Document x1Rgjdo4bY8nN3XL9ZJ286MZQ

FILE NAME: Z//E DATE:: DOC#: /E DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION:D<Z DUST HAZARD 4sblj:;tos fibre~: the killer dust ,II'' <,h" .. [1,,/"-- ! JO )anuarv, Ganga Asbestos l2ment t:'>ltered the capital market wHii a small i ,slw or Rs. 119 crores towards equitv t ap1tal ,01 d 11101ect to m~nufacture asbestm- cement ,JJpe; lb good reception from .nvestors seems almost assured as the new company Asbestos warnings: yet to find a place in India ~ has signed a technical collaboration agreement, with a Blfla iirm, l;-lyderahad Asbestos Rajagopdl, a worker \n the. sar,ne factory who suffers from asbestosis, has . gone to bv the Port Trust. In the Bombay Doc~'" Cement Products IHACP) Ltd. court, demanding a proper medical exa,mina- workers can be seen eating their lunch s1tt1ng on heaps' of loose asbestos. Need less to s,i \ . -, he asbestos industry in India h.;s come a long wa~ _ When HACP itself entered the a;besto:. pro4ucts market. t sought and tion and compensation fromi the Employees' St.lie Insurance CorpoFation (ESIC). (see box 2). But for every R.ljagopal, per~aps there are if you try to photograph them, your carnP1 d will be corifiscated. obtamed technical collaboration with the hundred~ of others who dq not even knJw The one time 'magK mineral' of tht ~llth century, even though it has been proved bt world's largest asbestos manufacturing com- that they suffer from asbestosis. Jairam to a 'killer', continues to be used brazenlv b" pany, Johns Manville Corporation (JMC), USA. Today, HACP exports not only its pro- Sakharam, who joined Hindustan ferodo ltd. (Hfl) at the lge of 16, quietly firms that have scant regard ior human live:. ducts, but also technical knowhow and is @!Omoting joint vi:ntures in Nigeria and leJ:t in 1981 after 20 years of working, tvith a pittance for gratuity, for probably simiiar rearons: and is The fact that asbestos ha~ been i11 widespreJd u~e since the beginning of this century in th!' building industry a~ electrical and thermal l i\jepal In the meantime, howeV<'', things now lost in the multitudehf silent sufferers, in- sulation, in brake and clutch lining for auto- -have not been going so well for their er:.t"1hile technical co:laborators the Joi1ns Manville Corporation (JMC}. Jn August this year, You have probably never seen the label shown alongside before. And the reason for this is that the people who ought to .use it mobiles, m household and industrial floor !iimg and in probably 3,000 more areas meall' - "took the unorthodox 'Step of applying for don't bother to. It might well have come from that almost everyone of us has had some lev;: of exposure to asbestos fibre for years. )nisation. under the US Bankruptcy any one of those humerous 'pallets' or con- e (see box l). tainers that bring in over 80,000 tonnes of im- MEDICAL AWAltENESS WORKERS' PUCHT ported asbestos fibre into India every year (see Asbestosis became the subiec1 rn delaikd Gaja~n Dagdu Sawant died in 1982 of asbest0sis. Sawant worked ior a medium table 2). It's also probably affixed on to each little piece that HACP, HFL and others export every year. And yet at Cotton Green, Bombay, medical discussion in 8ntam in 19;>;- t ~>< came a notifiable- ai~ in !nd1a ':rt' .,-, amendment in 1976 to the Factories .A:: r r,; Kale asbestos textile manufacturing unit where asbestos fibre containers _are being un- 1948. However, more dangerous d1s.ea-.e, situated m i\fldheri, Bombay. In the same u~-ut ~ are- 20 oihef: vlj'Ofker:s ~.rtx; ai:;c y~! loaded, a split sack covers a worker in dust like lung cancer andmesotheliofr.a commue from head to toot. Reportedly raw asbestos. to~--QU{ fer from asbestosis in varying degrees. r is not in the list of hazardous cargo prepared el'-1'e 5dte.::iuie. Asbest":h ' ' . non-rr.aiignant, ;~ wng c' -'~--< ATENCAO Cont8m fibras de am1anto Evrte cr1ar po Respirar po de amtanto pode ser prejud;cal a saude Fumar 1umenta con11deravelme'lte o rrsco a saude ATTENTION Contient des fibres d'amiante evitez de cl't!iet d la poussiere, reap1ret la pousa1ere d'am1ante peut endommager gravemtnt votre Santi!, et fumer augmente de beacoup ces risques caused by the in-h.:.la::ior ~ as!'6.:::i; d1>: .: ,, char<~cte-r1sed D-- ::r.:ti.....