Document ga17ZM06EoyjNOEvvjZ3kXKMq

FILE NAME: Neighborhood Exposures (NE) DATE: 1956 Mar 7 DOC#: NE010 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Meeting Minutes - Asbestos Textile Institute Air Hygiene Committee Meeting HOLMES #19 ,-utis o? m asbestos hktild n is n r js H a u i s i g u h s ca-Kmzz kssedw March 7, 1956 JH ATTEh'DAHCE HERS: MEMBERS r^T^TEolmes 7 . H. M. JacksoiT R. Smith J* Weber 3. H. luttenberger GUESTS Frank T. Gatke, Asbestos Textile Co.,' *. Chicago, Illinois iir. Houghton, Garlock Packing Cconpcny Zli^ra, Hev lork Dr. Kenneth Smith, Iledical Director Jobns-lianville Carp, iiew Zork, He Tork QAW. D. Shoemaker Amgj^cas HiateilUa Inaacaage & P h i I a d y l ^ n f..Pnn. The agenda, for this meeting was as follows: .. 1, ASBESTOSIS A1<D CANCER - A discussion relative to compensation* Dr. Kenneth Smith, Medical Director of Johns-lianviile Corn., request to be present'at tills meeting because of recent developments in the compensation field regarding Asbestosis and Cancer, Dr. Smith informed us that in his opinion, we have an epidemic of Lung Cancer in-the world today. Death statistics are as follows: Heart...................... 372 Cancer........... .16^ Hervous System..... lli? All other Chest Diseases Less than ....... 12 He also advised that the current rate of progress in Cancer snows three cut of every ICO cases is Lung Cancer. One of his major reasons for asking to address us was that there has been a case decided by the Pennsylvania- State Compensation Board in which there was a decision against the Company involved. The finding by the referee in this case was Asbestos-Cancer. The referee in this case quoted in his decision Dr. Hueper's writings from the Public Health Monograph ho. 36 U. S. Public Health Service. In this publication he ties togetaer Asoestosis end 'Cancer throughout -Thralling a new word for the Medical Dictionary such as Ashestosis-Cancer. -- Dr. Husper claims that Asbestosis-Cancer can be-found after exposure i 6 months to h2 years in ages of people from 25 to 65 years. He also h2S a new definition of Asbestosis such as "One particle of asbestos with the physical con^cition surrounding it can ie diagnosed as Asbestosis". According to him ?*il work ''`in this Industry are susceptible. He states further that : minimum of 170,000 dust particles per cubic litre is recognised for the development of Asbestosis- Cancer in nan. Among his remarks Dr. Hueper says that Asbestosis is compensable : Germany 2nd notable in England and Wales. rags 2 Dr. Huepar also infers that Ashestosis-Cancer nay. be determined in ai autopsy performed on persons living in the area of a plant. He says that any occupational relationship to Cancer should be con- ---- V -- . sidared in the determination of a Cancer case. He also states that outside facte such as snnking, etc., should not be considered. Dr. Smith recommends very strongly that thi3 Institute begin a study of the relationship of Lung Cancer to Asbestosis in our industry. He reconaends that this should be done through the Industrial Hygiene Foundation in Pittsburgh. Dr. Bmith indicates that he has no evidence that there is not a relationship between Asbestosis and Cancer. He advised the Air Hygieno Committee that it would be advisable for ths industry if wa were to institute such a study or sur vey within our plants, hospitals, physicians, etc. This would only be a pre.1i.Tiin ary fact-finding survey such as Is now under proposal for the ii.A. Dr. Smith advised that this proposal should be undertaken 'in conjunction wit the Q.A.ii.A. proposal,in order that we could procure imorsation which would c q : "bit current derogatory literature now being circulated throughout the United States and Canada. Dr. Smith also advised that there is other damaging information being circu lated, written by the same Dr. W. C. Hueper, who is Chief of the Environmental Cancer section of the National Cancer Institute, national Institute of Health, Bethesda, Uaryland, such as a reprint of an article in the American Journal of /Clinical Pathology entitled "Silicosis, Asbestosis, and Cancer of the Lung." IReprints of this article may "be" oota^nea rrom m e uauional'Cancer institute, National Institute of Health, Bethesaa, iiaryland. Public Health Monograph /36 entitled "A quest into the environmental causes of Cancer of the Lung", C2n be obtained from the U. b. Department of Health Education and Welfare, Public Health. Service, national Institute of Health, Bethesda, lb, iiaiyland. #2. AN EXPLANATION OF THE PROPOSAL BT E E IiIDUSTRIAL HYGIENE FOUNDATION. This proposal as approved at the last meeting was for an enviromenta dust-Sio-ey for members of the Asbestos Textile Institute. This survey would ir.tj.uae dust counts, inspection of the plants regarding dust elimination methods and reccmuendations for improvements of dust control engineering. The Industrial Hygiene Foundation would collect