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FILE NAME: Metropolitan Life (ML) DATE: 0000 DOC#: ML024 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Report - Study of Dust Conditions in Bridgeport & Connecticut Plants of Raybestos-Manhattan a 1 STUDY qp dust cosditiohs in Ikfi . BRIDGEPORT AND STRATFORD,. COWL PLANTS a lha B-^TBESTQS DIVISION fiF E S RAYBESTOS-AtAKJiATTAMr IBC LiJ produced & # **> The following report le m study of dust conditions la the Bridgeport u d Stratford, Connecticut plants of the Raybestos Division of the Raybestos-Manhattan, Inc. This study w&a carried on during Tebruary and March of 1930, by the Industrial Health Service of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. It is the fourth unit in a series of studies of the asbestos industry of the United States and Canada for the purpose of determining the a extent and nature of atnospherio pollution to ahioh asbestos workers are ex- posed and whether there can be demonstrated any harmful effects to such workers. This study includes a limited number of physical examinations, the nature of the evidence derived from whioh is similar to that obtained from the third unit study (United States lsbestos Division at Manheim, Pennsylvania ) 0 PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms w j .^ ' The operations of this oospuj are oonduoted in tvo plants, one at Bridgeport which engages in the weaving of brake-band and the treating and processing of the sane, and the other plant at Stratford, Connecticut which Manufacturea nolded brake-band lining, clutch disks, and asbestos packing* The y a m used for brake-band lining in the Bridgeport plant is supplied ty the General Asbestos plant at Charleston, S. C. m Biffia m osi Eksai This plant consists principally of one three-story building with loons on three floors. Another two-story building is used for treating of brake-band saterial and for the laboratoriei. Dust oounts ware taken at representative points throughout the weaving departoent. Although the yarn received at the Bridgeport plant has received an oil treatment, the yarn used for warp is usually again run through oil. The nethods used In the collecting of dust samples and counting are identical with those given In reports of other plants of this company and as outlined in the United States Public Health Service Bulletin Ho. 144, Treasury Department, Washington, D.C. P R O D U C E D S/C/M/MS Partila alio neasureaants of the dust vero nade and the results t are recorded In the attaohed graph froa which the percentage of^the various sizes oan be deterainad. It will be noted froa the curre that 95Jt of the partilas are lass than 10 idorans In their greatest disaster. \ PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms ri~fci*-~-^': --v" ^ .j j i.-. IT O U T II* Q il lo nethod of husidiflcatloa la usod la this plant although different units for bualdifyiag the air In oartala departaests war# Installed far tests. Duo to the large also of the roons sufficient e^nipaant not be Installed to accurately aocoaplish hnaidification. The dust counts with locations Indicated are listed In the following table. PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms 3anpl* c . I k l l . l / ^ i n | Vo. Vo. Floor 0. 1 5 4 6 6 7 0 10 11 13 14 16 1 17 10 19 1 - Srd 1 Srd 1 Srd 1 Srd 1 Srd 1 Srd 1 2nd 1 2nd 1 2nd 1 2nd 1 Stad 1 2nd 1 1m 1 lat lat lat 24B U B 4L. W M X B fiQ Q iB 2nd u d ^ jQ a o u Location of Sanpla App4*H Total Oouata of Duat Partlolaa a l g h t a 1 of Duat In Milllgraaa tie r e u h io F o o t L o o m at northaaat ooraar of wonwa room 936,170 .25 Botaeaa looaa #64 and #66 2,515,725 .25 Batwaan looaa #74 and #75 5,010,130 .26 Batvean looaa #60 and #61 1,582,970 ` .1 2 Batwaan looaa #70 and #71 1,000,000 i 50 It looa #63 5,036,070 .19 At looa #44 Batwaan looaa #59 and #40 Batwaan looaa #37 and #50 Batwaan looaa #34 and #B5 Batwaan looaa #26 and #27 Batwaan looaa #9 and #10 2,000,000 55 2,297,070 22 6,504,340 26 1,764,706 .27 997,050 .50 4,460,005 .10 -Haawa rooa for broad oloth Warp aaohlnea #204 and #265 liaohlna at loft hand aorner of rooa I * 2,127,659 0,904,762 2.466.660 20 56 55 The oounts are not excessive, but it ist be reaeabered that the preparation and aenufacturing of the yarn involving the of the rev notarial is not perforeed in this plant As the nateri&l approach es the finished processes, as it does in this plant, the dustiness beoones less. PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms Brake-band weaving in the Bridgeport plant. PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms warn I 1 T > " ' %XaH.JT iirj m zm iWa lT *ih*l D laa.thea iLu oL lb& icariag zoos la lh& B r i d g e d filial* fN <ii PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms m smjpgs. o &b x This plant consists of two one-story brick buildings; ono housing the molded brake-band lining and clntoh disk Banufaotaring, and the other the manufacturing of asbestos packing material* This latter operation is Isolated dae to the use of Inflammable solvents. Paper pulp combined with asbestos fibre and various binding materials, such as starch, are used in the manufacturing of the molded brake-band lining. In the manufacture of the asbestos paoklng material the asbestos t fibres are combined with rubber and other binders dissolved in gasoline. On account of the vapors which are quite evident in this department, it was con sidered inadvisable to operate the motor used on the pusp for collecting air aaaples because of the possibility of explosion. Dust saspies were taken therefore only at the two other apparent dusty processes; namely the pd-^wg of the pulp and the grinding of the d u t c h face disks. These oousts are given in the following table. HHOUUCLD 5/C/M/ffis O r5 ;'5 " ............. . .. . 