~ s:~' :-,,_,._ f1bros1s, which thicken me 11ning ot uw :w1.,~, resulting in a progressive breathlev;nes' rh:also tends to strdlfl the he.lrt. The deg:t"- ,,: risk of developing asbesto""' appee1rs ":.drt CAUTION Contams asbestos fiber& ' I avoid ,~reatrng dust breathing asbestos. dust may C'ause ser,ou~ boddy harm, smoking i;rcat!1 .n<..reasos the l rtsk of 81H'OUij bodily harm ATENCION Contiene ftbras de amianto Ev1te crear polvo ~ Resp1rar. polwo de amianto puede eer Nocho para la salud Fumar aumenta con1iderabfemente el Riesgo de conlraer enfermedadas to the duration and lt:vel ol expu,ure ; -"bestos. Normdily' the disease take; " 111y years to devetop and thus, "'orket~ '-"<,_.,-,.,: to a>;bestos m1r riot ,ho" the sign<, 11 ,.,,: disease for J long period oi t1rpc- H ,... onh \vhen the ev10enc_< o frt' l. iJ gentc potential or inhaled a~bc:--!")"i rrnr~ ... " - 70 UV!>inesslnd1a Januarv 17 - JO. 198 3 -- -~ I : > : - i t . i % ( ' :::%t.%.%MNitiM%Wii%i%WWttffJ.#:fiMktlfl%g:-;nm:rrm1i1m ll i am.-~~ ~~-~~*''-\:WS7".if) ... Special Report umulated, and lung cant Pr wrth malrgnant umours was observed in workers already suf- rmg from asbestos rs, that people all over the arid started to rake notice of the health azards of asbestos Along with lung cancer, nstance; of mesothel1oma of the pleura and ritoneum among asbestos worke1 sand their elatives only served to further empha>1se the otential dangers ot un(,ontrolled exposure to sbestos dust. According to Dr. lrvrng J. Selikoff of the ount Sina; School of Medicine, New York, n internationally <1cknowledged authority liln sbestos related dr>t>Js~'~. "There i~ no Irm rt to he danger of Jsbestos dust: ~he more of rt here 1s the greater the ( ancer risk. The less, e lower the risk " The risk doesn't disappear ith lower exposuce levels . recognition of the potential health l ; from asbesto; ha> 1esulted m m- re~slngly strrngeQt controls on the product0n and sale of asbestos products in the West. et, m the Third World, production of asestos products ha, been growing due to the rgely unregulated state ot production and arketmg in these countries. Exports oi these roducts b<ick to the West often fulfills other ational obiectives' at soual costs that are ft largely outside the scope of open discus'on and debate. Workers unloading asbestos packs at Cotton Green !Bombay docks! The asbestos industry m India is in th1; sense fairly similar to that in other developed countries (LDCs) even though almost all the large scale units in the country are either subsidiaries of western transnationals (TNCs) or have acquired technical collaboration from them, (see table 1). The industry employs over 7,000 people in 20 units spread over Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Haryana. Ac1decl '" t'1. ...numerous small scale unt'>, "Hm le;'" :1":1 mg as sub'>ld1aries of larger unrb Unfortunately, except rn ottrc .al <. '": there has been lmle apprec1at1011 o tlw ,r :' lem in India. True, asbestos came 1111" 11 Factory Rules m 1970, and asbesto'" "'", ,,.;ded to the list of notliiable dr'>ea,e> 1n i J-iJ but public interest rn health hdzarch trorn .:>- ~ .. p.'llOV1lvillfe--;~-~- ... . '" . ~ . .- -.... : .. . : n fndia in~lu~ ,.,,. ,_J;.~1~_a:y0 ~mentS_;:1 . nd Asbestos;,:: S.. ij. -~~; {ll)d,, >f. 'yderabad.Asbest . . ent (with .which:i~"'''.q a . an'u had techni' ~b9r~tio~'.wtl~ ::;-_bil( ' 'f st3rted). . \ . v '-:.. - :. , - . BUt .hotel . M_anville CorP1?,raU~ni1~~ow ~Jng sued., :. ., ' lN CENTRE at the rate of SOO. n~ .~s:per month by ormer emplojees ~r' ti:[eir$\i~ivors who; un~ -Sf>O 051 :.ble to receive fair ~roi>er,l:~_ation throvs,h. . !X: 0845-561. -~.mal channels? ...: '- ,h!~ ff~ of l~w, f~Rtn-. :harsha ui~. In one oOhel'f . Judjements;;,i.. 0 .-QI' . oi1'r .was aw~;\$7:~; }'nillion. "lti:.' -. ;{): .;:: -., '_.....,. a- lltdaffi~es ,--::r1 sui:fi.: \N~rri~,. tti~ ~t~~:of~~ ~- :~ire at ' ,, < 1 ,,. __,. ~. ~ - ""' ... -~ ~ ,. ..... "- \ \, Special Report ..:.. - Rajag~j~1 - 'figb"tb'rg to live! it:~: :&fftf.ti~~W!?f ~~~th~.chairman Tur~er '~"" It . Will writ./>etition No. j 3 J6 of 1982 filed before the'.,8ornbay High Court herald a .hlediate..' new era:itl'. employer - employee rela- tions? 01}.fone side $land arraigned the he was director-ge_!)eral ESIC, the director-general, Centr pecto a r l la of li6ur Insti .{a~tories, tute Ma (Ct.I), l)arash t t he ra, chi an ef d insMis fijndustari)erbdo. The:plaintiff: one dying man, dylnt_because rio one told himJlte job he l)o#~stly did was killing him every minute.he.was doingit. S. RajagClpat joined-Hlndcistan ferodo in 1961 a~ an_._operatprd!J the. brake and clutch-linirig department.:.'The,department r--' uses a r~stos dry 'process :\i(hich p0wder. It was jus.t a works matter with of tel'! Menon ,.s.