Document reEQw5O4Xv328j2oJZ86MxDm7

O L. Turner f. Ht-.ii 11 limited Ey.(:gitiYe~T.c.min~;1 to l!< el. ing L 108 i Item 4(k) Asbestos dust levels in overseas companies In March 1980, the Executive Co..:miUee decided that overseas asbestos processing companies ought to report on their asbestos dust situation by November 1980. All companies have now reported, and I summarise the position against the questions asked: 1. HAVE YOU ANY OPERATIONS WHICH NOW EXCEED A DUST LEVEL OF 2 FIBRES/ML? Normally all companies operate within a 2 fibre standard. However, the exceptions are: , Hindustan Ferodo r Bulk fibre receipt, storage & dispensing, textile carding, spinning, weaving, plaiting, millboard guillotine and inspection. Baker Perkins and spike mixers, factory cleaning Ferodo I taliana Grinding clutch facings Ferodo (Pty) Drilling and inspection ,, Ferobrake companies Grinding, drilling and rivetting Payen Components Auto-guillotine ^ . .. . . , Zimbabwe friction materials TAP Zambia Grinding . .... Torrance mill, blender infeed and bagging off, hard-waste grinding Turnall, Jacobs Torrance mill, fibre infeed to machines, belt Sander . Kuilsriver ' Blending, feeding, stripping and cleaning, dry sawing, slate grinding, belt sender, hard- waste grinding . Havelock Shabanie & Kashaba i Most of the mill complex V All mills except large parts of the new King and Shabanie mills. . . . .. .. , 2. CAN 2 FIBRES/ML BE ACHIEVED BY 31 DECEJ-SER 1981? . :r. Yes, except Hindustan Ferodo " Carding, which is enclosed. Success in other areas depends on successin union negotiations -2- Payen Components Not yet knovai Havelock Increasingly difficult to achieve furth'-r reductions Shabariie f. Mashaba Major portion of King ? Shabanie mills only. The plans to close down single storey mills (Birthday, CG, Temeraire) are long term, and will Lake a number of years 3. WHAT OPERATIONS EXCEED 1 FIBRE/ML? Obviously, all areas reported on above. Additionally, Ferodo (Pty.) Mixing, Miracle mill, finishing and railway brake blocks Ferodo Italiana Fibre weighing and turning clutch facings Nuturn, New Castle Bag opening and mixing Payen Components Cutting head gaskets on jigsaw TEP, Nigeria One press AC Ltd. Bulk fibre receipt TAP, Zambia Lathes and saws TBP, Emene) T8P, Arewa) . Bulk fibre receipt * Turnall.Jacobs ) Bulk' fibre receipt, treated'fibre stacking, )Kuilsriver} hard-waste feeding, lathes, saws, fettling, mitring, slate grinding ; . - Turnall, Zimbabwe Havelock Intermittently at both Salisbury and Bulawayo Underground, operative neglect Shabanie & Mashaba All mills , .: , 4. WHAT REASONS PREVENT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A 1 FIBRE. STANDARD BY I JANAURY 1985? ' . ' Hindustan Ferodo . Current.plant. Capital cost of suitable new plant seems prohibitive .- Ferobrake companies Adequate dust extraction equipment may not be installed . Havelock The capital cost of a new mil 1, estimated at El00 million, in the context of the remaining 1ife of the mine . . Shabanie & Mashaba Doubtful if technology exists ,,, 1 '' " '1*11i lllll l' I ill I I 1 1 IT m ' I ---------m .............. -- '~ IIIT TI I III I I 11TIT TIII II I II' 1III I I I I ' 11I II I I III II 1 I 5}- M*-* ! 1 L./ * ;., i c . 3; .3 : : i lj , *' ,. , Nr- v.v. N***' ''fr:.' . . o \ o -3- The summary discloses that,a 1 though there .ire problem areas retiring further work, `he goner ;1 ' i tu.it i, n.r.or lily satisfactory. However, this conclusion depends crucially on the credibility of the dust measurements. Inter-laboratory comparisons between IP.A, b.1A, Cape, ll&SE and the I CM show variances of -40' at a 2 fibre standard. If the standard is halved the variation on either side of iti/ould double unless techniques arc* developed to harmonise variations. Ultimately, T&N is responsible for conditions in all its operations. It is important, therefore, that Mr. Richards, who is already involved with the H?,SI /TCM Central Reference Labor.-;t/>ry project and with the Asbestos International Association's Rusti-k-asurtment Advisory Panel, should visit on a regular basis all asbestos processing plants inter nationally with the aim of covering each over a three year cycle. Until 1972, the Turnall companies in South Africa and Zimbabwe and TAP Zambia were under common managenent. The South African companies and Zambia both report problem areas yet, notwithstanding UDI, Salisbury and Bulawayo do not appear to have serious problems. I find this inconsistency surprising. - The situation at the tlew Castle, Indiana, plant of Mu turn- is not good although dust counts, according to the factory records, are only just above 1 fibre/ml in the bag opening and blending area. Mew equipment is on order from Canada to replace a part of the substandard equipment now in use. However, local management did not appear wholly con- fident that the installation of this would enable them to keep below a one fibre standard. The hygienists at both flew Castle and Smithville are very young and, although they have been on a two week training course by OSHA, they are relatively inexperienced. An outside laboratory has run a cross check on Muturn dust measurements and has advised that they are reasonably accurate. Nevertheless, it is noticeable that OSHA1s actual counts are somewhat higher than NuturnJs counts. This reverses T&N experience in the UK where . Ferodo counting is normally higher than H&SE counting. I consider that both hygienists would benefit from a visit by Mr. Rickards. . Obviously, the counts in Zimbabwe are a major problem. I believe that we would sleep easier if a T&N check on their dust sampling, slide mounting and counting techniques was carried out in the near future. . ' \J H.D.S. HAROIE HIT I t l l m T Hill H I IIW IT -- 111I H i IHIMII I I T U .......... 11 || 25 February '981