Document kDb2N0Mp6mbD7E6vJYj2xMLzb

ASBESTOS: Some Answers Tiny asbestos fibers inhaled by workers years ago have given rise to lung-related diseases and certain cancers. Now that the probhm has been recognized, here are some answers and information on investigations. In January 1972 the Target Health Hazard Program was initiated by OSHAdministration "to promote the understanding of five haz ardous workplace substances, so that more effective control mea sures might be taken to prevent the occupational diseases or poi soning associated with them." As bestos was one of the substances singled out as a target health haz ard; the others were cotton dust, carbon monoxide, lead, and silica. In the ensuing seven years--con tinuing through several federal 'ministrations--this educational igram has continued. Enclosures, local exhaust ventilation, and dust respirators continue to be methods of affording protection in some operations. But since 1972, legisla tion has been enacted setting limits on the amount of air-bome asbes tos fibers permitted in the work place. The following questions and answers and the article, "Modem Substitutes for Ancient Asbestos" (see page 56) update this part of the original Target Health Hazard Program. Two techniques recently devel oped in Britain will facilitate the assessment of air-bome asbestos fibers, more quickly and more accurately than by current manual counting methods. The rapid moni toring equipment can assess con- ventional samples of air-bome asbestos dust at rates up to 30 per hour, giving digital readout direct in fibers per milliliter of air sam pled. The technique involves ex posing the collected fibers to a magnetic field, while preparing the membrane filter for examina- Editor's Note Material for this article has been adapted from Asbettos Expo sure--What It Meant; What to Do, HEW Publication No. (NIH) 7ft- r ), and Asbestos Exposure--A Desk t\.,trence for Communicators, (DHEW Publication No. (NIH) 78-1622). (See Bibliography). Workers at the Norfolk Shipbuilding A Drydock Corp. remove asbestos from pipe In a ship undergoing repairs. They are protected from possible expo sure to asbestos fibers by wearing disposable coveralls and hoods made of Tyvek spun-bonded olefin material, as well as respirators, goggles, and rubber gloves. Arm and neck openings are taped closed. (Photo: Courtesy of DuPont Company). July 1979, NATIONAL SAFETY NEWS 8006 0686 51 SCF-ALLF-07750 HFM - 003981