Document wKXO4dbqKanOqKZLYxr9DmoNJ

FILE NAME Colonial Sugar Refinery CSR DATE 1960 July 14 DOC CSR188 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Letter to Undersecretary of Mines in Perth from South African Dept of Mines with Discussion of Asbestosis in South Africa - legramadres 2 graphic Address Address Posbus P.O. | 1132 } ENGINEERING \ , UNIE VAN AFRI- KA Telefoon Telephone 1xx 1xxx Gaveiniiing! 835-8246D DE EIS fox foo et ak os - 4 28SEP : 1960 i 28SEP : \ , \ f hae 7 wy a e UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA word korrespondencia assebli subsequent Correspondence please que above sumber 7 DEPARTEMENT V"/N OF MYNWESE DEPARTMENT MINES Staatsmyningenieur Kantoor van die Staatsmyningenieur Government OfficeOffice of the Government Mining Engineer Goewermentskantore Government Offices | v Rissik- en Frederickstraat cor Rissik and Frederick Streets Johannesburg The Secretary for Mines Central Government Buildings PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA "4 14-7-1960 14-7-1960 14-7-1960 14-7-1960 14-7-1960 14-7-1960 Dear Mr. Telfer With reference to my letter of 21st May 1960 I regret to have to inform you that accurate figures on the incidence the severity of disability and the effect of asbestosis on the asbestos mining industry are not yet available emerged As a matter of fact from the recent 1959 one of the points whichConference Pneumoconiosis Conference in Johannesburg was that the subject of asbestosis should be further investigated in South Africa - In this connection I might mention that the Proceedings of the Conference are to be published shortly which will include the following papers on Asbestosis 1 2 3 Some Pathological Aspects of Asbestosis in the Union of South Africa by J.C. Wagner Clinical Aspects Northern Northern Cape by of Asbestosis in C.A. Sleggs and the The Radiological by M. Hurwitz Aspects of Asbestosis The asbestosis in following is a very South Africa brief - summary regarding a a By 1939 it was clear that employment for long periods underground in the amosite and crocidolite mines was capable under 1939 conditions of causing serious impairment either from asbestosis or a combination of that disease with lung from silicosis also that serious disablement from asbestosis as a result of employment in surface amosite and crocidolite treatment plants did occur and that the general precautionary measures were inadequate b .. By 1948 extensive dust and medical surveys had been carried out concerning the asbestos mining industry Much dust was produced especially in treatment plants where dust control was a problem The medical surveys confirmed that asbestosis was being contracted As a result of these surveys dust control measures were introduced Underground this consisted essentialliyn the enforcement of approved 1.e. wet vented practice in the gold mines as of wet mining and the rockdrills as is the well as insistence on use adequate supplies of ventilation The experience was especially the fibres lends water that asbestos dust and itself to suppression by . The main dust problem however occurs in the surface surface treatment plants because the recovery of the fibre precludes the use of water Crushing and screening are the main dust producing operations whilst the dust produced during bagging operations is the most difficult to control . The Mines and Works Regulation calling for appliances necessary for the effective prevention of dust arising from the operations conducted at the fiberising plants were enforced at all except a few small asbestos fiberising plants c By 1955 medical control was introduced of all workers in asbestos mines and fiberising plants By 1957 the number of mines other than large gold mines so medically controlled numbered 137 of which 45 were asbestos mines d 7 e - By 31st March 1957 the compensation fund of the 137 mines mentioned in c stood at about 1,700,000 1,700,000 The average conditions found in amosite and crocidolite fiberising plants during the systematic dust surveys done during 1947 to 1952 came about 230 fibres of about 200 to micron in plus about centimetre 650 as particles by obtained per konimeter length cubi- For chrysotile fiberising plants the corresponding figures came to 10 fibres plus 450 particles centimetre The conditions recorded underground differed from that in the fiberising plants mainly in respect of fibre concentration which was much less underground than on surface The ... ees 3 The free silica content of the banged ironstone in which the crocidolite and amosite occur about 30 whilst that of the serpentine in which the chrysotile occurs negligible f The impression at the Pneumoconiosis Bureau is that whereas the average employment of cases seen with pneumoconiosis as defined in the Act in the first stage is about 23 years for employees at large gold mines and about 25 years for employees at coal mines it is only about 10 years for employees in asbestos mines and plants g Another point which emerged from the Pneumoconiosis Conference is the occurrence of mesothelioma in persons from the asbestos fields Asbestos The accompanying booklet entitled Mills might be of interest Dust In I hope the assistance to you above information will be of some Yours faithfully mawa mawa ( ACTING GOVERNMENT MINING ENGINEER Jum 29/9/60 29/9/60 Liale if a : Ay eo iJ ii Ah+ ~ 60