Document xKxz4Omrgnd7rL5mBv7243R1

. DZPARTIEJiT'Or HEALTH, EDUCATION, AIW KELFARF.' ' CDC, hlOSil ; ' Minutes of Occupational Exposures to Asbestos Dust From Brake Linings '.leeting i July .21, 1975 Attendees See Attached Proceedings Dr. John F. Finklea, Director of IlioSH, we 1 cooed the attendees. He : stated that the purposes of the meeting were (1) to consider preliminary _data ; on. asbestos exposure among brake lining workers and (2) to liscuss. '.a future course-of action based un this preliminary information.. . hr. Finklea' then turned . the meeting over to Dr. Irving Selikoff of Mount Sinai-for presentation of some of his work on this problem. : Dr. Selikoff described the background for our current concern. Ihe health. effects of asbestos are well known. However, the health, har.ard associated with asbestos in brake linings until recently has racci/cd; little attention.. It vas thought that the intense heat generated '.from braking modified the asbestos and. that brake .lining dust contained insignificant amounts of asbestos fibers. hr. Mar.cuso in 19*3 ' did describe asbestos-related health ' effects in the : manufacturing of asbestos for brake linings but apparently this caused little, concern. In 1973, a case of mesothelioma was reported in a brake repair worker. This stimulated a re-exaw.inatJ.on of the problem. Dr. Selikoff coruiltcd with hr. 'levers of UAW, hr. Ccfalo of L\M and the Ford Motor Company n;.i the group at Me. Sinai initiated a study to determine if brake lining workers were exposed to significant levels of asbestos. Dr. Selikoff introduced Jr. banger of Mt. Sinai who reviewed the composition of brake lining? and the breakdown products thought to occur from- heat generated luring braking'.' Previous studies did not demonstrate! asbestos fibers in the amounts or prevalence as indie.-.tod by the current studies- at :tc. Sinai however, recent studies at lit. Sin.J demonstrated typical chrysotilc asbestos fibers along"wich a wide range of other forms of crystalline a.id fibrous materials. He emphsal::eu time the composition of brake linings may differ, for example, brake linings In the IMS. and Crest Britain and products here in the b'.s. may have lundcrronc many changes over che years. This is particularly - important i'-'rSi- ainco recent data,, show- Chat 2 Ed of the new car market' is nndk im ov 'these imports. Marcher research Is nee.I to characterise ttie -siieitos lam 023506 ABS-002577 content of .past and present dust cynosures. It should be recognized also .that die health effects of other materials In brn!:e dustk have not been studied. Dr. ' Rohl fron Mt. Sinai reported on studies nf asbestos dust expo sure* in autor.obile repair shops in lieu York City. Pea!: exposures from 3-8 minutes duration were measured. Fiber counts, using tiic GShA method, were from 3 to 30/ml at 3-5 feet fron brake drums cleaned with compressed air. At 3-10 feet, counts ranged from 2 to 4 ni; at 1 )--20 feet 0.4 to 4.3/inl. Drums cleaned with a brush generated less airborne asbestos, ,1.3-3.6 fibers/ml in the operators breathinp, tone. Eighty to 99% of the fibers as observed by electron microscopv were lens tana J.4 microns in length, indicating a much higher exposure to asbestos fibers than indicated by optical microscopy. Worhers encaged in grindin;; operations to renew brake linings were exposed to 2-7 optically visible fibers/nl. Those bevelling linings had high exposures ranging from. 3272 fibers/ml. Dr. George Wright pointed out that earlier studies showed that 1 to 3% of brake dust is fibrous asbestos. Dr. Lorincr of -9!t. Sinai reported on nedical examination of 93 brake repair workers with 10-40 years of exposure. A substantial number' were reported to have M-rsy and ventilatory function ubannanlicies. Further studies need to be done in this area before any-concur.!usionu on health* effects enn be draw. However, it was pointed out that at least four cases of mesotheliona have been reported nationally ,.among auto mobile -renair workers and this lends urgency to the problem.' Dr. Finklea asked for comments and recommendations for addressing the problem. !lr. Heyers suggested . that