Document jB4NqpGpJRzo26mOa1Bewrk8p

A3BKST03I3. A number of new employees ere worried because the/ have been told the asbestos industry "Is not healthx" or "the asbestos dust gets on your chest"* It .Is for such people this leaflet Is written. The Directors are convinced that a plain - statement of fact will .do touch towards ending their anxiety* . , ,- Most industries hav? a ptyslcal risk involved in sene of their processes. It - nay be the danger of serious or fatal accidents,, of various forms of chemical poisoning', of cancer, of tuberculosis or of silicosis* .' ' . . In the sisbestoa Industry there Is none liability to asbestosls, .a form cf lung trouble, very like silicosis. . Fortunately aabestoals has been recognised as an > infeistrial disease since 1931 and its csuse.ls knopnl .it has resulted fron workpeople breathing asbestos feist either- In a thick concentration or* for a long period. If there were no asbestos feist there could be no ashestosis, and, with this In Bind, important steps have been taken since 1931* , '. 1* Special ventilation has been provided In the Factory to draw .off the dust from the process and- prevent It reaching the operator. Anyone who has already seen the ' Inside of these Works will appreciate how much has been done In this way. 3. Certain processes can be damped so that dust is not created. ibis is especially so with the warp In weaving operations which would otherwise create quite a volume of dust. 1* * * 3. Everyone eeployed in an asbestos area is essoined regularly by the Asbestosls ft*. Medical Board to make more he or she is fit formwork. Anyone.Incapacitated through asbestosls cooes ***** a Compensation scheoe. Similarly if an employee or ex-eeployee dies at any time and asbestosls is found to have contributed to his death, compensation la paid ty the Canary* . . Of 71 cases of asbestosls at these Works (62 men and 9 women) tflhce 1931, only one was an aplayee who started since 1931 l.e* since, the new developments in ventilation eta. '`WU'', 1 W5&j\' .v t*... 'A;';. r2-. .* * * \ ' * ' * -',*** . ' `J : ;\* / . tf&t'Vy'A vV*-V' 1 /' ; .- Jyt would be good to be able to state that it was now definitely impossible for *'*' ai\yons starting here to begin to develep Asbestosls, but In spite of all the . .% ' evidence. In support of this, enough years have not yet passed to ake this a fair statement. It Bust remain for some while longer merely a confident opinion. .. ' .* . . _* . .. -. .. All that can be said so far la that the risk during the fir.st 10-12 years of service appears negligible. .* *" "" ` ~ 'T . Finally,' the Rochdale climate and the industrial history of Lancashire gives rise to a great deal of bronchial trouble which has nothin to do with asbestos. It Bight prevent ouch needless worry If it were known that: - 1. it is not snd never has been possible to contract asbestosls in pieces`such .:: -.v" as the Rubber Division snd the Canteen. . . : chest trouble arising soon after Joining the Comparer cemot be asbestosls. . . any employee seriously worried about hia or her health la relation to the work can readily apply through the &q>loyment Deportment for a apeolsl medical examination either by the Works Medical Officer or by the Asbestosls Medical Board at their next visit. * ........ ifc B. Oliver.