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FILE NAME: Colgate (COL) DATE: 1979 Aug DOC#: COL032 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: National Safety News Article - Asbestos, Some Answers National 40*+ Safety Council Officia! Occupational Safety and Health Publication JULY 1979 VOLUME 120, NUMBER 1 national safety news cover "Getting Your Head Protection T o g e th e r," as pictured on the cover, shows a selection of the types'of protec tive headgear offered to Industry, For details on Implementing a selection program, see the .feature article beginning on. page 41. Cover graph ics by Dopald Shelton and Asso ciates. departm ents 4 Future Article Preview 6 Off the Wire 8 Voice of the Reader 12 Coming Events 25 Congress Registration 29 Safetybrlefs 36 Talk About Fire 38 OSHA-Gram 64 Ideas That Worked 66 Off the Job 69 Safetycilps 86 Wire from Washington 101 Safety Library 105 CRISP 107 Newscope 111 Safety Literature 113 Change of Address Card 115 Personnel Directory 117 New Safety Equipment 118 ROBO 128 Reprints 130 Advertisers' Index 131 Reader Service Card Featured this month: 41 Head Protection Is on Top of Worker Safety --By Edward D. Dionne If the correct hard hat Is selected, It can work -well with other- personal protective equipment. 48 How a Hard Hat Is Manufactured and Tested -B y John B. Amaiz 51 Asbestos; Some Answers Inhaling asbestos can cause related diseases. Here are reports on Investigations, lungsome 56 Modem Substitutes for Ancient Asbestos 59 Deciphering Carcinogen Regulations --By Ronald A. Lang The American Industrial Health Coun cil proposes an approach for regulat ing cancer-causing substances. 62 Oil-Free Compressed Air Tests Nuclear Rower Station Containment Structures. 71 Metal Saws (Cold Working) -D a ta Sheet 1-584-79. 75 Spotlight on Energy Conservation, Safety, and Health Innovations at Trade Shows 80 Grounds Maintenance Use of mowers, pesticides, and snow biowers can do the job when basic safety rules are followed. July 1 8 7 B , ' N f ^ C 4 ^ ^ E W S ASBESTOS: Some Answers `-''Os Os .'--o S ^J li Tiny asbestos fibers inhaled by workers years ago have given rise to lung-related diseases and certain cancers. Now that the problem has been recognized, here are some answers and information on investigations. I n January 1972 the T a rg e t H ealth H a za r d Program was initiated by OSHAdministration "to promote " ' the understanding of five haz ventional samples of air-borne asbestos dust at rates up to 30 per hour, giving digital readout direct in fiber? 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- 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 ajarget.health haz ard;'the'others were cotton dust, carbon monoxide, lead, and silica. In the ensuing seven years--con tinuing through several federal administrations--this educational - - program has continued. Enclosures, local exhaust ventilation, and dust respirators continue to be methods of affording protection in some operations, But since 1 9 7 2 , legisla, fion has been enacted setting limits on the amount of air-borne asbes tos fibers permitted in the work place, The following questions and '. answers and the article, "Modem 'Substitutes for Ancient Asbestos" (see page 5 6 ) update this part of the original T arget H ea lth H a za rd Program. Two techniques recently devel- : oped in Britain will facilitate the assessment of air-borne asbestos :ts fibers, more quicklyand more accurately than by current manual - counting methods. The rapid moni- taring equipment can assess con EWS '' Editor's Note: Material tor this article h a s b e e n a d a p t e d f r o m sisbestos Expo- ", sure--What 11Means; What to Do, (DHEW Publication No, (N1H) 76- - 1594), and Asbestos Expasure--A Desk Reference for Communicators, (DHEW .Publication No. (NIH) 78-1622). (See )y> bibliography), Workers at the Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock Corp. remove asbestos from pipe In a ship undergoing repairs. They are protected from possible expo sure to asbestos fibers by nearing disposable coveralls and hoods made ol 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 51 tion. This aligns the fibers either parallel or normal to the field, The sample is then examined under a specified modified microscope (see Figure I), and the light-scatter peaks .produced are assessed with the aid of a microprocessor. The second new technique automatical ly detects and counts individual asbestos fibers. It also measures the individual length and width of fibers, providing essential infor mation for monitoring. The meth od employs a computerized imageanalysis system (see Figure 2). The two techniques were developed for Vickers, Ltd., with financial support provided by Britain's Asbestosis Research Council. Some Answers What is asbestos? Asbestos is the common name for a group of natural minerals that occur as masses of compact or relatively long, silky fibers. Six fibrous minerals, members of a family called silicates, are iecognized aS asbestos: 'c h ry so tik (white . asbestos),- aclinoiite, amosite (brown asbestos), antkophyllite, c m ld n lile (blue asbestos), trm