Document peneGz7J3xm3nX314vdQmJn27

> \ 011575 * PROPERTY OF FORP MOTOR COKPANY INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS BULLETIN "~li/22/B3 taamuHi------------------------------------------------------ MHSoHtloiH--------------------------- --psawa Industrial Hygiene Employee Health Sarvlosa | k 535a--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WFtHliPW j 9MD0 Asbestos toss | 7/18/75 Asbestos ie a generis tern that describes t variety of naturally occurring fibrous, incombustible eHioita minara!*. ntHm.gh tremendously valuable to industry, these minerals have teen olosely linked to asbartoils, a degenerative lung-seanimg disease, sad to lung cancer, tbs Occupational Safety and Health Martniotratlaa (08HA), therefore, boa regulated employee aspeiuit to asbestos since shortly after tha agency1 a inception. OSHA baa defined asbestos, established standards for its uoa, and aot pcrmioslblo expoaura limits. The initial airborne aabaatoa flbar limits have bean rorlaod downward. Bogulatiaas under tha 0SH1 aabaatoa studsxd ara covered la 89 OR 1910.1001. Aabaatoa expo*ur is Ontario is regulated under tha Occupational Health aad Safety Aot (Hovised Statutes of Ontario, 1980, Chapter 381, August 1983). Exposure Halts presently ******* under tha two xvgulatlonej however, industrial hygiene work practice* to control dust and fiber in air ara tbs earns. Six fibrous minerals, Bashars of a family called silicatag, are ruoognixad as asbestos* ehxysotils (whits asbestos), aotinolite, amoaita (brown asbeetoo), anthophyllita, orocidolite (bios asbestos) sad txeaolito. Commercially, chrysotlla is tha moat impor tant form of asbestos, accounting far approximately 951* of the asbeatos wood in Barth America. Sous talo contains.verioua amounts of asbastoe. Asbestos baa about 3000 different uses, vith approximately two-thirda being used is tbs construction industry in building produots, insulatien, friction materials, and textiles. Manufactured produots have aaoludad reinforced asbestos Cement cheats end pipes, patching and taping compounds, floor tad ceiling tiles aa veil as paints, coatings and. sealants oontaining asbestos as reinforcing fillers, pipe linings end fillers for carious liquids, friction produots include Clutch facings and teaks linings for sutoaobileB and trucks, railroad cars, airplanes, and industrial maehinary. A variety of other usee are known including theater curtains, fire blankets and other thereal protootion, filtration materials and, until recently, dry wall patch Compounds and initation fireplace ashes. Ones incorporated into manufactured items, bacards resulting trim asbestos arm leas probable, as long aa the substance is aot disrupted. However, tbs fibers are nearly indestructible, sad a potential health risk arises whenever asbestos fibers ars set free, rssuiting in airborne asbestos dust. Health Hatarda Asbestos exposure eon cause aSbeetasis, cancer of tha lungs and digestive treat, sad mseothsliom. Ashsatasie Is a diffuse fibrotio lung disease caused by exposure to high oanoentrstiona of asbestos dust aad fiber, usually after several years of exposure. The onset of asbestasis appears to depend on dust and fiber concentration, fiber ahnpea, type of asbestos, and length of exposure Usually, tha disease becomes evident 20 or sore peers after tbs first exposure to asbestos. Onoo established, however, a highly disabling pneumoconiosis can progress even after exposure has sensed. Bronchogenic oarelaoma (long oanesr) and mssotbalions of the pleura aad peritoneum (oanosr of mobbrmnoua lining of tbs cheat and abdominal oavities) ars also associated with asbestos exposure. Sxcsbssb of oaaeef of the larynx, stomach, solan, aad reetua have also been observed. Sons forms of asbestos appear tar mors haserdous than others. As with asbsatosis, tbsrs can ba a long latent period, gonerally mors than 2$ years for mssothslioma. The mechanism of notion ie not currently known, lobestog is different from most ohomioal carcinogen* because it is not metabolised. Thus aTen limited expo sures to high levels leads to continuing presence of inhaled asbestos particles er - over -