<;e/Jtic of outc v f s before the trouble started. ' - .. ~ ome ' ~s~stqsis."Chr?lnic cough with expectora- tion and dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing), cthoenticno~memd otonebsettrseyamtepdt.obmysthoef ESa!sbmeestdoisciasl, teams, and. private practitioneers as yet ,~!l~~h<tr case Qf_ a~tf;tpti;l or bronchlti~. All that: l~ted ..til.i, September authoi'ities ,;fln.~J/ti ~::efi; ~ital .197~, ~hen, !:;;d~aQ~~~ytehteainro.t~hieat~M~t~t!uhn~a~JF.';;;'j.s.'S.t-osisphr~0d- l1)r! , ' .. ttim1usu1n . ~C',:i~~ifn.eangto.poaf'fs~,{e~ritM,afiOi(-pf~o;:;~_uthceemd anno- -l~:'p' .. .. e'cti~""'. , , ;~e~~n -~ fi~~;.i~,t~Jt~~ision .i11:Jtf?a~t~~t;~;:.{,\;1J:&~ was ~:~..~a~n~JP:!ltaNle.,w,aJal~1 tdhtcdit)i'ItO.ti~h.elp. Even of as the S10n .f ti~_dtmenC advised Rajagopal him 1mresigned .ffo'm. HFi. io:' er)able him to colle<;t his gratuity as at that time in urgent ~~,etj of money for his wife'; medical 'treatment. .ctalms not m~t. He was.claiming a writ of :: rf,~damus corpPefling the ESIC and the CLI jointly or severally to subject him to an ex- . .3mination of hts disease by expem and to submit the report in the Bombay High Cou;t, He was also claiming payment ot dn interim allowance during the petition Jnd compensation for occupational d1s.2a'>e from the ESIC. a The writ petition was the only alterna- tive.. has finally. been heard, and tht_ ESI has been directed to constitute a medic.al .board. and subject him to an examination E\leil, though the' examination was completed on 30th September 1982, Ra1agopal still awaits a decision. i:i;Mmle~niDoSnc,;ya.fnt;eiralplyusshkrenpgtitchroofugthhethoeumtcaotmteer., ;Sut he is convinced that .fr.i::~.PJ!?.vr:r~nf:w~e.to if the workers approach -std I ";,,,,,w:p;.u;~J~.e.cftt(.u'~~~i~~-~~',~~;tWre:ve~rg,er case him he in h<ind. , ?~e~aia,g!)Uahfti{it~ remains enough to fight, for how :}; -~~; : :; ~~t~woi~~~-~-~~Q( estos continued to be low. Then, in 1981, n article appeard in New Sc1enti;t br Barry astleman which highlighted the double tandards oi TNCs operating m asbe.,tos in ndia with specific instances oi envrronmenal pollution caused by Shree D1gvi1av ement Company in Ahmedabad and Rane , linings. This created a ilurrv amon~st . ,... who read this article. REVENTIVE MEASURES ince the mid se'1ent1es, the '-.:at100ai lri~t.~ te of Occupational Healrh 1'11QH1 am! :he entral labour Institute \CU1 haw: bef-n m- able 2: mports of raw asbestos j Sales to large companies DL>""' 1 """" ,j Actual lmporh f>~,707 ~5,.J/() fJ4,26-l 80,85-l .ortw!'>e Lrnport, are 1n the appw111 "ll' nge d, BombJv-60",,,, b Madr." :11 .. nd <) C..iit utta-2U' .. valved in studies oi asbestos related diseases. In 1980 the NIOH conducted a study to evaluate the health hazards du'e to asbestos in a medium s(ale asbestos texti!e unit in Ahmedabad. The report clearly states that the "total and re<,pirable dust and asbesto!> fibre concentrattom were tound to be mtKh higher, than accepted norms" This, it was reported, was largely due to the ab;ence oi dust control equipment. This report also noted that 15 '\, of total subjects studied showed the presence of asbestos bodies in their sputum. Further, so;~ of the working T..... :t: Name oi Company Approximate sales 1980-81 1981-82 H1nclmt.in FProdo Hvder.Jhdd A.,be>tu> C.cmvnl A.,bc><,to' C..ement Shree D1gv1JdY Cement. 5uncleram AbP\ lirw B1.ike l.1n1ng'> -l,001! l0,000 4,000 23,000 I ll,000 9,000 llS,000 I 5,000 ~on 1000 1sou:2000 1,000 1,500 :>ource ,\1,\/ TC. population had respiratory symptoms, 25" oi the work111g population had crep1tat1on, ' crackling sound detected in lung'>!. dnc Y", of workers lrad opaque area'> 1n their lun!', X-rays. - Given these facts, what can be done to pr<> bveesntt otsh~eTehcehanltohlohgayzairndsthaessWoceisattehd.is111g.e1tuhr<J>,c.l itself to devising engineering method., '>Lil h as isolatio11, enclosures, exhaust ventt\ctror: and dust collection equipment to "e" e a th< prime means oi controlling direct exoc,.,Lire to asbestos. Reverse-jet, mult1-module ,_,hf'Ll filters, for instance have a oro\f"' "'"'" .,. " of atrnost f{)Q-0;., r: ;...cinra1n:~~ ..i::>De~,, .. , ~< In addition, hand operated <Jnd operated tools with built-in dusHdr.(t1"n facilities are now available fu u'" h1 workers handling asbesto' A variety of per~on,11 rt."'~p1ratof\ pr ult~ 1<11 equipment hds been dcveloped I"' d111,, 111LC end-u;es. Factories 111 the l/ve,1 11"' ,, t"~''" care !fl l.ivout pLinn1ng to en'.'"' ;fic1I .ht n1o~t haLardou~ Jflb~ arL -::.epc.trLi;tr_ lJ\Jf! rf,, re~t 1n order to n-dU(t-> uvt)rLtJI dt. ,1 lt\ Ph Shower' and <hanging r"u111, I<" '-'- "" ,.,, have been inc.orp<H<llefl int" pl.<111 .,,JtF !(J ensure th.it the du,t\ work '11 lht" ""' .,.1, behind 1n the lact"rn'' \\11h .