Document rx1ZdNvR8MLxyGBBYK5g2nx8V

Occupational Health & Safety Letter, October 22, 1983 5 descendants, now a nodical student. Dr. Ces&re Maltcni of the University of Bologna, who serves on the executive 11 of the Collegium (along with Dr. Selikoff, Sheldon Samuels of the AFL-CIO*s itrial Uhion Department, Dr. Myron A. Mehlman of Mobil and Dr. Bo Bolmberg f ) v_^n), told the meeting that 103 cases of liver angiosarcoma have been reported since 1974 among workers exposed to vinvl chloride in various countries, as listed in the international registry maintained by Imperial Chemical Industry in England. ' Nearly all cases were found among polymerization workers, with a few cases observed among vinyl chloride producers and users, he said. "An excess of cancers involving different organs and different histotypes, other than liver angiosarcomas, has been correlated to VC occupational exposure, starting from 1974," Dr. Malboni said. "Insufficient evidence has been found on the correlation of VC exposure and brain tumors, lung carcinomas and lymphomas and leukemias. Suggestions and rumors of an association of VC exposure with other tumors, namely tumors of the digestive tract, and breast, and hepatosarcomas, need to be confirmed by further investiga tions. "All the tumors shown or suggested to be associated with \TC were predicted t perimental studies, in one or more animal systems." -ne meeting, which we attended, went well until it bogged down into a debate on the merits of the International labor Organization during what was billed as a dis cussion on the feasibility of developing international occupational health standards later the discussion got back to its original subject of multinational health standards but came to no real conclusions which were acceptable to all, given the complexity of the problem. Howard D. Sanaiel, president of the AFL-CIO's industrial ttiion Department and Deputy Undersecretary of Labor for International Affairs in the Carter Administration, presented the leading address, using benzidine as a case study. Credit should go to moderator Werner Friesleben, Director of Wacher Chemie in West Germany and one of the few industrial representatives present at the meet ing, for bringing the topic back to its original goal. The future of the Collegium Ramazzini, along with its financing, remained shrouded in doubt as the meeting ended. It will sponsor a meeting on benzene in New York Nov. 3-4, with a $500 registration fee, which should help it financially. But more questions than answers currently exist on where the organization is headed, how it will relate to other international organizations already in the field, etc. Among the objectives being considered is publication of a textbook on occupational medicine by authorities from several countries. APPLICATIONS INVITED POR NEW DIRECTIONS GRANTS: OSHA is accepting, until Dec. 6, applications from nonprofit labor and manage ment groups for the next round of New Directions grants to help provide training, education and other health and safety services. The agency expects to award about $2 million to new grantees. OSHA currently provides funds to about 90 organizations, and spends $6.8 million per year an the New Directions program, which was inaugurated by Eula Bingham. Assistant Secretary of labor Thome G. Auchter called the New Directions pro gram "a cornerstone of the agency's efforts to help employers and workers reduce onthe-job hazards." Nonprofit labor and management groups are eligible to apply. In addition, consortia -- which can include universities or other nonprofit organizations -- may submit an application. Bowever, a consortium must have a labor group or management group as the member responsible for submitting the proposal and administering the grant. Two types of grants will be awarded: * Planning grants, funded for not more than one year, assist organizations which show the potential for providing effective training and education but need to assess capabilities, determine needs, set priorities and f rmulate objectives before BOR 005351