Document jgpNNYXO30m6RJNw0Z15QmvLy

FILE NAME: Asten Hill (AH) DATE: 1977 Jan 31 DOC#: AH048 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Published Report from Industry Newsletter Nom-H merica A S B E S T O S IN FO RM ATIO N A SSO C IA T IO N 1835 K Street, N.W., Washington, D C. 2 0 0 0 6 (202) 223-4885 31 January 1977 ' c.c. New OSHA Head Yet To Be Named -- At this writing, OSHA is without its top executive though, Eula Bingham, Ph.D. (zoology), Cincinnati University, is known to be new Secretary of Labor Ray Marshall's first choice to replace Moxton C o m as Assistant Secretary o f L a b o r (OSHA). Bert' Conklin has been acting OSHA head since Corn's departure on Jan. 20. Accompanying his resignation, Corn submitted lengthy and candid $ report to then Labor Secretary, W.' JY Usery, J r ., outlining OSHA's successes, failures, lessons learned and unresolved issues. C o m emphasized OSHA "must be a professional health and safety agency," staffed and managed by professionals at all levels. He said, "there is almost an absolute absence of highly qualified technical personnel among the Washington staff and in the highest level field positions." In other comments Corn said many businessmen are not convinced of the need for many OSHA requirements, and it would be an error for the agency to impose new requirements by those who will be regulated. Use of information hearings at loca tions other than Washington should be expanded. "The period of emotional accusations and phony issues is over; it should not be resurrected by rapid action on the part of overzealous administrators of the agency," he stated. Regarding organized labor, he said while labor unions have assumed a watch-dog role for OSHA "only a very few ... have a level of expertise necessary to perform such a function." He stated, "It has been my experience that many criticisms of agency activity are superficial and upon closer scrutiny stem from bona fide but baseless fears of incorrect agency action." He called for incorporation of NIOSH into OSHA and continuance of inflationary impact statements in standards rulemaking process. Corn has returned to his position as Professor of Industrial Hygiene, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health. OSHA Asbestos Standards -- Inflationary Impact Study on proposed revision to asbestos manufacturing standard to 0.5 f/cc as permissible worker exposure level is now not expected to be completed before end of April. CONSAD Research Corp. of Pittsburgh, contractor for study, is reported to being given a 90-day extension of time from Feb. 1 in order to include in its work analysis of feasibility of recent NIOSH recommendation of 0.1 f/cc standard (see separate a rt i c 1 e ),comment on substitute materials, and monitor competency at levels of 0.5 f/cc a n d 0.1 f/cc. Clayton Environmental CONFIDENTIAL- In Re: Biclrham, et al, v. Met Life, et al. AC/LA 001643 Page 81977 Consultants of Southfield, MI, is subcontractor for technical analysis and measurement studies. Research Triangle Institute of Research Triangle Park, N. C., missed today's initially-set deadline for completion to OSHA of engineering feasibility study and inflationary impact analysis for asbestos standard for construction industry. It is expected OSHA will give RTI an additional 30 days, perhaps more, to complete work under this contract. AIA/NA expects Equitable Environmental Health, Inc., to complete its engineering feasibility study and inflationary impact analysis of an asbestos standard for the construction industry on schedule, April 1. * It is now more than 16 months since OSHA proposed to lower occupational exposure standard for asbestos dust from 2 f/cc to 0,5 f/cc. ' Public hearing on this issue is not likely before middle of this year. The position of the Association on this vital issue remains as sub mitted to OSHA in Apr. 1976, "Since there is no new evidence to indicate that the 2 f/cc TWA standard adopted in 1972 does not adequately protect the health o f the working population, it would be grossly in equitable and a denial of due process to lower the standard at this time." AIA/NA Response to NIOSH 0.1 f/cc Standard Recommendation -- Following are excerpts from AIA/NA statement regarding NIOSH "Re-examination and Up-date of Information on the Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Asbestos," (N & N Dec. 76) which recommended lowering permissible occupational exposure level to asbestos dust to 0.1 f/cc: . Studies cited in the NIOSH document do not define the levels of airborne asbestos dust to which individuals were exposed. The levels of exposure were most probably much higher than those now being experienced in the workplace. There is no evidence , to support the proposition that the present OSHA standard for occupational exposure to asbestos -- viz 2 f/cc of air longer than 5 microns in an eighthour time-weighted average with a ceiling limitation against any exposure in excess of 10 f/cc is not safe for exposed populations. . Contrary to the NIOSH statement, state of the art and practical considerations rule out sampling and analytical functions at a 0.1 f/cc level -- the standard level recommended by NIOSH to OSHA -- by phase contrast microscopy at 4QQ-450x magnification. CONFIDENTIAL- In Re: Bickham. ef nl v u Life, et al. "-- AC/LA 001644 Page 3 In separate letter to then OSHA Administrator, Dr. Morton Corn, Guy G. Gabrielson, Jr., chairman of Association's Asbestos Regulation Task Force, noted that the NIOSH document concedes that there is no scientific basis for the establishment of the particular ex posure standard which it espouses and urged OSHA to continue past practice of consulting with all constituencies interested in the asbestos-health issue before taking action. J-M / Asbestos Union Join in Cancer Research -- Johns-Manville Corp. and International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers have each donated $250,000 to Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York City for research on early diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma, a rare cancer disease frequently associated with asbestos'. National In sulation Manufacturers Association, National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society are also ex ? pected to contribute to program. In making award, John A, M c K i n n e y , president of J-M, said his company was taking preventive measures, "to see to it that workers of today and tommorrow are not subjected un reasonably to health hazards." Andrew T. H a s s , president of IAHFI & AW, said joint grant represented what could be done, " in a spirit of labor management cooperation to reduce and ultimately eliminate the needless tragedy of job-related illnesses." Nationalization of Asbestos Industry in Quebec -- In remarks to Economic Club of New York on Jan. 25, Quebec Premier Rene Levesque, who has frequently spoken of nationalizing the mining industry in his province said his government is now considering buying "a substantial interest" in Quebec's asbestos industry " at a fair price." He did not rule out nationalization of the asbestos industry in stating that he doesn't now see nationalization or direct takeover of business in the province with sole exception of the asbestos industry. Quebec is one of the world's largest asbestos producing areas. Most of its fiber is exported. JohnsManville Corp., largest mining company in Quebec, stated it will reconsider previously announced $77 million capital expenditure at its Jeffrey Mine after the provincial government completes its study bn nationalization of asbestos industry. U .K. Asbestos Regulation -- In December the U.K. Health and Safety Executive issued a Guidance Note to clarify government's present asbestos hygiene