o lite . Commercially, chrysolite is the most important form of asbestos, with most of it used in the U.S. being imported from Canada. All forms have a tendency to break into a dust of tiny fibers that can float in the air and be inhaled or swallowed, How is it used? Asbestos has been used for thousands of years. It has about 3,000 different uses, with about two-thirds used in the construction industry as various building prod ucts, insulation, friction materials, textiles. Manufactured products have included reinforced asbestos cement sheets and pipes, patching and taping compounds, floor and ceiling tiles, paints, coatings, and sealants containing asbestos as reinforcing fillers, pipe linings, and fillers for various liquids. Fric tion products include dutch facings and brake linings for automobiles, railroad cars, airplanes, industrial machinery, Other uses include theater curtains, fire-proof blan kets, filtration materials. Once incorporated into manu factured items, the hazard resulting from asbestos is less eerious, as long as the suhstance is not disrupted in any w ay. However, the fibers are nearly indestructible, A potential health risk arises whenever asbestos fibers are set free, resulting in asbestos dust. How has asbestos been used in shipyards? It has been used extensively to cover pipes and surfaces in new construction, repair, and refitting. Majorjources of exposure to as bestos in shipyards Have been in fabrication of asbestos materials (such as pipe coverings), their in stallation, and their removal during repair. Asbestos also has been induded in insulation materials such as boards, mattresses, and doth for engines, hulls, and decks, covering of ventilation and water pipes, coatings for cables and electric wires, wall boards and tiles, and ,,in putties, caulks, paints, joint fill e r s, and cement .products, as 'Well, as in gaskets, rings, tape, tubing, ` . twine, webbing, washers, and coated electric wires. How much is U6ed? Modern industrial use in th U.S. dates from about 1880, when mining of the Quebec chiysotile deposits began. Gradual increases in the production and use oc curred, during the next 50 years,followed by accelerated use more recently. From 1970 to 1975, the amount of asbestos fiber used in the U.S. averaged some 800,000 tons annually, according to the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Amosite from South Africa has been used iri the U.S. in smaller quantities in industries such as shipbuilding. Who may be at ijsk of devel oping asbestos-related diseases? Workers in many occupations, particularly in asbestos mining and processing, shipyards, fconstruction, and in automotive brake lining repair commonly are exposed to asbestos, and may inhale or swalLow dusts contaminated with con centrations of this substance. Risks of disease due to asbestos exposure have not been defined clearly for all occupational groups known to have significant exposure. Firm scientific data are available only for heavily exposed workers em ployed in asbestos mixing, manu facture, and insulation, Over the past several years, evidence has accumulated that asbestos insula tion workers previously employed in shipyards and elsewhere are experiencing asbestosis and markedly increased rates of cancer. Workers who manufactured the asbestos insulation materials used in shipyards also have increased asbestos-related disease, What diseases may be caused by asbestos? Asbestos can cause asbestosis and certain forms of cancer. Among some groups of workers who were heavily exposed to as bestos, as much as 20 to 25 per cent of all deaths are due to-lung cancer, In the general adult popu lation, about four to' five per cent of all deaths are due to lung can cer. In ^addition,, asbestos- workers are at increased, risk of mesothe- -, lioma, an "otherwise uncoiiWon" type of cancer not associated with smoking, and rarely observed in the general population. Aboveaverage Tates of cancer of the di gestive system (esophagus, stom ach, colon, rectum) have been found in groups of asbestos work ers. What is the role of clgaret smaJdagL- Asbestos and smoking together produce more lung cancer than either factor acting alone, Some investigators have found that as bestos workers who smoke have a risk of lung cancer eight times that of smokers in the general pop ulation. Cigarette smoking also increases the risk of other types of cancer and disabling lung dis eases (emphysema, bronchitis). Some information suggests that quitting smoking can reduce this extremely high risk in asbestos workers. Although non-smoking asbestos workers have more lung cancer than non-smokers in general, they do not experience the extremely high risk of lung cancer of asbestos workers who smoke. However, they still are at increased risk of other asbestos-induced diseases, including asbestosis, mesothelioma, 52 July 19T9, NATIONAL SAFETY NEWS a n d gastrointestinal cancers. How does asbestos cause dis ease? . The answer is not known. As bestos fibers too fine, to be seen by the human eye become air borne during various industrial r, processes and are inhaled and sub sequently may be