<11th" ..11,,it being made, dust levels have iH.,,,, "';''"" Jntly reduced 111<;1de thP \vnr> '' ..,,,,,. . ::.:.'-- ....: .&al Report their noses dnd mouths. In tact, th0 mandg<'m!.'nt has not bothered to provide worker' evc>n with proper workmg c.lothes SHEER APATHY Banner1ee goe'> on to talk of the .Kcwnula lion of waste fibre-. Jt various ,tage' ot pro cessing and of how these waste> are Jg,11n mixed with cotton fibre. He complams that "The more the proportion of wJstes in the f,, :. . n11x. thP rnort th.-. du .. t r_JtJ'.,ed Ind rht. rnan ,_1gernpnt h ':H;l1\ n~}o ;Jurui\ thJtHHb 01 0rot1LJhd1tv ~t 1.. o:d:-1g \11 BJi.rH 1,t'<' tht' 1,vork!l1JJ, ( ,1ncl1;1on..., 1rt L'\t'-~ ,\'(Ir..,( r\f'M(.', n1nr ,ub,1d1drv comp,in1t lo< .itecJ ;n ,ir1~J dround Gomba~ \vh1c...h (.11c cl/I Pngt1ged 111 relJted d< !1\ 1l1eo; like gr1nd1nc; '" <1sbl,to. 'lldtll<"'' m.i11uldtture .-\cL<Jrd1ng to .1 >tUd\ conc.ut IPrl 1,v the CLI >t1 J lJR 1 .vberi ii (()Mes to -.die!\ rnea.;,urei.. ----- ~urt: :i, i i:, . l: UI t!'t ~-). ~ ' '111 ..,hurf1\ l-'1.ild1,i~.ir '.111 6lf1t'Pffl~ \\1Hl'\L'f .it fi<L h.;<;iili1,'1i'r', tJOll 1 ) dL, 1.~ ..,, .i-,bt bagf.1n~ -ir<JL;f :bt 75 ht> .. '.Jdi'r l>.ig .. \' rJ\.V .._isbc~.r<>" Ir Jfl~.~.J\ J" '"r .- -it. ~ ... t~~r.r :.C:.:.. Banrier1t'f manap,emenl apathetic' two t1bres - - per cubic centimetre, and eitorts dfP ,ont1nually on to halve that level. In <,t.1rk contrast are the horrendous condir1om ex1<,t111g 1n Indian factories. A. Banner1ee, ,1 UTU union leader at the Asbestos Pack1111.; Jnd Manufac.tur111g Company 1APMC1. Bombay, which is a medium scale unit employing lOO workers, tells ot two asbestoc, ciedths 1n 1982. This fact has also been certrt1ecl hy medical reports. List111g mixing and Lardrng operat1om as potentially the mo,t h,iz.irdou<, (sec> box 3J, he says, "We have ab'>olutel; 110 <Ontrol equipment. And the bec,t ,ye have I'> a few exhaust fans. Re- spirator', .rn. unheard ot. Workers are simply gr\ 1'11 d piece ot cloth which they tie around It affects not only you but your family too Name of company H111du'>tiln ferodo Brake linin~, j~intings, limped sheets, yarn, packing cloth~ . textite mattresses ..ind . Hyderahad Asbestos Cemem Co Asbestos Cement Co. Shree Digvl)ay Cement Co -Sundaram Abex Suri Asbestos Industry t. Rane Brake Linings Remz Talbros 'jih"riS .millboards~ , ' , Asbestos cement shtiets aifd pressure pi~s, joi~tln'is,.''11~1. ; Manville, USA rn .. afu:I f\Ow Socreta ltaliana ooards and thetmill irisulaii'Qn .1 Asbestos Cement $b~ts Asbestos cem~nt Sbefits.!ind'. ... , ):/ . pressur~ pi~~~ :ci~ Friction mai~~s;li~t'i~~ "linings. .,.I:!'-,,,, _.._~~~~.~:;;~(::~1 ~it: T,exfile~ packi.ngs,~f, '';.' ' /: ::v laggings, joint!ngs, ya_ffl,~c~ Brake linlngs,~nd {;~utC;h..~_lngs-; .,..:_,- ' - : ~ :~~: !,' Asbestos ioint1ngs 'J Pen ArnintO:, Italy, {T). "TUrner & New:.11, UK (T&FJ 1ollii~_Ma1Mlle, USA . tl;~~l. - ' ,c . . ';\hex rnc.," USA (T&Fl ~:.;~\~~' '. ' J~hn~fAfrwilJe; ~s,\ (l&F), ":'' SIT)i!l(..ihd Parkt;s:.UK ff.&FJ Reinz Dichtungs - A.G. West Germany (T&FJ "'; r~~ ;? '~- T. Technical ) F: Financial :; . . , ''. _ . . Source: DCTD Handbookoi Foreigrt,_Co11aborat.ion~. J'tl?O 1, ~i'-; ~:~~ " ';> < -~!, ;r - ~-" ~ rsOOn.s from the <Jt today .;ought tc pl,ast1c ,1np _urt ~r - ~gifi dl~u lJ tiorr.s 'wb 1ch requ 11 mg 01 dotrer c, 1m should be me<:hJn "Und<or a union a~ ment hac, decided ment 1rom Germdr led by 26 Janu.iry. INADEQUATE HF In 1980, HFL mtro protection eqU1pm Sanzg1n points ou . tontrol syc,tern' tr ance Jnd that the a second ltne or dt Till f'J;-7, HFL, Shree D1gvl)ay ( ement' a,best< lant 11 , ,. , Ahmedabad, bel1f-ved to !Jf- tne subwn 0f th< ;__ ~- -'.{; ..-. n!ffacturi study, 1s no better. The study reveate ~- .. :r that out of 320 worker' ilec teci al random >'.:. ~ _.. over 6 5"" <>uiterc-d trorn a,be,rosi. ln,th' -:. : a~bJ~.s cen t1bre-grind1ng, loading dnd the pipe.,,., -... , JmOip~ asl dt>p<lrtmenb ".Vok<''' we're ''P"'ec. I -.Atl \, ., Jter~~to ron crot1dol1t' ,inli l hrv",11 0 t:hrc'' 1,ec oUIJsel ~d in.succes 4ut>nt cl1slUS<.(Jn,, and 1iJrl tor,< 21trc1t1011i were lound to b,, rnu( I' I ~her !h,rn thJ stdtutory perm1c,s,h!p it" '"' Th1c -,wdy norerl thc1r d"'' contr o 1 'd'rd;:\t)epeng1 11fu:by we11 Jinn lS" 1~,!aceci' I <,urt''> In tlw t,lltOl'I t1ad i.l'f'f1 11Hroduc Ui 011 1 '._; and In 1979" Wheth<cr tfw n,,lfl,lf!,Prl1E'llt nl'.\Vt'l:. ~'-ll to Pn~uri::_l hPtter -<.c1,111..!,, 1;nd1t1;:10~, 11:, nia1n'> unknown ,.Jf!P'"'I. ported to be the 'tt:t'1'1 '1'r1'~ >r thoSt' ,, 111<.L', ~ who thP CLI ,tu.1'1 Porli"!1Pd .!<. trom J'ibP\tlhl' \.YorKf'r'> 111 H111uristd11 'r >l'o, th_ argt -.',",.'