regulations. Action was taken in view of extensive publicity in past few months on asbestos health issues. Government Advisory Committee on Asbestos, under Health and Safety Commission, has been charged with review of risks to health from ashestos and asbestos --containing- p r o d u c t s . Findings > and recommendations of this body are expected early CONFIDENTIAJLLife. et al AC/LA 001645 J ^ . Page 4 this year. Meanwhile interim guidance from Health and Safety Executive state's following criteria for compliance with asbestos regulations and Health and Safety at Work Act:" Exposure to all forms of asbestos dust should be reduced to the minimum that is reasonably practicable and in any case, occupational exposure to asbestos dust should never exceed 2 fibers m/1 when measurements are averaged over a 4-hour period; short term exposure not to exceed 12 fibres / m/1 when measured over 10- minute period. Regulation is for all types of asbestos exceptcrocidolite where 0.2 fibre m/1 measured over any 10-minute period is required. Fibres " are defined as particles of length greater than 5 microns, diameter less than 3 microns and length to breadth ratio of at least 3:1 observed by transmitted light under phase contrast conditions at approximately 500x." Health and Safety Commission's numerical standard is based on probability that risk of a person showing earliest demon-: strable effects in lung due to asbestos would be reduced to less than 1% for an^accumulated exposure of concentrations of 2 fibers per cm for 50 years. No numerical re lationships have been derived for bronchial cancer or mesothelioma but studies indicate mesothelioma may result from shorter duration and less dust concentration than required for asbestosis or bronchial cancer. Interim Statementby U.K.'s Advisory Committee on Asbestos is attached. OSHA Announced Proposal for Carcinogen Classification -- For more than a year OSHA has labored over monumental task of timely program for developing standards for an estimated 1500 to 1600 substances found in workplaces having "some evidence" that they are cancer causing. A draft proposal of new policy which would classify carcinogens or suspected carcinogens on a generic rather than substance by substance basis was presented to Standards Subgroup of OSHA's National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH), Jan. 27. Classifications would include "confirmed-" carcinogens, requiring an emergency standard within two months after classification and a permanent standard within another six months; nd "suspect" carcinogens, which would involve rulemaking procedure but immediate record keeping, labeling and employee training as with "confirmed" carcinogens. Third classification would include suspected substances requiring more scientific data. New policy, outlined in over 200 - page document , could, subgroup was told, accelerate rulemaking on carcinogens by eliminating repetitive debate on "a number of issues that consistently arise which involve fairly intensive consideration of policy questions." Among basic considerations: a toxic material would be "confirmed" as a human carcinogen if producing cancer in mammalian test animals and, in such cas?, permissible exposure level for workers would be set at lowest feasible, detectable level or, in some cases, no exposure would be permitted. CONFIDENTIAL- In Re: Bickham. et al. v. Met Life, et al. AC/LA 001646 Grover Wrenn, OSHA Health Standards Director, told subgroup ' perhaps" 5 substances could be ready candidates for classification as "confirmed" carcinogens of which 17 including asbestos have already been named. NACOSH subgroup will hold discussions (first on Feb. 17) before reporting to full committee. Ultimate NACOSH recommendations will be considered bv OSHA in decision to proceed or not proceed with proposed rulemaking on policy. According to Acting Asst. Secretary of Labor, (OSHA) Bert Conklin, process "could take as much as a year." Proposed Rulemaking in Hazardous Materials Labeling -An advanced notice of proposed rulemaking on develop ment of proposal which would require employers to label hazardous materials was announced by OSHA in Federal Register Jan. 28. Action was based on recommendations of OSHA's Standards Advisory Committee on Hazardous Materials Labeling which began deliberations -in Sept. 1974 and -'concluded stuies in June of last year. Labeling was con sidered the most immediate means of informing employees of the hazards of a particular material. Asbestos was identified as one of three materials "presenting special hazards." Labeling requirements in present OSHA asbestos standard were considered acceptable. In overall employee information program on hazardous materials, Committee recommended standardization in label language and symbols and preparation by employees of material safety data sheets to be used with employee information program of ?` labels, placards and indoctrination sessions. Comments may be submitted by Mar. 29, to Docket Officer, OSHA Dept, of Labor, Washington, D. C. 20210. No date was given for announcing specific proposal. Advisory Committee report available from AIA/NA, OSHA headquarters or any OSHA regional office. Inflation Impact Statements -- Before leaving office President Ford issued Executive Order 11949 extending requirement for federal agencies to prepare Inflation Impact Statements or Economic Impact statements as now called, on proposed regulations. Original order, 11821 of Nov. 21, 1974, was due to expire Dec. 31, 1976. AFL-CIO President George Meany said " President Ford has extended an Executive Order -- - without publicity, disguised under a new title, and at virtually the last minute -- requiring inflationary impact.statements for standard issued by OSHA. These statements, which place a dollar value on the lives and well-being of American workers, have repeatedly blocked rapid and equitable enforcement of OSHA." President Carter will be urged to rescind "this inhumane, anti-worker order," Meany stated. In^OSHA policy paper to President Carter's transition team continuance of inflation or economic impact studies was recommended. CONFIDENTIAL- In Re: B ic k h am et al. v. Met Life, et al. aC /LA 001647 Page 6 On Asbestos and Talc -- On Jan. 19 then Asst. Secretary of Labor (OSHA) Morton Corn advised OSHA field directors that in view of new information from NIOSH concerning tremo- lytic talc, OSHA Field Informational Memo. #74-92 was cancelled FIM #74-92 on tremolite and talc had prescribed that only particle samples that appear to be fibrous having a maximum diameter of 3 microns of 5 or more to 1 length to width ratio would be considered asbestiform. Corn rescinded his pre decessor's (John S tender) letter of Oct. 9,1974, which allowed R. T. Vanderbilt Co. to certify that firm's talc does not contain asbestos. Health Research Group, a Nader organization, in letter dated Dec. 13'^to OSHA, NIOSH and Consumer Product -- Safety Commission charged that Vanderbilt had persuaded OSHA to change its definition of asbestos fiber so that it would not cover its talc in St. Lawrence County, N. H. (N&N Dec.) Vanderbilt had said its talc was free of asbestos. NIOSH argued that Vanderbilt workers were exposed to excess asbestos levels. Two government studies are nearing completion. NIOSH * expects to issue final report on environmental study and morbidity among talc mine workers in two weeks. Study by National Bureau of Standards due Mar. 1 includes research on 80 talc samples from various locations in U.S. Reserve Receives Favorable Ruling -- Three state District Court fudges ruled today that Reserve Mining Company can dump taconite tailings on its chosen oiv-land site over protests of two state environmental agencies. Judges said State's