swallowed. Scientists believe that the most harmful fibers are so fine that an electron microscope is needed to see them. Because of their size and shape, asbestos fibers can penetrate body tissues. Because of their du rability, they remain in the body for many years after entry. -- -How much asbestos exposure is hazardous? it '5 th rk- ter 5/e ts pop>.s is- The answer is not known. In the case of asbestosis and lung cancer, the risk increases with in creasing amount of exposure. AsbestoB-induced disease is not likely to appear until'-. IS to 35,or more years after first exposure'. The time between first exposure and the appearance of disease appears re lated both to the amount and dura tion of exposure; more intense t .... -exposure sometimes results in as bestos-related disease within 15 years. However, one study o'f workers in an asbestos plant showed that some workers who were exposed only a month or two have developed asbestos-related diseases many years later. Typical ly, the first 10 to 15 years after initial exposure are free of signs or symptoms. Early X-ray changes may appear in lung tissue after 10 to 15 years, but may not be accom panied by other significant symp toms. Some investigators have re ported-evidence of impaired lung function in workers with less than 10 years of exposure to asbestos. it ris What specific diseases may increase in risk through exposure , to asbestos on the job? tos >r they dy oestos of es, liorna, A sb esto sis--This is a chronic Jung aliment that can produce shortness of breath and hing damage. The ' disease results from inhalation of ,,asbestos dust; i \ cancer--There is a dose as- `J s;,, sociation between asbestos expo- | ;4\;?ure anj Increased occurrence of j[ hmg cancer; Figure 1 shows the special micro scope' developed io examine ashestos fibers, which have been ex posed to a magnetic field in order to align the samples. Flgure 2 shows the computerized image analysis syslem that auto matically detects and counts Indi vidual asbestos libers within each sample. M e so th e lio m u r-A cancer that in volves the thin membrane lining the chest and abdomen. Most mesotheliomas can be traced to prior asbestos exposure; O th e r cnrs--Several'studies have indicated a link between as bestos exposure and increased occurrence of cancers of the esoph agus (food tube leading to the stomach), colon, stomach, and rec tum. What are the signs and svmp- _ toms of asbestosis? Asbestosis is a chronic lung dis ease whose signs and symptoms result from permanent changes in hmg tissue due to asbestos expo sure. The earliest and most prom inent sign is shortness of breath on exertion. It rarely becomes ap parent until at least a decade after first exposure. The disease process usually has to be rather advanced to produce shortness of breath. A dry, crackling sound (rales), coming from the lungs during inhalation, is the most characteristic physical sign of asbestosis. Clubbing of the fingers is sometimes found, usually later in the disease. A bluish dis coloration of the skin and the lin ing of the mouth and of the tongue also may occur in the later stages of the disease. A physical exam with X-rays will show diffuse scar- ring of the lungs as asbestosis de velops, and lung function tests will show impairment of the maximum volume of air a worker can inhale. Does asbestosis lead to lung cancer? Scientists do not believe asbes tosis necessarily leads to lung can cer, but the presence of this dis ease does indicate that a worker received considerable asbestos exposure and has a greater risk of developing asbestos-associated cancers than an unexposed person. Both types of disease can be caused by the same environmental agent, and the development of each may be independent of the other. What are the symptoms of lung cancer? A cough, or a change in cough habit, is found in most lung cancer patients. Chest pain is the second most common symptom. It usually is felt as a persistent ache unre lated to cough and is commonly experienced on the side on which the tumor is located. Bloodstreaked sputum, coughed up from the lungs, is the initial sympton of a small per cent of lung cancers, How is lung cancer diag nosed? NEWS 1978, NATIONAL SAFETY NEWS m & cM . Initial diagnosis is by chest X-ray examination, Confirmation is by means of medical procedures such as sputum cytology, or biopsy by means of fiberoptic bronchoscopy, midiastinoscopy, or by thoracoto my. What is mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is an extremely rare cancer in the general popula tion, but is more c o m m o n among asbestos workers. It affects the pleura, a membrane lining the chest cavity, or the peritoneum, a similar membrane lining the ab dominal cavity. A laTge proportion of mesothelioma cases can be traced to prior asbestos exposure. How is mesothelioma detected and diagnosed? The most common first symp toms may be shortness of breath or pain in the wall of the chest, aggravated by deep breathing; or .abdominal pain, which may. .vary from; vague discomfort to severe spasms. These spasms are some times located in the upper right region of the abdomen, Occasion ally, this