.- , b~sti Indian manUl<l: 'urer 01 tr1, t1on m.irer,,ris Ilk; ~I ,-, ", 'rkers autornot1vt ( i11t< h .rnfl hr,1~E l1ninl',' nncJ " ~su )hen lw'>tu'> tPxlil', ,,,,,,1 <>n ., "'"'n mor.i\' q.,:._~rast,;jij:()f-Y mi 111. I <JB 1 'l(:r,1"r't1111g, .1mor1g rithe, ;'i:n,;~Sd~~mad~ better working . ond1tro11'> '1Vork111g : on~ re,'.~~jig. thl: t1om 111 HH tOlL,v <ire reldt1Vl'I" h "IP' '-'Ymiqer:~o fo, Indian a'>IH''lu; 1ndu,tr\ ,tandarch ",: tf:.d not 'av111g H'rv much HFL "nm-. ,,-,',1<>u ei.s.:-'WfiiCb ta'I , t~~~-ClrE looku1g 101\v~1rcl to d -,tud\ on d".-1)~--.r -:- """'~ - ... =-:- ~'_ --<<:::::/: Spe~ial 'R"?port HJ~ed but the rn,rn- .. iv bv 11' ri1>t1or> ot 10 Banner1ef;, lhP _L l'\en \\Orse in ( omp,Hrnc>s located h1( h MC all enga'ged '-di<' that the LL! .ind the Ide tory 111spect<J1.Jle "' the governnwnt 01 Mdhar.i.,htra are to ''H rtlv conduu "' 1h Bombay plant f'1al1hakar '>JnLg111, pre"clent ol the ln- g11ll'l'ring Worke" Union :<ltfil1Jtecl to Ul Ui ,)! HFL, h1ghl1gh1' the need 101 tdk1ng prec,1u- nnd1rig t}r '0<::.be...,to onducted b' the CL . to saietv rnea<;ure> t 1011 against JslH 'l'h ~1u,t right trorn che clebaggmg stage 1htl1 He recalls thJt 1n l'J/4;-, fie,'>1an b.:igs '"'1e ,till being used to p<lck 1,1\\ d'bestos "111 h'rodo tho'>e day rna,pv IJ.igs uwd to be br"~11; Now we ins1't that'the or1grn,1I polythene ll.ig, ,He pldc ed in <lnother polvthene bag " The lee;J.ng 01 film into the til1w plant, one 01 the most dangerous operJt r ,n, rom the po111t of view ot dust exp<Ure, !'. trnl.iv sought to be controlled by putting <l plJ't" st11p curtd1n on the mouth 01 thP 1-rnner 1~m lgrn also talb ot whllh require that gove1 nment regulacleaning and grind- 111g ot dotrcr cylinders in the carding section hould he mechanicdl pr<Kt'sses and .,ays that "Under d union agreement now, the manage- wnt hd;, deuded to import ;,ome new equ1p- ent t1orn Cermany, which ;,hould be 1n;,tal- n 1980, HFL introduced personal respiratory rotect1on equipment on the shopiloor. But anzg111 prnnts out that 11 IS the engineering ontrol ;,y;,tems that are ot primary 1mportnce and thdt the respirators essentially iorm ;,econd lme of defence. Till I 977, HFL's plant layout was still rather rs asbestos plant 11ro"""!'l=--...,.-~~ >be the sub1ect of t The study reveal ; selected at rando )ITI asbestosis. 1n t and the 01pe iif- 11.ere ~po>ed t~.J tile iibre~ .see sub outmoded ,rnd contained tlw c Jrd1ng ,p111ning ,rnd weaving "'Clior1; under th1 <,ame coot. It w.i;, in this ye,11 th,11th11Sol,111u11 vi the dust-prone c<1rd1ng SP( 11011 Wds tJken up 1 h" Wd'> ,1d11eved by u;ing .i pl<1;,t1{ .t11p <urt<1111 t< ;,epJrdte 11 trom the otlwr 'ect1on' Union rPpresentat1ves <ldmlt 1ha1 1111, hd> helped 1n m.iking the other dre.:i;, rPlat1vely du>Hret' but thPv -say th.it there IS ;,till a lot of 'cope tor improvement Th,, deaning ot c ard1ng mJch1m, how t'Vl'I, Still 1nvolvp;, dll Pxpo;,ure to ,15bc,t<" dus1. The cle,llltng proces'> mv.ol\ts 1ot,1t1ng lhe dotter cyl111d<'" 01 th" <arc/mg flldC h1ne while om mdn bru;,hp, ott the wc1'1t' Th" 1s easily the most dJngerous Jncl dLi>t-prone 101> on the ;,hoptloor HFL's contrdct dcpartment used to handlt" dn even morp d<>ngeruu;, dred. Workers hJd tu go out and spray asbeslo'> fibre tor 1mul.illon Thi., JCt1v1ty was t1n<llly 'toped when m<tnv worker;, >tarted suttern1g trom chest c/1;ease<> Unwn represl'nt,lt1ve' talk ot 1mprovemenb 111 the shopiloor lavout 111 HFL, e g. the prov1s1on oi proper ventilation facil111e;, ;epdrate lo(ker> and bathing 1,icd1t1e;, tor the workers But pred1L1.:ibly the mdnagernent's respome has been that all these improvements co;t money. "We are ollen told," ,ay> Sanzg111, "how Sunder,rn1 Abex has a wage co;t which 1s only 17",,, 01 manutalturmg cmb while 11 I'> 28'Yo in HFL. I wonder what the workmg cond1t1ons in Sunderam ,1bex are like." In any case, such costs should be counte<:l under capital expenditure and not under wages, as / Sanzgm conlro/ ;ystem; neec/,'il thev are not perks given to'""''"" liul," "' eent1al pre-requl'>1te tor tht ~1.inulJ( 1111 (:' ,1;,bestus products But a;bestos product rn,111u1,11 tur111g .11h dre nut the only pldce> whcrt- vou 11111'111 Ill' exposed to this .killer t1bre Bredklrn1111 . .rnd grinding operations in tverv \l'hl(ft 1n.u1utactur1ng unit, releu~e enorn1ou<i <1n1ou11h o! <1she;tos dust. and asbesto;, trc1ce; arl' "1'"" tound 1n the sputum ot workc" in !ht- d" partment;. When complaint'.> 01 re;,p11.lto1'. !Vels. Jilluf'\f_ uttler thin ion' \'VtJ'\.-:ng con re 1el.11"ei\ bettc" r; '>landarcJs. but th, HFL ..; no\\ an\loU 1ud1. on dstiesto, ex11----=----=---..;;..._;.;;-..:;.