denial of dumping permits was "unlawful, unreasonable and not supported by substantial evidence." Reserve has been ordered to cease discharge of taconite tailings into Lake Superior by July 7, 1977. Reserve had threatened to close its 3,200 worker plant'at Silver Bay, Minn., unless its proposed on-land site was approved. Meetings of Interest -- . . . Symposium on Occupational Respiratory Disease - Feb.21-23 Sheraton Hotel, Philadelphia, PA. Symposium will address current methods of evaluating occupational respiratory diseases on clinical and epidemiologic levels. Registration fee. $200'. (Dr. William W e i s s , Program Director, Div. of Continuing Education, Hahnemann Medical College & Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19102; (215) '448-8266.) ' . . . Environmental Industry Conference - Feb. 23-25, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington, D. C. Theme of conference is "Economic Growth with Environmental^Quality" sponsored by Environmental Industry Council under chairmanship of John S. A u t r y , J-M Corp. (Environmental Industry Council, 1825 K St., N.W., Washington, D. C. 20006; (202) 331-7706.) . . . AIA/NA Board of Directors - Mar. 10, Stouffer's National Center Hotel, 2399 Jefferson Davis H w y . , Arlington, VA. commencing at 9:00 A.M. Additional information to follow by m emorandum to members. CONFIDENTIAL- In Re: Bickham et al. v. Met Life, et al. AC/LA 00164R Suspected asbestos-illness victim has swollen glands and headaches HOWELL TOWNSHIP -- Swollen neck classic symptoms," said the mother, glands, headaches and noor hreathlnff were among the symptoms described yesterday by the mother of one 0/ the township school students suffering from what is suspected to be an asQstaarelated illness. Irene Sarraf. ' Irene Sarraf said her son, Joseph. who has been out of school since late October, was recovering welL "He's Improved a great d e a l" she said. "Whenever he's off from school, be starts getting better." When her son's ailment was at its worst, " Parents have been blaming sicknesses she said, his neck glands were swollen, he on viruses and flues, but now they're' suffered headaches and he 'had trouble fealiiiflg didn't havRjyl the^.^br&dljjgipQatyM of p h le y rtln ^ j throat 1M1--rs. nS-a-r--raf* saiidi s--p*e--ciia.il tests to determine if the illness Is caused by asbestos would not be done as long aa the boy was feeling welL "If everything goes okay, the tests won't have to be done," she said. Because of the boy's weakened con dition, Mrs. Sarraf said, he had con tracted mononucleosis. Mrs. Sarraf said many parents have expressed concern that their children also were reacting to asbestos. THE COURIER-NEWS All Schools Closing for BRIDGEWATER. KJ- JAN 5 1977 ASBuRY PARK EVENING PRESS ASBURY PARK, N J JAN 4 1977 HOWELL TOWNSHIP -- E ight elementary schools here will remain closed tomorrow as state and local officials evaluate the results of te s ts to determine the seriousness of asbestos flak ing from ceilings in four of the schools. 1^> e + V "7 jjT TRENTON TIMES TRENTON, It J. : <b JAN 3 1977 CONFIDENTIAL- In Re: BicTrham. et al. v. Met Life, et al. the Rtamu ___ _ HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY ., JAN 7 1977: Trustees sure ` . ' ' .c asbestos isn't % Two schools reopen for Howell students By SUE EPSTEIN and ROBIN AMSTER Zaslavsky said he is "not con About 900 of Howell Township's vinced" the asbestos flaking in the . 3,500 elementary school children retum- schools caused the upper-respiratory ' ed to their classrooms yesterday for the first time since the threat of asbestos infection in 13-year-old Joseph Sarraf. a student at Ramtown School. poisoning forced the board of education "The child is allergic anyway," he to close all eight schools Sunday. -- noted. "I don't see how the physician Meanwhile, workmen began tearing could say asbestos caused it (the ill . down the ceilings in the Aldrich, Taun ness). I'd like to see proof." ton. Griebl'mg and Ramtown schools yesc. An Asbury Park doctor had earlier .announced the boy's illness could have terday as state officials met in Trenton ' been caused by the asbestos flaking. to discuss the results of air quality tests performed Monday in Ramtown. County Superintendent of Schools , George Snow said 17 school districts re A spokesman for the Department of ported the existence of "a suspicious Environmental Protection said officials | material that may be asbestos in their had been meeting since Wednesday ! buildings." night to examine the test results, which will not be made- public -until after a Snow said the majority of ceilings high-level meeting today. covered with the substance were not in Dr. Sidney Zaslavsky, superintend classrooms, but in boiler rooms, pump ent of Howell Township's elementary rooms, gymnasiums, locker rooms, balls school district, the largest In the state, and supply or storage rooms. said the 3,600 children still on forced However, there are a few das- vacation will probably return to classes rooms with <-<illngs of the substance. next Thursday. Snow saidl In Kinneloo the Kiel School * reported eight classroom ceilings having the material, the most In the county, and "We hope to have all of the work done on the four schools by Wednesday, and the two schools with asbestos in their , boiler rooms will be worked on over the weekend, hopefully," he said. I "The architect has (awn up the plans. ' for them and we'll have a contractor start the work as soon as possible," the Stooybrook School three. According to Snow, however ' W emergency exists in any school in Mor ris County. "There Isn't one school in the coufc tv with a situation similar to the one in Howell Township where the classroom ceiling was low enough for students to STAR LEDGER ; jab or touch it and where the isbesto . NEWARK, N JJ ' - flaked off into the sir." Snow -said. JAN 7 1977 "That's the critical issue and it does not . exist here." AC/LA 001649  A o ', Asbestos Check y H . . <U S > V W 3 4J Dpa.Mss.tsecshtooonls au asbestos DES MOINES TRIBUNE ____ DES MOINES. IA. _ J A N 2 1 1977- Pai Hunt for i z w Cancels Scare C n n r B l * * " * " BEE* JAN flPD A liPur* n rr SACRAMENTO SACRAMENTO. _CA 1 i l 6rv 4 1977 l3/' State Officials , a-- uhl^'n&`rA` an ' er * 8C l t0- ' o Ce% ^ Say Asbestos %jHL No Danger j Ah ? JS?7\ THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR INDIANAPOLIS, IN a s ^ e ,s^Qs I 0U1 S C ' asbestos Q E 2 O 's U J *0 / - ih"6 LONG island press A ' ' * * LI schooL cellingf JZ hV 1977 s*)es*os Is Reported JVo to te checked * ; Problem in L o caj^ Schools - .- * ..... No Asbestos Spray Coating in Uso At School Buildings in Denver THE DENVER POST DENVER, COLORADO JAW C 0 1077 l3/ ' Parochial school chock for osbostoc . - ' THE HERAL-NEWS , , nw . 