Document pmvLmQa8jwx0MpaO64bXRJ8p7

011575 PROPERTY OF FORD KOTOR COMPANY Ofyk focutlAl ffefe.-- INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS BULLETIN TATS 8/22/83 SUUfTM TITU Industrial Hygiene SUMKT Aibeetoe Employes Health Services | SUPEHsfcoU j DATES h Same __ J 7A&/75 gi-- Asheatos La a generic ten that describes a variety of naturally occurring fibrous, incombostibis silicate minerals. Although tremendously valuable to industry, these minerals have bees closely linked to asbestoaie, a degenerative lung-scarring disease, ead to lung cancer. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), therefore, baa regulated employea exposure to aebestos el&oe shortly after the agency's inception. OSSA baa defined asbestos, established standards for its usa, and sat permissible expo sure limits. The Initial airborne asbestos fiber limits have been revised downward. Regulations under the OSHA asbestos standard are covered in 29 QTR 1910.1001. Asbestos exposure in Ontario is regulated under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1980, Chapter 321, August 1982). Exposure limits presently differ under the two regulations; however, industrial hygiene work practices to control dust and fiber in air are the sane. Six fibrous minerals, members of a family called silicates, are recognised as asbestoei chrysotile (white asbestos), aetinolite, aaosite (brown asbestos), snthoptayllite, eroeidolite (blue asbestos) and tremolite. Commercially, chrysotile is the most impor tant form of esbestoe, accounting for spproxinately 95? of the asbestos used in North America. Some talc contains.various amounts of asbestos. Asbestos has about 3000 different uses, with approximately two-thirds being used is the construction industry in building products, insulatias, friction materials, and textiles. Kanufactursd products have inoludad reinforced asbestos cement sheets and pipes, patching and taping compounds, floor and ceiling tiles as well as painta, coatings and sealants containing asbestos as reinforcing fillers, pipe linings and fillers for various liquids, friction products include clutch facings and brake linings for automobiles and trucks, railroad cars, airplanes, and industrial machinery. A variety of other uees axe known including theater curtains, fire blankets and other thermal protection, filtration materials and, until rooantly, dry wall patch e'oapounds and imitation fireplace ashes. Once Incorporated into manufactured items, hazards resulting fra asbestos axe lees probable, as long as the substance is net disrupted. However, the fibers are nearly indestructible, and a potential health risk arises whenever asbestos fibsrs are set free, resulting in airborne asbestoe dust. Health Hatarde Asbestos exposure can causa asbestosis, cancer of the lungs and digestive tract, and mesothelioma. Asbestosis is a diffusa fibrotic lung disease caused by exposure to high concentrations of asbestos dust and fiber, usually after several years of exposure. The onBet cf asbestosis appears to depend on dust and fiber concentration, fiber obapeB, type of asbestos, and length of closure. Usually, the disease beeomes evident 20 or mere yeare after the first exposure to asbestos. Onoe established, however, a highly disabling pneumoconiosis can progress even after exposure has ceased. Bronchogenic carcinoma (lung cancer) and mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum (cancer of membranous lining of the chest and abdominal oavitiee) are alec associated with asbestos exposure. Excesses of canoer of the larynx, stomach, colon, and rectum havB also been observed. Some forms of asbestos appear far more hazardous than others. As with asbestosis, there can be a long latent period, generally store than 2$ years for mesothelioma. The me chan lam of action is not currently known. Asbestos is different from moat chemical carcinogens beoause it is not metabolized. Thus even limited expo sures to high levels leads to continuing presence of inhaled asbestos particles or - over - SlSilliii PRODUCED J5Y FORD IN PRODUCED BY FORD CCSMJiriaMKWWIiWCT'ainitl.in-iji.'.Ti - 105584 SCF-ALLF-08980