samples and make dust counts for all the plants involved, basing its suggestions and recommendations on the results of their own study. The Impihger apparatus v/ould be used along with the accepted counting method used for counting Silica dust. It has also been suggest that" included in this proposal should be tile counting of the number of fibres pr& sent along with the dust sampling counts. This request has been made to the foundation! The estimated cost of this survey is 06,000.00 to J\,500.00 plus travel expense. As this price covers approximately six or seven plants, it is reasonable to assume that the cost would be vl,000.00 per plant, plus traveling '.a survey. The Committee decided that the preliminary survey on :er should take crexerence over the dust survey proposal. \ f*T*\ An nnA a Minutes of Air Hygiene Committee Page 3 #3. FT5RS CONDITIONING DISCUSSION This discussion was divided into 2 parts: 1 Methods 2, Health There are several different aethods of aprsying being used throughout the industry, such as the Spancer-Feed Oiler, Spray-Heads used under pressure, such types as Sprayco, Monarch, etc. The Spencer type, of which each member at t-gnrHnp, given a blue print, is the type in which there is a brush mounted-" above the stock, vhich.~ca.uScS drops of oil to drop onto the stock as it passes below the spraying stack. This type seems to be the best installation possible, due to the fact, first it is totally enclosed and second, it is cornparati'Tely trouble free. In both of the above mentioned types of spraying methods a mineral based conditioning oil is used. This oil may be purchased from any of the large oil company's, such as Sun Oil, Esso and Gulk. This Spencer type oiler'is now being used by the Garlock Packing Company and has been in use for sixteen years and the brush has only been replaced once. They are now using Oulf Oil i$6l end Sun Oil #538, This system according to iir. Houghton, Superintendent, is very satisfactory and above all never clogs up. Concerning the second problem of spraying with oils, namely health, we have determined to date that the type of mineral oil used by most moabers of the Institute is comparatively harmless. This determination has been made after contacting several Research Departments of the major oil companies, also through medical opinions from diversified sources. However, Hugh Jackson will bring us further information on the tcodc qualities of mineral oils only, as this is the usual type of oil used in fibre conditioning in our industry. Some time ago it was suggested that someone make a trial, such as spraying* short fibres on weekends, when these fibres are being cleaned and then adding thij sprayed material to the mixings throughout the production period. Some of us will attempt to try this method sometime during the next few months. In the discussion of the use of oils as a apray, the humidity factor was discussed, i-ir. Houghton advised that at Oarlock they spray their stock regardles of the humidity. He states that they can run normally with 55? relative humidity at the Spinners and Cards without apparent trouble. GENERAL INFORMATION Mr. Houghton of Garlock, reports that in their Weave Room, they have dust counts ranging from 1 to 3 million particles per cubic foot. Card Room counts raj frcm 3 to 5 -million. Their dust control system at the' looms consist of a tubular section.built into the top of the reed with slots along the reed length for air and dust intake. The air is removed by the use of flexible tubing at the ends of the'reed. These flexible hoses can be lifted out of the way when it is necessary Hr. Houghton reports that prior to the installation of this dust removal system oa their loom, they had counts in their Weave Room up to 9 milllun particles per rubie foot. Minutes of Air Hygiene Committee NEXT MEETING AGENDA Page ii 1 Continue discussica of the uses of oil in the conditioning of fibres, 2, Review of proposal of the Industrial Hygiene Foundation regarding Asbestosis and Cancer, 3, Review the proposal from the I.E.F. Environmental Dust Survey, iu Report on general improvements and the elimination of oust by whatever means. PROPOSAL ACCEPTED BT THE BOARD 0? GOVERNORS:. At the Board of Governors1 Meeting; March 1, 1956,- an approval was given to the Air Hygiene Committee for fkie_ preliminary jf nrt-inp' survey on the study of Ashestosis-Cancer relationship in conjunction Y:th the Q.A.M.A. survey. This authorization was given with the .understanding that the cost of this survey wouli not exceed .L,000,00 including traveling expenses. This survey would be made by the Industrial Hygiene Foundation at Pittsburgh, Pa, The Chairman and Hr. H. H. Jackson will contact Dr. VJolmer at the Industrial Hygiene Foundation in Pittsburgh, in order to expedite the receipt of a. proposal from them as soon as possible. D*. R. Holmes Chairman Air Hygiene Ccnaittee Asbestos Textile Institute O