Document ompG7zgQ97pGzmkJprb7032Rg

> -r ;-y:, !TJWS F; r ^fe'..................................... ,'i: Brocarcb eu Acbestoo nod Health!. * jJk.A htjswN Bepert to kapleycr* an<l Kupoyeesof tlio *j*pA ._ Quebec Asbestos Indi try '' if; 'SgSfcW&'^i />;.;.^-^=,... .: . '5^ X__,M . v*?* - ..' r. /n&S*b -> ._ _ `Just over three year* ego a research teca froa the Keiliccl FpcuXtyV'- .at KcCili University began a comprehensive stjudy of the health of workers in tho Quebec asbestos Bines and wills, together with roletcd investigations into tlio occurrence of certain typos of lung cancer throughout Canada.. pprofccsiocal muibcrs of die KeCilX group were Srs Alison McDonald and Coroaet^Sraj llcDonald (epldoalologists), Dr Margaret Dceklako (physiologist), Hr'Jaek*'1* riftjhqll ' Sioolatyeki (statistician), Hr Craigs Cibha (eaviremesatcl hygienist), Sr Cfoe-lo Fournicr-lSascey (physiologist) from the University of Sherbrooke and Hr Charles Botsitcr (statistician) iron the Dritish Medical Bcscarcb Council. Tho studies were supported by substaatial grants from tho lnctltuto of Occupational and hnvlronnan:*l Health of tho Quebec Asbestos Mining Association end tho Halted States Public Health Sarvict, and forced part of cn .international research programme co-ordinated by l'Ution Inecruacieatlo Coutro 3a Cancer. Considerable assistonce vat also givea by government dcpertcaatt in Quebec and Ottawa and by health departments, toe ccaarous to centioa, | throughout Canada and in many pares of tho United States. '^1 The primary purpose of the studies has been to assess any risks of lung ccncor that there u.y be in persons exposed to Canadian chryeoriia asbestos, and at tho ease tie to review all aspects ef tlio health of 'vorhers in tho Quebec nines and dlls to ensure that it is efficiently protected. The influcaco of asbestos on health has bee-a tho subject ef intense research in many parts of tho world during the past few years, mainly because of the discovery 'that in certain circumstances exposure may bs related to cancer of the lung end so Besotheliaas, a cancer af the covering of the lung. lha extensive literature oa this subject was recently well reviewed by Pr Ceorga Wright cf Cleveland In a paper published in the Amuritsr. hevicu of heapiracor/ Disease of Oasobar 1569. Questions of first prlerlty in tho Quebec study concern 1) tho csount and type of nsbesto; exposure- necessary to eonstituto sny rich, and 2) whether the fault lies with asbestos alone or whether there arc other associated factors. The research programs? was completed on schedule and the results are now being subjected to statistics! analysis. Several papers have already neon published and other* will continue to appear over the next year or so. In the light of preliminary findings it has been decided to continue tho research programme far a further period ef five years. This report oa prograss to date is presented to she industry - unions and car.agunens - so that all say know where natter; new stand end the objectives for continued research. Of greatest ir:po.-.-.r.Cu ere the findings iron e study of cbrta.'.iiy end causes of death in some IP,ill tt.pisyt.es in tht industry born between 1050 cr. 1510. This showed that ch. lb. ;i ample, ces who belonged to tht highest cot egsry of dust exposure had an over-ell eueth ....t .-.best ill higher then the rest, m.-.inly duo to asbestosls, iu.-.g concur ,,..i other .m.piratory cct.plaints. Tr.e lur.g C tr.ccr death rate _ ''.us group - nhtst three ;i..es higher th.nn that cf employees with ninical exposure. Ih. '.ly. a; ;:;P,;.e; ev.e belonged to tha io-..-est dust categories, howaver, had 1__ la ar no er.ertaaai mortality from these dircsscs 7v,*0 pc-ilst* UUt !> uust cynosure cKj.ericr.Cwd by these voroaro vc* caiuly t.tr.y year* vhta cnv?vi::-s:ta* ccc.dltio;;* in :*;a Rills ucr ?oerly cor.troliccr.u scccr.C* that th; total number ot cases attri- . to o&bc&tos w;; vtry ;cu2;c &o Csr LhAt at nrcacr.t fl - 0 8 8 3 GAF 18786 Host of the reueiaias research hoc been concerned 'with tha evaluation of old and mv methods for Che nodical supervision of vs:'hers in the asbestos mininy industry and hoc focused particularly on the uoe of this: rndioy.vphy and on the potential contribution of Modern procedures for censurin' the function of the lcr.ys. These studies hsve been on n very larjt scale and have involved (1) the devclopc-sut of an entirely new cystca of classification for the X-ray appearances ofworkers exposed to asbestoe and other dusts, (2) the reading of at least one X-ray free soma li.OOu workers by an international panel of radiologists and (3} surveys of luay function in which a representative sauplo of tone 1,200 currant employees res rested by a variety of techniques - sene simple and sons very complicated - etch for nearly two hours. Full analysis of all this information will no: be completed for several months hut it has already beta possible to describe for the firs; tir-s the varied changes that cay taka place in tha chest X-ray of workers with lnereasin; amounts of dust exposure, and to examine the relation of these changes to tha tests of function. Two siwp.lc fauction tests appear to be particularly sensitive and to warrant their use in the periodic examination procedure a: least on a trial basis. The research proyreus-e contemplated for the next few years will have three main and several suppieatneary objectives. First, i: is considered cos: important to continue to record and analyse deaths snd their cause to enable the present approxlr^te estimate of vha: constitutes a safe level of dust concentre:fon to be core accurately and surely defined. bent, it scouts essential to maintain a close watch over the occurrence sc uuapccicd uesothclicrcas ir. Census to ur.dcrstsad batter their cause, since asbestes exposure has foiled co explain most of thcr. snd is probably not the only factor even uv.cn prate:.:. Finally, ir. collaboration ulth tha industrial clinics in Thctford bines, Asbaatcs and perhaps elsewhere, it is planned to introduce e new system for the routine medical sup,,crisis:, of asbestos workers, based upon.lessons learned duriny the pcs: three years snd to subject the procedure to critical evaluation. In she work that has been conuustee in the Quebec mines since 1515, the KcClll team has reewived and is very appreciative of the yrest assistance yiva.. by workers, their families, unions, ctp.loyert, physicians, psthoioyiscs and yoverr.uan: departments. The success of fut.rc studies will continue co be dependent cs similar eellaboracion. 27 February, 1S70 fl - 0 8 8 4 J.C. rlcbonald, X.h. Cep; ; of tpidcuioloyy and health KsCill University