9 1Q77 PASSAIC, NJ.. J A N l i y / / PRESS GRAND RAPfDS, MiCHL j ans 197 r,L , W OOls Asbestos not used in school Checked to P ru -e M enStaiJ'ttffiSflm som J A N 6 1977 ;\os Tests to begin dt 9 with asbestos-coated ceilings f e ETM B jan s ' m i AC/LA 001650 pt * ^ V vy X ^ . r\ \ V d V w V riH a n a a 8 V* IAIRHKL Mt \^ V JAN 1.2 19T Q Students blamed for d am ag ed sch o o l ceilings By WILLIAM G. HOPKINS Courier-Post Staff Vandals ripping out ceilings may be the chief cause of asbestos dust in schools. " ' ' That's the opinion of the head of a Cherry Hill-based engineering and consulting firm that is testing ceiling samples from more than 60 schools in the state. t WilliamRossnagel.headof William -/ Rossnagel and Associates..said that . several ceilings ripped out in Howell Township, where his firm did the testing, were "obviously victimized by vandals." He said that students knocked out chunks of the low ceilings, scattering $ much of their asbestos. " IF I WERE A PRINCIPAL, I'd read the riot act to the students." he said. ' Rossnagel said it may take another month to tell how many ceilings have to be replaced in schools throughout the state because of heavy asbestos content However, he believes that if a ceiling is not flaking, peeling or being vandalized, it's safe for the time being. In the meantime, he said, there is no need for any "wild emotional re action." A pediatrician earlier this month said that the inhalation of asbestos fibers might be responsible for a Howell Township school boy's respi rato ry illness. Since then, the phone at Rossnagel's laboratories on Route70 has been ringing continuously. Many cal Is are from school districts . with requests for tests of the asbestos content of their ceilings. FIVE TECHNICIANS. Rossnagel said, are spending much of their time analyzing the batches of ceiling samples that arrive daily in en velopes and packages. Basically, there are three tests, ranging in price from about $90 toS200 and more, depending on the analysis requested. The primary test consists of a microscopic examination to deter mine if a sample contains asbestos. If it does, a second test, or x-ny analysis of the sample, is taken. This tells the type and amount of asbestos in the sample. The third and most expensive test measures the asbestos content of the air in a school. Special filters with motorized attachments trap any asbestos fibers in the classrooms and corridors. "This gives us the actual level of concentration," Rossnagel said. The firm conducted extensive air filter tests in the Howell district Rossnagel's technicians don't use special clothing or masks for protection in the current tests. " It's only in really dirty areas, as some industries where you can't see a light bulb 30 feet away, that we wear protective gear," he said. ROSSNAGEL, whose national test ing firm also has offices in Atlanta, Ga.. and Painesville, Ohio, said a person must inhale asbestos fibers over prolonged periods before they become injurious to health. While not all asbestos fibers are considered carcinogenic, Rossnagel says "you're really walking on eggs" in .some cases when it comes to determining whether a particular environment is dangerous. The danger, he said, depends on the type and size of the asbestos particles. Scene are so sn a il they are absorbed in the bloodstream and later discharged. Others are large enough to be trapped in the nose and upper bronchial passages. It's the particles in the in-between size range (5 microns to lOOmicrons i that are Lhw most dangerous. Rossnagel saidJ "They accumulate in the lower lun and can cause cancer of the lung in 1] to 20 years." J Lung Disease Is Reported In 600 at Electric^Roat PROVIDENCE, RL, Jul\ 9(APYJAbout 600 employee of General DyBlm tU *EJeo- tric Boat division plants have been found to have potentially serious lu n g diseases directly relating to tt\eir work with *s~ <U bertot. The Providence Journal reported 2 today. Medical experts said that the findings > had serious ramifications not just for the 20,000- present employees of the com a pany's shipbuilding division, but for its *1--) 10A0,0t0e0amforomf eerxepmerptsfohyaesescaosndwuecltle. d a ser - ties of clinics over the past two years on about 1,200 workers at Electric Boat; - which employs 5,000 Rhode Islanders al 3 o each of Its plants in North Kingstown and Groton, Conic, the report said. ffl Four doctors from Mount Smal Hoapf-* tal's College of Environmental Medlcusa Pi in New York met with about 30 union officials in Groton yesterday to discuss the test results, according to the report. `Tm upset to find out bow widespread J this type of problem is," one unidentified < union official said in the newspaper re port. "We had no idea how that many P workers could be affected," he said. Z The newspaper said that company spokesmen could not be reached for com oQ ment, but staled that the spokesmen have g said.in the past that Electric Boat had Z stopped using asbestos as a metal insu lator early last year. // u THE NEW YORK TIMES NEW YORK, N Y JAN 10 1977 Asbestos Charge Dropped by OSHA AC/LA 001651 By KRISTI VAUGHAN ' GROTON - A federal at torney for the Occupational Health and Safety Adminis tration (OSHA) said Tuesday charges and a $700 fine against the Electric Boat Di vision (EB) of General Dy namics for a serious viola tion of asbestos standards 'were dropped because there was a lack of sufficient evi dence to support OSHA's ci tation. Ail OSHA administrative law judge agreed to the dis m issal of the asbestos charge in an order filed last week. OSHA inspectors in early August found, among other things, that workers at the Groton plant were being ex posed to high levels of asbes tos.- Inspectors also found a serious violation of welding standards because movable fire hazards were in the locality of welding and grinding operations. Both.violations carried a $700 penalty. Citations were issued to the company/ in. late August The company contested the: citations and In December reached an agreement with OSHA attorneys that there was a lack of .sufficient evi dence to support either seri ous claim. The asbestos cita tion was dropped and the welding citation reduced to non-serious status. James Craddock, attorney for OSHA in Boston, said Tuesday he is still awaiting a decision on two non-serious health and safety violations uncovered at the Groton, plant by inspectors in April 197., . Cradock said EB was is sued a citation and $90 pen alty for welding in enclosed^' spaces where toxic coatings^ were in the area of the wfeld ing. THE HARTF0R0 COURANT HARTFORD, CT The second violation, 'J N 1 2 which did not carry a penal-! ty, was issued because in- - . spectors found a section of railing missing from the wing wall of a dry-dock. 1977 The company has contest- . ed the citations and the case ' was heard in October , School officials: Asbestos present, but no danger THE JOURNAL-NEWS , NYACX, N Y JAN 12 19771 - - * # - > i . in Industry Otis Wide-Appl Asbestos, as just About every school-age child knows, is that magic cloth th a t won't burn no m a tte r1 how many matches are . applied to It. It's been used by magi cians throughout history to create sensational Ulusiotw. | Charlemagne, as legend tells it, was even supposed to have an asbestos tablecloth that was cleaned by putting ^ a torch to It. In the rent -rid. asbestos .-' is used in industrial and com m ercial construction, roofing, sealants, friction substances, and flooring . material. At one time, asbestos posed a health--hazard to those who worked with it ^ -e x te n s iv e ly . Long periods of ^ inhaling unsafe quantities led to asbestosis, an ailment of the respiratory systemsim ilar to w hat scientists have proven smoking ciga rettes over a long period can cause. But for the homeowner, there appears to be no dan ger __of even mild cases of asblstosis because of the way it Is. packaged. The only real concern these days is in industiral and commercial uses where large quantities of asbestos materials might be used. One problem arose after World War II when manufac turers put an asbestos spray coating that served as i n acoustical buffer and fire preventative on the market, according to Edmund F en ner, director of Environmen tal Services for Johns Manville, Denver, a m ajor supplier of asbestos products in the country. "The problem was th a t'it was being improperly install ed," said Fenner; " I t was. improperly, applied- and 'fibers were released into the It was that type of spray coating that was applied to the celling in the Ramtown Elementary School, Howell Township. where at least one physician suspects a 13-yearold student may have breathed unsafe quantities, causing irritation of the upper respiratory system. -- Industrial andcommercial