11 " i 'f ... <3 Saaple lo. Building Ma . 1 Mala SS Mala ZAIS42* PXflAITOBf CgNfL. UfiX Looatloa of Sappia Grladlag operalioa cn th Clacianati aaohlae Paper adxlag. Center aachlae #2 Total Canata of Duat Partielea par Cubi Font Walght of Duat la Milligrana ner Cubie Foot 654,698 >' 529,916 .10 I l i 9* - 11- 0 Zt is noted that these are wary low and should not present a hazard* 0 >.qr r'. PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms -12- 9 PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms 15- h 9 0 grindig* cintsh faciae m H ul. f itr a tfo r d p la n ts PRODUCED S/C/M /dl in i i i i . il i i i i l 14- s e O mother 2 fll Ihfi. cltch fftfift t the Stratford plant. departa t r-'-ai %} i'LJ.n ngmuiMju `EOEUCED S/C/M/Ms 05- Pfrsic^. p m o m o M S Physical examinations vert made on ninety-one employees. This group included all those who had been engaged In the asbestos Industry for a period of three years or longer, and included employes from both the Bridgeport and Stratford plants. Ill signs and symptoms, usually associated with what Brgliah authorities tara "aabestoals", were listed when found. These Include anorexia, le&den-hued complexion, emaciation, dyspnoea, cyanosis, cough, ex pectoration, 'asbestos corns*, decrease in chest expansion, clubbing of f fingers, swelling of skin at the nails, and history of ohest troubles. The ohests of these employees were then examined for friction rubs, riles, dull ness, diminished breath sounds, end Increased rolce sounds. Ihe action of Inorganic dust upon the lung tissue is to cause the development of fibrous tissue - fibrosis. Such dust fibroses are classi fied under the general tara pneumoconiosis. The various types of pneumoco nioses are differentiated by more specific titles which define themselves, such as silicosis, anthraoosis, and ashestosis. These conditions can be satisfactorily demonstrated only by X-ray. Twelve employees were selected for X-ray examination. The films of three of these were unsatisfactory. The following table analyzes the occupational history and X-ray diagnosis of the remaining nine. PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms a - o laL SfflL let . i M 88 s H 87 8 ;M 41 4 M 45 8 -U 44 6 M 45 7 M 50 & e M 55 9 M 68 4 - 15- y X l K i * - Qenp>tlftTu>l Hletor^ T u r n - 9 years Early first degree asbestos VMTir - 6 jtari legatire fearer - 8 years fearer - 9 years foreman - 16 years Early asbestosls legatire -recent pleurisy first degree asbestosls wit i aneurisn of the arch of tha aorta. fearer - 10 years fearer - 8 years legatire legatire fearer - 12 years fell adraneed first degree asbestosls. Elevator operator 9 years first degree asbestosls 0 a PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms - 17- a 1 study of this table reveals that tha X-ray films of Tiro sen shoved tha characteristic appearance of dnet fibrosis. Foot vara rated negative and it should be noted here that in these studies, ahera X-ray films aara secured, all doubtful oases acre classed as negative, the diagnosis being given as positive for dust fibrosis only chore tha evidence aas un mistakable. Hone of these five oases of asbestosis presented evidence',of tuberculosis which lends support to the contention that the inhalation of asbestos dust does not tend to activate tuberculosis. The number of cases in this study is too small to draw any sweeping or definite conclusions. suiomnr e Tha dust oounts in this study are relatively low. X-ray films of five out of nine men selected from those physically examined revealed typical dust fibrosis. The number of years exposure to gether with the X-ray appearances tends to confirm the impression that the action of asbestos dust upon the lungs is to cause a mild fibrosis. Yhat the end results of this type of fibrosis are we are not yet in a position to state *"4 h 1 j ij i j i < ^ ' i m j.o u r s, ,, MCQMBffim<aSx 1. That the weave rooms be humidified. This procedure-will mot cady decrease the number of breakages Is the yarn, but will assist Is allay ing the dust. That cleaning be done by means of a vacuum system instead of the present method of bloving with compressed air. Portable vacuum units are sold on the market. V 8. That the dust be exhausted at the source of origin,where possible, and drawn away from the breathing level of the operator. 4. That 11 employees be given an initial physical examination and periodically thereafter. X-ray examinations should be made when indicated. ***** PRODUCED S/C/M/Ms