~=-~--"-""""'....:......._.....:"'""... ";, -. -.. vrhich ensun. th.at the fibres are laid parallel and ;The uutrut 1s. i,n the form of a ;liver or r< 'P'-' which goe$ through"tbe subsequent processes of spi_nnjn~. -doobli0g weaving. I In th~ mai:nif~~ture of. f(ICtion rnatena 1,, fluffed (ibr~_s:ar~ mi~ed with metal chips and friction par~ides along wlth binder resins .This mixture. is then either profiled or E'l(- truded _into the-. reqjJiraj shapes. At times woven 'rriateri<t.l i's ~t~. u~ea in the manu- - "tiy the workers --~"~ ~ Special Report aes. we ing >OSe >sets, - d1tfH tJ!fl('-. uft 111.ldt' 0)Jflclg('!lp>t1h lJ\(_' fh(' sin1p!1~'it f"...:pcdlt'lll l1\.Iddble thc1f :), !t.111\l(r ing tht p,'f<..,dn', (CJfH_('rnerl to otfH r .lep<1rr r:IC'!Jt< I!: 'Ill' nanll' OI JOIJf()l,d1(Jll " " !(' ':>Plratnr >1 1ng1rHt1tn~ <. f>l11rol<; ,JI{' llit'd It th,~ !'- tie 1 d'>t' 111 ,1 h1ghlv rJrgc.1111-..e<! U'>Cr 1n dlJ~tr\ \'tth ,onH ol the bt",t h_qr'\''1 1 lnd1,ir i l'fl'p"nH' 111\olvt ,J, \\ha! tht "'1~_1.it1rJ11 nl!gh1 ht {'l'-,t'\\'h('r( IS bt''' lpq 'n !J!1t' ', "'-l,l'..~11 1 ,!tloP VEIL Of ~ECRECV l ht' " t \'!ti{", >1 ,1<.,)Jt''i!P"i \ t lfllf 1! 1 ,-... JiL' clf,Jk( l r:1 \tc rt't \ \rid th 1 cH1 ""t1'1!Jn(' (~)t"1 "'- lilt' ,1!(~~ i)t l/)f' gtJ\L'tPlrlt'!l\ ',1 1h ih'o111 \\:i10 ',!( f<'I \ lf11flt'( [O T1 .~Pc:guv thJ: ttP' ~O\t. 1 r1111t'i1t 1-.. ,111 \'. 11( i}\ tLf- \Hu!)l1' \.'1" DI <1-,ht,[,1'>1, ,)1 't'Pl1urn,1 \\uu1d p( rhclP"- bf' ... ll\t \tft'r , nrn l'>lwq,"'' her""''' 1 ,:111.ilil1 ,-S( 1~el Kut N t Cit1dk<irr, torn1e , n1cl 111'-. ictor rll fd( torre' 1<>1 i\iaha:dc.htr" , \ ,.,., .111, 1~m1~'"P".l go\l'rnnh)flt ~ntt:ntidn"' I ht ornent cl di,e..he bccon1e~ 'lOtit1,1tde, 11 pi-...! ISdPP' .lrs fake. \Or f-Xdllljllr tht ' "'1 ol ys,1no'>1s which I' r aused b-, 1rhaldl 11J11 ut otton i1brs This disease \>\JS maoe notrt1- Substitutes - the search is on Sweden and Holland have already imposed a ban' on the use of asbestos. And even ao manufacturers are faced with the po;s1bil1t~ of more bans on the dreaded mmeral, the rac;e is on to find substitutes for asbe'>tos in .its many uses. ,As~estos consumption. The largest consu~p_tion of asbestos i~ accounted for in the rnahufacture of flat sheets, corrugated sheets, and pipes. Some headway has al- ready been made in the search for substi- fo these uses of -asbestos. Asbestos a, ; Turner and Newall, along with Uni- taka Kasei of japan, has introduced an as- bestos substitute ca11ed Mewlon. Mewfon 1s a high modulous polyvinyl akohol iibre -wh11=h can be used to produce non- orribustible flat ~- Hoechst A.G the ca!W German giant~ anilolmc:ed an a:cr1d ~ ~~ Cd":1 bt sed.in the making of many buildmg mate- rials, whid1 now require asbestos cement. ilkington Bros. has developed a glass cor- ugated sheet which can be made on exist- ing asbestos machrnery. In 1979, when General Moto" came to a~e the Environmental Protection Agenlv, hey gave an undertakrng to the eflt rt th.it y 1983 all d1sl brakes rn their ldrS v.ould e asbesto> free ;rnd liv J985 Pven drum rakes would be made of non-dsbesto, tric- ion material In add1t1on. Roulands ot enrnark has developed brake-lrnrng, made f " mixture or metallK ,rncl organ1t nl<ltf'- ab <1nd Saab of Sweden has offered to con- did! rnanur.H tur"rS HJ tht l 1' q!u"h .1 ~ntarv ~klfl on tbe 111pori " 1 do!.' 111 the e.u ly 'evpntis In ll!,Hkl'd llJntrJ't to'" '1,,. lnd1<1, " tlw <1lt1tud1 01 tl11 I Medic .ii Bo,ml ol tlw Lf.. . 1,, dlii1 .11th(' 'dllll' liillt' d'.> d'lit'>tO,I'., but II hac, \'"'' '" .ilh 1w<rr lll'('ll heHd (JI dt ,,~JI!(' the pr1I"''""' ol r otton 1extil1 n1ill, '" ;rnd df(JlJ')C f~'nnlU\ \t < (J 1 rf1n~~ 10 J k.Lirnd1 t1orn1erlv ot the I. l 1 "1v, 1rtlwred the ( 11 '>tudy 011 ,hrdith h.t1-irrh trnn ,hh<'>to, 1n .\hmedabad, 'Bl' <.tu" ol the !pg,111mplll.it1un',11wol,rd, no 1,,ctor} med1cdl otl1Cl'r will Ver 1dentrfy <l> IH">to'" 1\t tu.II iv thf' mJ111 1irob1Prn I'> """othel1om.1 wh1t h 1s det1n1tt-lv C<lL1'ed by 'roe 1clol1tP wlrn h the< 0111pdny <,tud1d wa> u"'1.'4 l'erhapo 11 5hould lw po111t<'d out here 'learly '"t:d dm\n that Jll\ '""'' trorn PVl-'fl two 01 thf' .. yn1p11,r, np~~, 1ni.,p1r.Horv er ell kit-. :., tunct1011, trngl'r <lu1Jlm1~. . 1 occur in d vJrrety 111 11 "! i1 (d1d1ov.t"( td~ir d1~c<1~t-'>1 . 11u i " pu.td trJ a>bl 'lh at w1>1, , cert1t1txl d~ 'iUlltring t1on1 ,1-.,r11 .... \,, .. , pdre this, 1or l'\,:mplt" \,::t <1,, pector'., rep~nt r>n Ra1c1g(.J~J(,' (, "- hoxJ II 'eem' p.itt>ntly d"'~""' ,,.,. " '>t'nt such v1t.il t.i<. t<, .1nrl, ,111 ,, " , r lironr h1t1. or tuli.rc11lo>1' fr.1dc rm1or1!'