pain is accompanied by a need to urinate or defecate. Al though chest X-ray Is of some help in diagnosing mesothelioma when it occurs in the lining of the lung, precise diagnosis of this unusual cancer Is difficult and requires an exploratory operation of the chest or abdomen, depending on the patient's symptoms, to provide tissue for microscopic examination. What can be done to treat asbestos-related diseases? Treatment of all diseases and cancer is individually tailored and may include surgery, drugs, radi ation, or combinations of these therapies. Typical treatment in cludes: A sb e sto sis-- Most deaths from asbestosis are due to super-im posed respiratory infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis, rath er than to direct effects of the dis ease itself. These infections usually can be treated, but it is important to get medical attention early. L u n g a n d esophageal cancer--Treat ment of these cancers depends on the type and amount of tissue af 54 fected. Lung cancer may be treated by surgery, drugs, radiation, or combinations of these treatments. Esophageal cancer is treated most often with radiation. As with most cancers, the treatment must be tailored to the individual patient. Cancer of the colon a n d rectam--Sur gery is curative in many cases; early diagnosis increases the like lihood of cure. Methods are avail able to improve the frequency of early diagnosis. M esotheliom a of the pleura or periloneurn--Effective treatment is not yet available. Research is under way in the U.S., Great Britain, and France. C ancer o f the stom ach--Detection has been improved by the devel opment of the flexible gastroscope and gastric camera. Treatment usually is by surgery. New treat ment regimens using drugs are improving the outlook for patients with this cancer: Cancers o f the kidney, larynx, and o ro p h arynx--Physician awareness of the possibility of occurrence Improves chances for early diag nosis. These cancers often can be treated effectively by surgery or radiation therapy, How can current workers pro tect themselves? Employers are required to follow regulations issued by OSHA deal ing with asbestos exposure on the job, including engineering for the removal and collection of asbestos in the air, and issuance of personal protective equipment. Limits have been set for the amount of asbes tos permitted in the atmosphere. Use all protective equipment, fol low all proscribed work practices and safety procedures your em ployer provides. If you have any questions or are concerned about asbestos exposure in your workplace, discuss the situation with an Industrial hygien ist. If necessary, OSHA can give you more Information or make an inspection. W hat federal agencies are concerned with the effects of asJbesios expasuigL- The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) are conducting or spon soring research on the health haz ards of asbestos. NIOSH, also, is responsible for research on the documentation of hazards, and operates an informa tion service to answer workers' questions about occupational safe tyOSHA regulates worker expo sure. The Environmental Protection Agency-(EPA) is charged with monitoring levels of asbestos in air and water, The Food and Drug Administra tion (FDA), a part of the U.S. De partment of Health, Education and Welfare (DHEW), is concerned with asbestos contamination of foods, drugs, and cosmetics, such as might occur during their manu facturing process. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently has .banned the u se of asbestos as arti ficial ash 'for1ceramic logs in gas burning fireplaces, consumer cloth ing made of untreated asbestos, and the manufacture of dry-wall patching compounds containing asbestos. An Asbestos Subcommittee of the Armed Forces Epidemiology Board has been established and is reviewing programs that might be recommended to the Secretary of Defense concerning asbestos-re lated disease among civilian em ployees of the Armed Forces, as well as veterans and men and women currently in service. Addi tional information is being gath ered to assess the health risks of shipyard workers in various U.S. locations. Investigators of the Environmen tal Sciences Laboratory, Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York, and the American Cancer Society are collaborating in a number of stud ies of shipyard workers, funded partly by NIEHS. NIEHS also is sponsoring a study, with partial support from EPA, in rodents on ingestion of asbestos minerals. An educational program for phy sicians and the public is being developed by DHEW in coopera tion with the voluntary health agencies, concerned unions, and the asbestos industry. July 1979, NATIONAL SAFETY NEWS 1  Will the government provide examinations or treatment, or will the government pay for these? What about insurance .coverage?.. Medical services related to as bestos exposure are available through the government only for certain groups of eligible individ uals. In general, medical services are available through non-govemmental doctors and facilities and paid for by the individuals af fected, unless they are covered by private, or