interior siding, residen tial siding and piping. I -- Roofing, felts for 1 commercial and Industrial . construction. -- Sealants, coatings, such aa automobile undercoatings. -- Textiles, although the use of asbestos In textiles la There is ho proof the stu dent suffered from inhaling asbestos fibers in the air, but the physician. Dr. Michael R. QuatreDa, Asbury Park, slowly being phased out -- Floor tiles. I -- Resilient sheet flooring, more commonly known as li noleum. said yesterday the student has improved since he has not been attending school. In the meantime, scientists are trying to determine how much, if any, asbestos fibers are present in the school and three other schools in How- ,elL Fenner said asbestos Is not used for ceiling tiles, except in the case of professional soundproofing materials for radio stations. In virtually all cases, he said, the packaging makes it difficult far fibers to escape into the air. " As I understand the How For example, he said the ell problem, the coating fibers in asbestos floor tile started to flake," F e n n e r could not be released bjs mid "This happened more than'once because the people who applied It didn't know how to seal It properly." 1 The product, which has been discontinued, reached its peak in, the 1350s, Fenner cause the tiles are cut with a knife or a shear and not a . .sawing action. " I would strongly recom mend that anyone who cuts asbestos material with a saw make sure that the saw has- said, and was phased out by proper dnst collecting equip th e Industry is th e e a rly m e n t," . he sa id . "T h e 1970s., asbestos In today's products Asbestos Is actually a mineral and talra? its M ir from the Greek compound are locked into the product so that only physical energy can release any fibers." word signifying lncombusti- One common use Is In (fisc - hie. and drum brake lining About 95 per cent of the However, F e n n e r said asbestos used In Ihe country studies have shown that the is of the type called chryso- amount of fiber released into ttle and is Imported from the air, caused by extreme, Canada. In its natural state, heat produced by the brak asbestos Is quarried becanae- ing action, is within accept it is as dense as a rode. ed government safety starsi- In m a n u fa c tu r in g , asb e s . ards. tos is formed by crushing the As far as the local caw is rock-like substance into a concerned, Quatrella said mass of tiny fibers. the negative chest X-ray of Fenner sa id asbestos is the student Indiratea there used in a t least 3,000 prod-1 a re no lethal doses of fiber in nets nationally, but they can the schools, be lumped into seven basic categories. They ir e : ' ASBURY PARK IAM a 1Q77- JHIN d I'dfh EVENING PRESS ASBURY PARK, N J Asbestos publicity ends trial A federal judge, cooearned over publicity generated by the shutdown of Howell Township schools because of .asbestos-related health dangers, Heclared a m K n al mffle case of a wrecking company accused of asbes tos pollution. U.S. District Court Judge Frederick B. Lacey ruled that news stories about the asbestos prob lems could- have unfairly, influenced the outcome of thetriaL The trial involved the D . and V Wrecking Co. of Sayreville. which allegedly violated federal air pollu tion laws by allowing asbestos dust to enter the airjfuring the demolition of industrial buildings in Kearny last year. * * * "This Howell Township situation couldn't have occurred at a worse time from the point of view of the parties to this case." Lacey said. "And given the headlines that this Howell <u Township situation has re ceived. and only after a lot of balancing in my own > mind. I decided that I would grant the motion for a mistrial." * o . A new trial is slated to begin on March 1 in U.S: a District Court in Newark. ^ ct X M STAR LEDGER o NEWARK. N 1 s JAN 8 1977 aj Pi -J < P z w - Q Ez AC/LA 001652 o u 't y fne Discounts Asbestos Peril Fiber risks aired Calling ihe National Institute for Occu s<u By ALftJNaO . NAVEZ SpacUi ta TTu K f V T ttt H a u t pational Safety and Health's recom mendation for drastic cuts in workplace asbestos exposure levels "arbitrary, negli gent and untenable," Paul Kotin. JohnsManville senior vice-president for environ mental health and safety,'urged retention of the current standard. NIOSH's find ings, he said last week, are "moot and a fiction." A NIOSH report made in .response to arequest by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, proposes that eight-hour exposure levels of airborne asbestos be cut from the current standard of 2 fibers/cu. cm. to 0.1, the lowest level that can be effectively monitored. " Nothing would be a safe exposure level," noted a NIOSH official, citing reports by ' British scientists linking asbestos exposure ' to cases of lung cancer among miners and chemical plant workers. Peak concentrations recommended by NIOSH would be cut to 0.5 fiber/cu. cm. based on 15-ininute sampling periods. The Industrial Heating Equipment Assn, says its members are looking for -TRENTON, Jan. 7--Governor Byrne and other New Jersey officials sakl today that while asbestos materials flaking from the catHog of school* and other bulMIng* poked a potentiaf health hazard and should be removed, people exposed to the fibers for relatively short periods ci time should'Dot'be alarmed. .hJThqy added, however, that there was 4 possibility that smokinyor a- respirato ry ailment could adversely affect people who were exposed to the fibers, but that -Ehi ptbbiem might not vhdw n p fa r 15 Tor 20 years. The Governor said Federal officials .would be asked to close "a gap m the .clean air standards that permit the use of asbestos materials for decorative pur poses ' in. buildings. Ha- said the state would also Impose such"! bam - . "We must recognize the'potential danV r of sprayed-oo asbestos," the Governor , said at a- Joint news conference with lleelth. Commissioner Joanne Finley, Education Commissioner Fred G. Burke .and Environment! Protection Commis sioner David J. Bardin. '. Commissioner Burke said 264 schools across the state had reported that there were some areas of their buildings that contained asbestos materials either as peiling coatings or as insulation around pipes. He said there was no immediate indication aa to how many of the ceilings were deteriorating and flaking off. Fur ther studies will be made to determine which.,schools have potentially serious problems. The potential danger of asbestos coat- ins arose after a respiratory ailment of a Howell Township youngster. His pedia s trician. reported that the ailment could a have been caused, by asbestos fibers flak u ing from the ceiling of hH school. Air quality tests made at the Ramtown School, which th e . youngster attended, ii showed the presence of asbestos fibers t in the air of corridors and classrooms, but at levels that were below Federal standards for exposure in occupational conditions. * -J z The aahestoe coatings on the'ceilings <--I of six Howell Township schools are being H removed. w zE o u the results is-"the majority we saw would not be Aat*L suitable alternatives to replace asbestos as a fireproof piping and insulation material. coated with the material could be reached by .children with yardsticks or how many As a friction device in automobile and airplane brake linings, however, it has no known substitute, claims CertainTced. a 's Doctors manufacturer of asbestos products. Next spring OSHA will also determine whether any of more than 80 types of talc Lower mined in the U.S. arc contaminated with Find fled as having compensatory asbestosis." EB stopped adng asbes tos, primanly^ui pipe insula tion, two years ago. Fiber glass has been substituted. Figures on what percentage of the workers examined fby the ML Sinai team are