>h ll'e! th.11 :: , I ',I( wl1~ i.,et up hv thP g(nerl11)w'd 1. ,.., do th duty t3ann1qee ~a\ ':i ttr<1! tht, ,rk, \Pi\1( undPrgo n1ed1cctl 1. ill( kup ve,ir ily the> KEM hmpltdl .11c 1,,,.. ho,p1tal at '\ndht'fl Hm\l \< '" "''" 1.vhen a~be~to~h .., dt:te{ 1t d u d 1 J vert trake-linrngs on its older cars' to the new material. The days of dsbestos as an es<..nt1al 111gred1ent rn heat-retardaP! <extrles also seem. numbered Tl115 is evident from the 111troduct1on of a number ot asbestos free heatretardant fibres in the market. Zetex man- ufactured by Newtex Industries; fd! exam- ple, $made from a silica based yarrt.with a treated finish. Zetex can withstand t~mpera tures of upto 1800F, Also in the sarre use bracket are Dupont's Nomex, a temperature-re>istant nylon iibre and bleached Teflon ffuro-caibon organic fibres .. Multi- tect, a special wool blend, by Murtifabs is yet another substitute that is finding increasing acceptance in the West.Another braided fibre called CFO, which is madeof graphite pofytetraifuroethylene and a high temperature lubncant, has been found to be the tdeal substitute for asbestos in pU.mp pac-ici<ng. Just a matter of time. Although a succ>'tul Jlternat1\e to Jslwstos h,io not been lound tor use rn high pn'"ure pipes, 1t wouldA'Jnl\ be J matter ol tinw beiore d suitable c,ub>ll tute 1s developed With suitable substitutes for asbesto> berng developed ;ind an increased awMeness .imongst worktr'> ot the health hazards as'>oc 1ated with 1t, there has been a gradual rcduct1on 1n the manufacture and u~.e of asbestos 111 the We-,tern countries. In India, however, not only are there no '-sign'> of a reduction in its use, there see,.;s to be an expan'"on 111 the manufacture ot asblstos products. retrem hed by .r m,111agtc" " "" lo wa>h 1h hamb on rilt , , -., VVht1 n <l \.\ orker 1., not , , "{'' i .., 1 trihut1om stop d11cl he t.1 .1'. " trPatrnent onlv tcr a pc:" ,11 1, 1dt'.) for (0111pen-.,,1t1ori {,; up:11 : 1l1J ~ ot R; au,tJOO p,11.ililc ,n :n,11" Rs 500 per rnonth when " 1 or~ 1n )erv1re But J'.:J soon a~ 1t " p1t1' fc: ha; the d1sea;e, more otten tr"' '" '" 1etrenchPd. h1rth<'r, 1d1dt :i : " ::.ame d1~ed'-.l", "c1'-' t\\O \t..1r-.., t'i trom servlCl', 11c1thr thl' ;n,.:. "' on the l1abil1t\. nor the [':>i( UNIONS POWERLESS The ( lu up.i11onai I ih!H' nlln1qr..it1on l()~}--; \ ,11 phvc.ic di l'\dr111ndlh"'' " rlwst \-rav pulm,JLl'\ . '" and tht' ptepa.1 11-" hbtor .. hero re {'le. :..~..- .... JP IC';[, l'd( h Vl'dl '\ .: : :.1l 1 ,..._ !h.it !lit Prn;1. 'lll t!a ,11 d.i!.i !I \'t.-. ph\ oil ldlh ~~1n/g111 f><>tr1t-, !JL'l tf1, ment.... dfl' 1ndr<. ttc "' lwduk \VII 01 tl11 I ,1, :c 1n the I de IOfll'' .-\ I I' c rnt1101 d1ttPrtnt (' f I' 1\\1'\ l" love!' hc1" no d< l ,-..~ Iii 1t1t Ku1nd1, t'1 ('ll \\hilt l'!Lh , thl' report"d 11trcn h111t11:. l<H ton t()l!O\\ 1r~g 11 ', "(U(l\ tu 'id\' l hP probJen1 1~ tha~ .-. tenl'd 01 r<'ltt"M hnu~:Uo.Jn~~ '.'' / / / SpeciaJ Report "." --------~--- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Types of asbestos A>bPsto' 1s a ._ommon name given to a number 01 11aturally occunng hydrated mineral silicdtes that posseso a crystalline structure, are incon1bustible in ,iir and separate into filament>. The four main types that are 'hem1ully different are: '11 chrysotile - whitEc asbestos which occurs a<; tin< silky flexible wh1tP fibres, (2) amosite -- a stra1gh1 brittle iibre, l1gnt grey to pale brow!" t'5! oudolite - blue a>be>to>, straight blut> f.t1rF. \4) anthophyllite - a brittle wht~ tibre Tl <...t:<., '!) < .J1V -:if v\ ~t~ 1 , .lfl', 'tudy l\ llldde ' lr,lCi' ,1ll11HI fl')lrt',t'P!,_ill\'.'.~ ,JigL)~ \fidl th( di!d~ ~Oil d:..hf 1'-.I{,') J{ 1,tcd dl'-"(1">('""> ...,t,t1dld It' ,!I!\ ...,L.Ht at tlh prt: .enlt\t.: --.t._1ge' '-,,1n!'.g111 <1grPe~ thc11 (:Ptting 1'11 'nidfltJl<lCturt and n1,1111puL..1t101~ ut .1 .. hL':.ltu) 01. to the ~ ll( tory l<u1,., 1n 19:11, ilc'!c1tl'd though 1 \\'do reprt"'''ntPcl c1 riP"flllt' cone rr11 :n thi> reg,llci l:lut h" cJlicge' th,'i ,11: tlw'" caretully ranwd r ult.'~ re~dl\ 1'>. 1 ~1 dPI\ on pdpPr BannerJL'e ,1~H 1 t~::- v~ ilh rh1" puir: ui \it'\\' ancl \?.Ol'' on tn "tJil' ft1dt d thf t- H tury Rule~, \\'Pre rt_1di!y en- \oru'd, perhap /\(\1f' wuuld r ea"' tc '.'~1st fc1cPr! ,11tl1 th1' il,mage .,,1 'rit1r1>ni, V. N Kholkutc~. hit< llbfl<:< tur ol Id< to11e> .