Document mB400yaLe1aQ3QDDjX3LkqavZ

FILE NAME: Ford (FD) DATE: 1977 Nov 15 DOC#: FD075 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo - Health Hazards Relating to Brake Lining Repair Inter Office Car Product Development Group To: cc: Subject: C. R. Barbour G. S . Amber P. E. Toth Health Hazards R elating to Brake Lining Repair November 15, 1977 In August 1973 the attached le t t e r was directed to General Services Garage areas informing them of procedures in minimizing airborne asbestos in vehicle brake rebuilding and inspection operations. A study concerning asbestos ex posure o f garage mechanics during brake lin in g maintenance, conducted by Mt. S in a i School of Medicine in 1975 concluded th at airborne fib er concentration frequen tly exceeded the current regulated lim its . I t was found that asbestos fib e r s blown into the atmosphere by a ir b lasts used to clean brake parts was the major contributor, and that areas remote from the actual cleaning contained unacceptable asbestos le v e ls . These findings convinced NIGSH (National In s t i tute fo r Occupational S a fety and Health) to recen tly award a $130,060 contract to Mt. S in a i to determine the health hazards associated with exposure to asbes tos in these operations. Concurrently a $6h,522 contract was l e t to Texas AScM Research Foundation to determine and document the co lle ctio n e ffic ie n c y of in d u str ia l vacuum units and techniques fo r disposal of asbestos waste in brake and clu tch servicing in d u stries. In view of the previous resu lts and the ongoing stud ies, and previous Ford action in th is area (see Maintenance B u lletin 137 attached) garage areas within Car Engineering are reminded th at the exposure of employees to airborne asbestos should be lim ited by r e s tr ic tin g the use or lo catio n of air b last cleaning o f brake parts or assemblies. In addition, a l l garage areas are to plan fo r com p le te elim ination o f th is practice and replacement by vacuum or other methods to elim inate airborne asbestos hazards. Future developments relatin g to the study w ill be transmitted upon receip t to a l l affected operations. Attachments: . 1 X, /- . < t W. A. ' ^ eoo1 0001 633