ln- ^serious condition because of asbestos fibers. The agency ordered the : By KRISTI VAUGHAN The ML Sinai team exam National Bureau of Standards to report on , GROTON: -- medical ined workers at the request the talc contents by March I. The team hired bv E lectric of the Metal Trades Council, outcome will influence OSHA's decision Board division (EB) of Gen -'the major EB union. as to whether R.T. Vanderbilt Co. eral Dynamics to examine Gaensler said although (Norwalk, Conn.) should be required to porkers for exposure to as- figures are higher for inat- comply with asbestos regulations. hpSig found a substantially viduali whose X-rays show Ralph Nader's Health Research Group lower percentage of workers they have had exposure, to has charged Vanderbilt with improperly banned by asbestos than did asbestoa, he reports oaiy ' i obtaining an exemption' from the standard medical team hired by the those cases which can be for its tremolite-containing talc. Although arm's major labor onion. classified aa serious. the company claims that tremolite is not The team hired by EB re The Boston University team examined 125 workers an asbestos, other experts in the field say po__r_te_d_ _o_nl,y t_h_o__se__c_ases the fibrous form does meet the definition;; which were classified as je in February 1971 and found i - -- dons. only 6 to per cent of the workers with evidence of as- ` asbestos exposure will not beavailable until after all theworkers have been notified by mail of their condition. ; Ail workers are expected to be notified by the end of February. "For the majority we saw there is minimal damage. There Is definite scarring but it is not causing great difficulty in breathing,' An derson said. Anderson said the M t . Sinai team has no plans to return to the Groton ship CHEMICAL WEEK JflN 5 ,977 eg Medicine, ln-fintungi re14ased W edngdtf*.ji*teAat bestosis, a chronic hmg in flammation caused by expo sure to asbestos. The Boston team was yard and examine more workers. He said, however if ' they return, there is a possi bility wives and children of THE HARTFORD CQURANT HARTFORD, CT . JAN 1 3 1977 only eight to 10 of the 125 f workers they examined show evidence of asbestosis, D r., Edward Gaensler, head of' the team, said. A medical team from Mr. Sinai Hospital, New York " City, headed by Dr. Irving Seilkoff, examined 1,000 workers in April- and May -"1>76 and found'about half have some long abnormality. hired by the company to ex amine pipefitters and pipelaggera, two groups who in the past have come in direct contact with asbestos.. Dr. Henry Anderson, a mtraemmbesaridotfhethmeosMt ptrobSainbalei reason for the difference in EB workers also will be ex amined. The families can be exposed to asbestos because of the dust that remains on a worker's clothes after he has left the plant Anderson said. The Boston University team will be examining about 125 pipefitters and pipeLaggers in February, ,-y AC/LA 001653 Replacement of confusion with fact in the field of particulate mineralogy is the goal of a new US Bureau of Mines research unit established at the College Park, Md., Metallurgy Research Center. Studies will focus on microscopic mineral particles, using disciplines that can . clearly identify potentially harmful substances, such as asbestos, and distinguish them from thousands of other mineral particles. USBM director Thomas V. Falkla said the bureau's recognized expertise will be used to help clarify a situation with environmental and health Implications that so far has been characterized more by confusion and am biguity than by reason and fact. =---------- Asbestos Is the-best-known environmental question mark in particulate mineralogy. Dr. Falkle said, but "the entire field has been riddled by the extreme lack of precision with which the term `asbestos' has been used." In many instances, nonasbestos mineral particles have been mistaken for microscopic fibers of related asbestos minerals. The new research unit's job is to develop a solid scientific basis for research into particle-related pollution problems and for the decision-making process of regulatory bodies-- a replacement of misinfarma- tion with fact. ~ . E ngineering S> M ining J o u rn a l NEW YORK, N. Y. (Asbestos fibers have been designated a hazardous air pollutant by the Environmental Protection Agency, but Dr. Falkie points out there are many unanswered questions and conflicting " DEC 1978 reports about the nature of the possible hazard. Little or nothing is known about the envi ronmental affects of dusts containing particles that are known not to be asbestos (because of their minerajogical structure), but that are similar in chemical composition to the asbestos minerals. Such minerals are known as "non-asbestos analogs" of the true asbestos forms. A major activity of the research unit will be to characterize morphological, compositional, and .structural distinctions between such asbestos and nonasbestos particles, using sophis ticated analytical techniques. The group will not conduct medical studies nor attempt to define health effects of specific mineral particles. Organizations interested in U SB M 's particulate program may contact Dr. W. J. Campbell, Program Coordinator, Particulate Mineralogy Unit. College Park, Md. 20740; telephone (301) 344-4014. Asbestos Company and Union Fund Cancer Research By JANE E. BRODY In in unusual display of cooperation over an- ordinarily divisive issue, labor and industry Jointly awarded half, a milton dollars yesterday to Mount Sinai 'Medical Center here to finance an at tempt to find a cure to an occupationally caused cancer. . The cancer, mesothelioma, affects the lining of the chest or' abdominal cavity and has thus far proved invariably fatal, usually within months of diagnosis. More thhn SS percent of cases are known to lie' caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. Currently, about 7 percent of deaths among asbestos workers are a result of mesothelioma. Dr. Irving J. Selikoff told a. news conference at Mount Sinai Becadse of past exposure to excessive- levels of1asbestos on the job, another 75,000 w orked could' d ii of mesothelioma in the next, four decades, Dr. Selikoff added. - Although It Is too late to prevent these cases from occurring, it may be possible to develop a means of detecting the caa'c e r early and' treating It effectively, said the doctor, who. is director nl environ mental medicine at Mount Sinai: To deal with this growing problem, th? 18,000 members of the intern" tional rs* beirtos workers union, and the Johns-Mr.nvHJe Corporation, which employs 26.000 in-- 110 asbestpc plants in the United States and Canada, announced that they .were, cucir -donating {250,000 to start a search program a t Mount Sinai to find in effective treatment and means of early ctargnoms for. mesothelioma. ."The National Insulation Manufacturers Association, a Urge trade association, is expected to donate further funds to this dfTBrt, which will also be supported in part by the National Cancer Institute-and the American Cancer Society. Dr. Selikoff said that from 1930. when mesothelioma was first discovered, to I960, only three patients with the disease were seen at Mount Sinai. "Now we can see that many cases in a week," he added. Because the cancer does not develop until 15 or more years after asbestos ex posure began, the cases being seen now reflect the uncontrolled industrial .expo sure to asbestos in decades post, In addition to asbestos workers, in re cent years an increasiing number of mesothetioma cases have, occurred in men who were exposed to asbestos while working in the shipyards in World War n and in people who lived in the same household as asbestos workers, who often brought the deadly fibers home on. their clothing. The disease Is otherwise extremely rare hr the general population. Since it became listed only last yea aa a separate entry In cancer registries. It Is not yet known how many cases of mesothelioma occur each year. Asbestoa waa established as a' cause of cancer more than two decades .go. The fibers also causes lung cancer and cancer cf the gastrointestinal tract The research effort at Mount Sinai will be codirected by Dr. Selikoff and Dr. James F. Holland, a leading cancer there- P:*t. Dr. Holland said that he would be test ing w e r e l dru^r. either alone or in com bination w ith' surgery and radiation therapy, that have shown some promise in treating mesothelioma. The therapies would be tested in animals as well as patients, he said. Large Group to Be Studied In addition. Dr.