, are hope lessly unsuited for the work, being illventilated and badly lighted. There Is no excuse lor this. In tha present state of engineering knowledge it is not impossible to provide perfect dust and fume removing apparatus. Noth they know-- It Is true that such apparatus la initially expensive, but if it can be Installed In other Industries, such as the explosives and certain of the chemical industries, why not hi the asbestos factories? If boards oi directors see only cost involved, steps should be taken to compel them to Introduce adequate suiety measures, now th at this terrible " and Insidious menace in tlielr trade Is shown to exist. Many firms have introduced cheap palliatives, such as providing gus- maliks for workers in the more dusty processes. The security the."* provide Is worse fciiUK There has yet to be designed a mask which will stop particles one-fi/ly- thousandth of an luch in size, which Is the order of minuteness of asbestos dust. In one factory brought to our notice tlie dust-removing apparatus was so Inadequate th a t the asbestos-dust blowing through tlie doors and win At the top it Sir Thomas Legge, Govern ment medical adviser, the great authority on dust diseases. Below hint is Sir Herbert Samuel. He introduced a Bill to (over occupational diseases--twenty yean ago / dows covered the ground for yards around. A neighbouring allotment-holder had to turn over fils ground to bury Uie dust. At another there have been several deatlis among; ' workers recently through lung complaints. Tlds fact brings us to. what Is'per- hups the most shameful aspect of thb has got a hold. In an official Investi whole affair. gation it was found that after this There la no provision under the period and up to ten years' service Workmen's Compensation Act for 30 per cent, of the workers examined those who die or are disabled by this hud the disease. * deadly dust. DDED IEAT el hud on opportunity of 7beat send us your name tuHeardfor a free trial tilled Wheat Co., Ltd. yn Garden City, Herts. 'irrsrr" ;-- tttt Asbestos Is a fibrous mineral sub stance, which can be spun and woven or pressed and moulded. Fatal dust' Its chief virtue commercially Is that it Is unaffected by heat or acids, and during the last forty years a relatively large industry has grown up round this material It Is an Industry, Incidentally, which Is amongst the most lucrative in the country, Judging by the dividends paid , Beyond this period the figure rose to SO per cent. It must be remembered also that the disease is progressive, and the longer h e |s .In the trade the less chance the worker has of recovery. Once it has got a hold, or, In other words, after about live years' service, its effect can never be eradicated. Even If he leaves the trade alto gether, It must Inevitably lessen the worker's chances at recovery against . by most ot the 150 or so firms which constitute the trade. At least one of these firms has a capital running Into millions of pounds. A Peep into The Future In every stage to which this material is subjected the deadly dust is glveil off--sometimes a little, as in some of the weaving processes; sometimes a lot, us In splitting the fibres and In bagging " and " mattress "-making. The only advantage which the less dusty processes have Is that It takes longer Anally to cripple and disable the Worker. The dust enters the lungs and lodges in the delicate air-cells. The accumu lated dust gradually hardens, and thereafter the lung becomes useless. On Friday, July 18, there oomes a knock at your door. A telegram for voul With astonishment you learn that you are the winner of 3,000 and a motor-car for a " Bullet." In a flash you have become rich, famous--and almost too happy to peak. Enact the prologue to this scene to-day. Enter a coupon from page 30 whilst there 1 still time ro win tills wonderful prise for a few words. Alter five years'/work; th e disease /liltV-'arn'r' Compel them It Is not listed os an occupational disease, and. any provision for tlie workman or his family Is left to Ui-i charity and good intentions of his employer. A Bill to remedy tbit state of affairs h as'b een before the House for two years; It has been wrangled over in cessantly, and referred again and again to committees. There Is the strongest analogy be tween tlie conditions of Urn asbestos worker to-day and the lead-glaze worker of fifty years ago. We do not want to see a repetition of the wordy Parliamentary battles and the belated protection and justice given to those workers In Utils latte^ day. In view of the fucts given above apd Confirmed by the Home Office Investi gation, surely the Government cannot delay longer In Introducing legislation to compel factory-owners fo provide adequate safeguard. Let It Introduce an Act to pro vide fair and Just compensation for the dependents ot those who have and those whose health has been broken through tiffs clea/'y peril oi their dally work. , : J......, it-../. .. ,..] I.,. .---