government health insur ance programs. Check your poli cies. Medicare Will reimburse peo ple with symptoms of asbestosrelated diseases for the costs of appropriate diagnosis and treat ment. Victims of asbestos-related dis ease also may qualify for financial aid, including medical payments, under state Worker compensation laws. Eligibility requirements vary from state to state, so contact the state worker compensation pro.gram, in the state where last expo sure occurred. If exposure resulted from em ployment in a federal agency (mil itary or civilian), those affected may be covered for medical ex penses and other compensation by the Federal Employees' Com pensation Act (FECA), Shipyard private employer em ployees may be covered under the Longshoremen and Harbor Workers Compensation A c t. For Information about eligibility for these two com pensation programs, contact the U.S, Department of labor, Office of Workers Compensation Pro gram, Employment Standards Ad ministration, 200 Constitution Ave,, N.W., Washington,-DC 20210. Military and eligible dependents may receive health care at any Department of Defense medical facility. If no such facility is avail able within 40 miles of home, care may be obtained at a Veterans Administration or Public Health Service hospital. Where no federal , facility is available, seek care at a .. civilian facility under the Civil_ ian Health a n d Medical Program for the Uniformed Services //CHAMFU5). Those more than 65 years of age must obtain medical f .'care through Medicare. >-f-'Former military who believe ey may have a service-related 6 uiy.1979, NATIONAL SAFETY NEWS medical problem, can inquire about care at a Veterans Administration facility or telephone the local Vet erans Administration office, Workers also may wish to con tact their international unions or the Industrial Union or Metal Trades Departments, of the AFLCIO, 815 16th St., N.W., Washing ton, DC 20006 for information on other sources of medical help and insurance matters, For information about non-occupational exposure from foods, drugs,.and .cosmetic products pos-. . sibly contaminated with asbestos particles, write to Consumer In quiries, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, HFJ-10, Rockville, MD 20857. For questions about the potential hazards of commercial products, contact CPSC at (800) 638-2666 or (800) 492-2937. Inquiries about air and water contamination should be made to the Public Information Center, PM215, 401 M St., S.W., Washington, DC 20460..,, Cancer Information Services (QS) offices around the nation provide toll-free telephone answers to questions about cancer and oth er asbestos-related diseases, their causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Check with local tele phone operators for the nearest CIS office. For further information from laboT or industry sources,,,contact; Labor--international union, or the Industrial Union or Metal Trades Departments of the AFLCIO, 815-16th St., N.W., Washing ton, DC 20006; Industry--Asbestos Information Association, North America, 174S Jefferson Davis Highway, Arling ton, VA 22202. Other sources of information on lung disease, cancer, and how to quit smoking are provided by local offices of the American Lung Association and the American Lung Society. These organizations have offices throughout the United States. Si Asbestos Exposure--W hat It Means; W hat to Do, DHEW Publication No. (N1H) 78-1594. National Cancer Insti tute, Bethesda, MD 20014. This Imprinted polyethylene bag Is a workable solution to the problem of labeling asbestos waste, In con formance with OSHAct regulation 1910.1001 (formerly ,93a), and aids in complying with EPA Emission Standard 01,22, (Photo; Courtesy ol Nancol Enterprises, Inc.), Asbestos Exposure--A Desk-Reference for Communicators, DHEW Publication No, (NIH) 78-1622. National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20014. Standard on Worker Exposure to Asbes tos, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Office of Information, Washington, DC 20210. Cancer and the Worker, New York Academy of Sciences, 2 E, 63rd St, New York 10021, ($2). Goad Practices M anual, Clearinghouse for Occupational Safety and Health Information, NIOSH, 4667 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati 45226. Sprayed Asbestos-Containing Materials in Buldings, Standards Development Branch, EFA, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 "Asbestos," National Safety News, National Safety Council, 444 N. Michi gan Ave., Chicago 60611. Vol. 106, No. 2, August 1973, pp. 54-60. Also available as a reprint; see page 128 of this issue. RECOMMENDED READING U SP H S/N IO SH M embrane filter M ethod for Evaluating Airborne Asbestos Fibers (NIOSH Report No. 79-127)NIOSH Publications Dissemination, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati 45226. The report describes the recom mended method for sampling and evaluating airborne asbestos fibers. The report details the equipment and procedures for collecting, mounting, sizing, and counting asbestos fibers on cellulose ester membrane filters for the evaluation of personal samples. 55