- Holland said, a study will be made cf a large group of asbestos workers to determine whether anv characteristics, such is biochemical, psychological, endocrinological or im munological factors might predispose rome workers to mesothelioma. If predie- tive factors can be identified, worker* with those characteristics could be fol lowed closely so that i f mesothelioma de veloped, it would be caught in its earliest, and presumably most curable, stage. In making the award to Mount Sinai, John A. McKinney, president of JohnsManville, said that his company was tak ing preventive measures "to see to it that the workers of today and tomorrow are not subjected unreasonably to health haz ards.". Andrew T. Hass, president of the Inter national Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers, said that the grant rfomhis union and JohnsManville represented what could be done "in a spirit of labor-management coopera tion, to reduce and ultimately eliminate the needless tragedy of job-related 111nesa." tU u iia x 'n x r s AC/LA 001654 CONFIDENTIAL- T" p ~' wiHrham. et al. v. Met Life, et aL CONFIDENTIAL- Tn Re: Bickham^^LaLJC-M^ 1 I Afe, et aL AC/LA 001655 In tro d u c tio n 1 When announcing the membership of the Advisory Committee on Asbestos in the House of Com mons on 18 M ay 1976, the Secretary of State for Employment, M r Albert Booth, said: " I have also asked the Chairman that if the Committee considers that there are any recommendations which it feels ought to be made in advance of its final report, interim reports should be submitted to the Health and Safety Commission on these aspects of its work so that the public may be kept informed of its progress." The Committee is aware of the widespread public anxiety and uncertainty about the health risks from asbestos. Although the Committee is not yet in a position to submit a definitive final report its members feel that there is a need for a short interim statement to put the risks from asbestos in perspec tive, in the light of present knowledge. 2 In - issuing this statement the Committee emphasises that there are a number, of topics which will have to be investigated further before it can offer definite recommendations. These topics are: (a) the ingestion of asbestos (for example, the intake of asbestos into the body through food and drink); (b) dose-response relationships for various diseases; (c) asbestos waste disposal; (d) asbestos in the general environment; (e) the substitution of safe or less hazardous substances for asbestos. Description of m aterials 3 Asbestos is the common name given to a number of naturally-occurring, inorganic silicates, with complex compositions and fibrous, crystalline structure. There are four main types namely: (a) Chrysotile (known as 'white asbestos'): a fine, silky, flexible, white to grey/green fibre; (b) Amosite (known as 'brown asbestos') : a straight, brittle fibre, light grey to pale brown; (c) Crocidolite (known as 'blue asbestos'): a straight, flexible, blue fibre; and (d) Anthophyllite: a brittle, white to brown fibre. 4 It is usually difficult to determine which form of asbestos is present in a manufactured product from its colour. The only certain method is to have the material analysed by specialist techniques such as X-ray diffraction or microscopy. Usa of asbestos 5 Asbestos is extremely widely used because of its properties of -resisting heat, providing electrical insulation and imparting strength to other materials when used as a reinforcement. 6 By far the com monest type of asbestos is chrysotile. Importation of raw crocidolite (blue asbestos) ceased in 1970. However^ some finished products containing blue asbestos are still believed to be imported and it is still present in existing buildings and other places where it has been applied in the past. 7 The majority of the asbestos imported .into Britain is. used in building materials, such as asbestos cement sheeting and pipes for sewage and water distribution, and insulation boards. The remainder is found in a variety of products for industrial use (such as gaskets, brake linings, fan blades and protective clothing) and for domestic use (such as ironing boards and electrical products). Health hazards 8 If asbestos dust is inhaled, fine particles which are too small to be seen by the naked eye are deposited in the lungs. These m ay cause damage. However, (subject to paragraph 2 (a)), materials containing asbestos present a hazard only when asbestos fibres are released and dispersed so thar they can be inhaled. 9 Whether dust is produced from the manufacture or use of products containing asbestos depends on CONFIDENTIAL- In Re: Biclcham et aL v. Met Life, et al. AC/LA 001656 the processes involved and the nature of the particular product M ost manufacturing processes will create some dust unless they are carried out w e t Similarly, mechanical operations such as the sawing, drilling or abrading of asbestos products will create dust -- more dust is created by mechanical power than by the use of hand tools. The quantity of dust produced will also depend on the amount of asbestos in the product and the nature of the other components. Som e asbestos products, particularly those with little binding material, may shed asbestos fibres as they deteriorate with age - e.g, sprayed asbestos insulation. This process is accelerated by mechanical damage. On the other hand, products such as asbestos cement sheets are very unlikely to create dust except when they are being worked. M o st demolition processes, where asbestos-based products are being removed, are likely to give off considerable amounts of d ust 10 The medical effects of inhaling asbestos dust are: Asbestosis. This is a fibrotic (thickening and scarring) condition of the lungs which mostly occurs after many years of exposure to high concentrations of asbestos dust. The disease may manifest itself some years after occupational exposure has ceased. The degree of risk of developing asbestosis appears to be related to the duration and level of the exposure to asbestos dust. The characteristic symptom of asbestosis is a progressive breathlessness and an unproductive cough. Thickening of the surface of the lung is also sometimes-seen in those exposed to asbestos. Of itself it is not a cause of much disability. Calcification of this pleural thickening (i.e. deposits of calcium readily visible in X-ray) occurs after m any years in a few people. Cancer o f bronchus or lung. It has been show n that there is an increased incidence of this disease in people w ho already have asbestosis. It is not yet certain if asbestos can contribute to cancer of the lung when asbestosis is not already present. It has, however been show n that the combined risk of lung cancer from exposure to asbestos dust and from cigarette smoking is larger than the sum of the two risks separately and, therefore, cigarette sm oking is more than ordinarily dangerous for someone w ho works with asbestos dust. Mesothelioma. This