~ahai a'hlrd, und~r' me~ the neeo 1or mzin,1genwnt' lo voiunta1i\ exetuse till' requ11cd controls. He 1s of the view that "The role of tht tadorv in'pect<Jr 1<, lo en,ure th.it the mrn1111um '>dtety pn c.iut1on, presu1t1ed are .idhc>rPd tc, He also cla1mo that the exi>ling norrn., ot having uni\. one in>pt>ctor per 1 'iO aLl<Hlt", means that thev art 'everely unde1,t.iitt>d Thi'> ;hortdge ut mc1npowe1 attects the et11t 1e11c v ot hh department H pu.nb out t~at "The mope. tor hac; to check every 1'1H1~ trtJn1 li(enlt'::, :n hec1lth dnd -.,.1tPt\ 11H::.'d.... lf~h, l c,11duct enqu:re'} !n ( "-:~P~ ot .1cc. 1dPnh 1r1d !Uricl c OU!l" tO<J l ndl'r .,ul.h tire urnst dflt(~.,, t(: C\.pett herter (on1pl1anct or l:'\ 1 ~t- r __ on ihc f,tctorv 111,pellor>, )dnLg1r1 makes a dt>mand th,11. Ii "u eptecl, <ould have pheno- lll('fld reper1_ US'!Oll'> Sciy> ScinLg1ri "The trade UIWHl> 'hould lw given the right to pro 'ec utp' f111c, "' tht> normdl pra< lilt' 111 c ountr1ec, like the US While lo >Onie extent 1he NIOH .r1d (Li h,1w' bcn rpc,pons1ble tor pointing to the h.i1ard' trom d'be>to,, thti most 111< rnrnnatlllg '''lJO,ure> gel hidden under heaps ol olt1 <. 1c1 cxpL111,H1om CLI ut11t 1al,, tor example, rclrhf' to Sdy ci -.vord on tlw sul11ect on their ,1u1h rit thl .islwc,too 1ndtl',trv 1n lhd1a Bc'- h1nrJ d!I the '>ecrecy reportedl1 lie; a recent H'r'" r<'n1111der trom the c,euetary. n11111>trv 01labou1 111 New Dt>lh1. to ott1ual> ot thf (LI ,rnrl thf' like'. that .is 1wr '>erv1Le rule'>.' they ,ire r~tJt In 'pPak to ,rnv member ot the pre;; or 1.01nrdJute article, about their work tor publ1cat1on 111 the mac,s media. What ,., the 1ust1f1cat1on for th1; wilful suppression of intormat1onl COMPLACENT UNIONS Trade un1on1st'>. however, th111k that the CL! Jnd NIOB cdn play an important role 111 creating ,, 111.ichine1y to rT>on1tor asbe;tos. dust leveb and c.irry out systematlC studies. Thev point to OSHA standards which clearly ;tale that "attected employee> or their rep1esent.it1ve shall be given rea!>on,1ble opportunity to obc,erve any monitoring required ..... Jnd (they) shall have access to the records thereot." ), K. Chatteqee, iormer director, NIOH, l'ven while ,igreemg broadly with- the unioni~l'.. calls for "more re;pons1ble un1on1sm and worker education in .ippreciating the need to adopt protective measures where managements have implemented them." An 111terv1ew, with R. ), Mehta, president or the Engineering Mazdoor Sabha 1s enough to clar1ty what Chatteqee means. Mehta, who>e union 1> the ot11c 1,illy recog111sed union m the A>besto; Cement Co.'s (ACC and the Turner and Newali collaboration) Bombay plant ( \ uf asbestos dust c>xposure. \es. .,,,ii.iv!--"'' a tew ldSe'> ot TB," he ,,l\' cH!d1n1: " t.Jv.il1er tac,h1on thal the w1dt Of'"" 'i' . ' at the Mulund pt,int ensure th.it Ill' ,.,,. :'iUfC I~ rna1nt.a1netl dt tow lt:\l'"' He~11l"" rno~I ol thl:' i1rne the ._1sbe~to~ \\!,'h..l'r 1un~kiiled or, ::.er. \k. 1 lierl \\Ofh.", ,l1t't , wit! he get ':lL ..... h ~r,c ~\.J.~('> 1 It ,.... r1~ ,,; him to tind another 1ob. This 1s exactly the "11rec,poroihil1t1 (JI u111ons that prompts Gadkari to sa Wnr.,1 " should realise that an increase 1r "llowar r l'' 1s not a substitute for 'health and ,a1etv n ,.,,_ sures. Unturtun,1te<\. union' al\\ .ll, pre,, "> extra monetarv bene11t' to uirr1p11',llc ,1 hazardou; work That even halt ar huur s expu,uc tor.,,, " types or asbe>to, dust c.rn c, " mesothelioma <ind other killing d"e.'"'' :anger disputed. The problerr " ,, hr, ",, compen~ate the Vl(tnns c1nd "rial 1> ..i compen~ator> wht'r the 1ob c~' .1ctu,-l" vou? It b !rn.porta'l t ~;) pill dO\\ r- re~_.po ties rf further add tion:: to tht:" '.house~{! workers alre.a:C\.' s....:fre-r,;--ig r-orr J.S:)e':itO latec d1se~ art tc, be stoppte.: There is ta!k oi a r:-ew !:g!"ia '" t e" r, lable .t: Dust and fibre concentration m an asbestos textile factory in Ahmedabad Site of Sampling Total Duc,t (mg/m 3: Respirable Dust (mg;m3) ) .!IP ~lll!ldt king ]lJ {)lJ i l (,] v11;,rr1g ::q ll '' r1 I ~l P \\t>(:\111~~ Ii llJ ';, ... ;. \ ih l (JC, ' Jr) I (1() j..,'._! 1/ I( j )I\ ,<..II)[, I ~ i' I ) .~ ) _'q )(:! t "\ f( )f i \,, ;i,,11 l\t f )( ;'; I '-1!'1!1 \;oft' mg. m 3 = rnill1gr<1mc, per cub1L met rt' mppc f -' million particles per cubic toot ml = n11llii1tre " f Particles (mppd) )/ "i1 86 -Ii 2 ~ Fibres (ml.) l67 4 lB 22'.J 26) 21h ~'le \.\e:a< ~-cc~~ CoroorJr" r J;;e-.._:- .. '__/;:'"f- _-::--;-:::---= ,_-.r T-:t 'i'Hr. D. """"n" problem ts that r1ew leg1slc1t""~' o!tr" ,, translated into large reguiato" The crucial question, huwe\ e ,.Jc ', re.idy to send to ia:I torpoc_i'c' r'vc u;,,c, :. knowingly continLe tu end,rnw rh< .< workers (a~ may be done rn th'--' \c._111 t, v E'\'er !or the prese'll as the Ir 1gh 1 en.11~ '. .. , ~ iaif~ intv pla(e, thl~ p1...::turv 1-.. (1~