is a tumour of the lining of the chest, or in some cases of the lining of the abdominal cavity, which is rare in comparison to other cancers in the general population (236 new cases of mesothelioma were reported in 1974). While usually associated with heavy and prolonged exposure to blue asbestos (crocidolite) it has sometimes occurred among people exposed much less extensively. Mesothelioma has also been -associated with exposure to other forms of asbestos, but the risk is thought to be greater for crocidolite and amosita than Tor chrysotlla. There is usually a long interval between first exposure and the develop ment of this tumour. Som e cases of mesothelioma have occurred for which no exposure to asbestos has been traced. Such cases may have other causes. M inim ising exposure to asbs3tos dust 11 A qualitative relationship between the amount of exposure and the occurrence of disease has been established for asbestosis, asbestos-related bronchia!? cancer and (on rather less good evidence) m eso thelioma. In the case of mesothelioma the exposure may be short and probably of lower concentration than that required to produce asbestosis or bronchial cancer. The quantitative aspects of the dose-response relationship are being urgently reviewed and will be reported on later by the Advisory Committee. In the interim, the Committee recommends that great care be taken in the use of asbestos and materials containing it More precisely, it recommends that: (a) exposure to all forms of asbestos dust should be reduced to the minimum reasonably practicable; (b) in any case, occupational exposure to asbestos dust should never exceed: for crocidolite 0.2 fibres per millilitre when measured over a 10 -minute period;' for other types o f asbestos 2 fibres per milli litre when measurements are averaged over a 4-hour period; short-term exposure should n.ot exceed 12 fibres per millilitre when measured over any 10-minute period. CONFIDENTIAL- Tn Rc: Biddiam, et al. v. Met Life, et al. AC/LA 001657 Control measures Asbestos in the workpiece end in construction end shipbuilding operations 12 The following principles of control should be observed to minimise the risks: (a) The creation of dust containing asbestos should be avoided. W hen it is impossible to avoid creating asbestos dust, it should be controlled by means of enclosure or local exhaust ventilation. Where these methods are impracticable, respiratory protective equipment and protective clothing should be provided and used. The protective clothing should be laundered under special arrangements and should not be taken home. In any event, strict regard should be paid by both employers and employees to the necessary precautionary measures and the relevant legislation. (b) These principles should also be applied to work with asbestos-based products in construction operations and shipbuilding. However, the Committee recognises that some processes will inevitably create some dust and where the work is of a short term nature, the provision of local exhaust ventilation may be impracticable. In such circumstances dust concentrations can be significantly reduced by the use of hand tools instead of power tools. (c) A very high standard of precautions should be observed in the removal of thermal insulation containing asbestos (de-lagging) and sprayed asbestos coatings (as for example, during demolition and shipbreaking operations). These precautions should include complete segrega tion of the working area and thorough soaking of the insulation with water, or wet steam. In addition, workers should be provided with, and wear, full protective equipment. (d) Safe methods of disposal should be used. Dust and waste should be put into impermeable containers which are then tightly sealed. Guidance on the precautions to be taken when asbestos waste is produced or disposed of is given in the Code of Practice for Handling and Disposal of Asbestos Waste Materials produced by the Asbestosis Research Council. (e) The risk of getting lung cancer from inhaling asbestos is many times more serious if one smokes cigarettes. Sm oking should be avoided by anyone who is exposed to asbestos dust regularly. Asbestos in existing buildings 13 Present evidence suggests that dangers from asbestos in buildings are likely to arise only when products containing asbestos are damaged, either accidentally or during maintenance or repair, and the asbestos fibres are released and dispersed in the air. Where friable materials, e.g, sprayed asbestos insu lation. have become or could become damaged, they should be either removed or protected by a suitable coating or covering. The disadvantage of the second solution is that the problem can recur if the coating or covering becomes dam aged or deteriorates. On the other hand, during the period of removal of asbestos materials incorporated in buildings, dust levels will usually be generated higher than those that will occur if the asbestos materials are left undisturbed, so in many cases the second solution will be preferable. The balance of advantage will vary frpm building to building. Asbestos in domestic products 14 The main non-commercial use of asbestos is in do-it-yourself building materials. There are also some domestic products which contain asbestos, such as some pieces of electrical equipment. There is little risk of fibres being dispersed from domestic products in normal use provided they are in good condition. In using do-it-yourself materials co n taining asbestos the follow ing principles should be observed to minimise the risk: (a) Avoid creating dust. Use hand tools instead of power tools. Keep the work damp as far as possible. (b) If it is impossible to avoid creating dust, use a damp cloth to clean up so that the dust is not inhaled. If possible, do the work outside or in a well ventilated space, and work upwind of the source of the dust and aw ay from bystanders. CONFIDENTIAL- In Re: Bickham. et al. v. Met Life, et al. AC/LA 001658 (c) Cloths used for cleaning up should not be simply left to dry out. W ash them thoroughly or (better still) dispose of them properly while still damp, by sealing in plastic bags. It is also wise to seek advice before disturbing or fixing asbestos roof insulation material or asbestos in central heating systems. Labelling o f asb e sto s products 15 Under a voluntary agreement with manu facturers, all asbestos products for use at work, manufactured after October 1976, which are liable' " under any foreseeable circumstances to create . asbestos d u st and all asbestos-based co n stw tr products, will be labelled so that they can be M ey identified. Further inform ation 16 Further information and advice on the possible hazards of asbestos and how to avoid them can be obtained as follows: 'A sbestos a t w ork local offices of the Health and Safety Executive (A new Guidance Note on asbestos dust is soon to be produced) A sbestos in th e hom e Local Authority Environmental Health Departments A sbestos in consum er products Department of Prices and Consumer Protection (Consumer Safety Unit) A sb e sto s In b u ild in g s: substitute products and ' remedial measures Building Research Establishment In rslation to building regulartions Department of the ' Environment (Building Regulations Division) in England and Wales; Scottish Development Department in Scotland A sb e sto s w a s te disp o sal Local Authorities or the Department of the Environment (Directorate of Noise, Claan Air and Wastes (Waste Disposal)). O Crown copyright 1377 Firstpub/hhod 1977 Printed in England by CoHmi* r WHson Ltd.. London r Andover and published by Her Mefeery's Stationery Office 10p net PS 6167400 Od 497491 K200 12/76 ISBN 011 861114 2 CONHDHNTIALy f e 1_et_aL Pr- TUdcham, et al. AC/U 001659