several practical control measures arc feasible now. Indeed, these measures have been instituted in several shops. His union alerted its nenbers via its nci'sietter and ucvelopc.: posters to alert workers to the problem, hr. !levers emphasized cant the employers with whom he worked were most cooperative. Employers were encouraged,to use vacuum cleaning of brake drums an.!, where' accessary, nasks to reduce exposure. Ills union has made arrangements for continued nedical evaluation of its members. lie enphasized the importance of union representatives having access to workplaces for observation of sanitary practices. Dr. George Wright, an industrial consultant, emphasized that manu facturers have a responsibility to ascertain' 'dwic" -happens to their products after being sold to others. This problem represent;: a diffi cult problem for the manufacturer and. for choir industrial custiworj. ;Dr. Wrighp stressed belief that the1.asbestos industry'would cooperate in every possible, way.'? .-r.'. alright wap not .totally -surprised by Lite fiber counts resorted 'and expressed the belief thac'one kagaV subscuuently encounter the full spectrum of asbestos-related disc me among grin.era.. Dr. Wright expressed concern Chat conditions niigiic be -worse . mu. lam 023507 abs- exposures higher .among 'done smaller businesses. ' Dr.. Wright cautioned that the influence of finer sice ; should be considered and ceac any extrapolation to the. general population be made :/ith caution. He urged that any subsequent investigations utilize the UICC classification and the inclusion of negative controls. -Ur. Wright cautioned ' against .overinterpreting the occurrence of four ncsothcliona cases.' J!r. Samuels of IUD urged that NIOSH: --- Ilotify the Department of Labor about this probler!;. -- 'Lake minutes of this meeting available to public along with a suitable press release; -- Notify other involved unions; -- Institute an'appropriate national sampling program; -- Institute a program of surveillance and intervention. Other.unions involved include: -- United Auto Workers - -- .Teamsters -- American Federation of Government Employees -- Allied Industrial Workers -- Laborers International -- International '.ssociation of Machinists -- American Postal Workers Union -- United Mabber Workers -- Amalgamated Transit Union -- Transport Workers Union of America . -- United Transportation Union; LAM 023508 Mr. Samuels of IUD urged that everyone be informed'of existing, U'caslly ahnlipnblc control measures-. Mr. ncycrs surgosced any release bn control technology be built unon their asbestos safety bulletin. m'. ; Mr.'-5 Angelo': Wefbilb ,-if LYI discusnc-i the need to infer: affected 'locals and union members In an crderlv fashion, .Mr, Cefalo stated tu-t ABS-002579 the needed research nrogran should be planned and'funded lie offered - '-iV his assistance in obtaining any needed- support'for"this .program.. : Dr. ?Lancuso of the University 'of Pittsburgh at -the ..request of . the. International Association of Machinists conducted a pilot "study of deac.t records and identified in 1J73 a mesothelioma case (proven by autopsy) . of a garage mechanic and another case of pleural /rv.-scthdiio-.'.a .in a.'.' nillright oho yas bloving out . asbestos, friction-cync 'clutchc j vita compressed air at .a paper company. Dr. '.-ancuso felt the nature -/ofthe ...i".... death records was such that other case a of mesothelioma may'exist but 'y are unrecognized. lie spoke of the need to use -this .opportunity . to { develop an effective industrial medical surveillance 'system. Herb Northrop of Ford asked that any alert bulletin place this problem in perspective.--- pointing out other recognized -exposures cc ' - asbestos. ; . . " John Dement of DFSCI presented preliminary data from-a HIOSH study . ' showing neak exposures of un to 5. fibcrs/nl during .brake hdrum blowing. y\.-/. He also showed yneak lead levels 'of aporoxinatelv .4.5 ng/lG during bloving operations. ' MIOSH electronnlcroscoplc studies "of `brake ; drum 'J. - dust also , shoved a . nrcdoninance of . small'asbestos fibers wich most fibers-being less than 1 micrometer in \ length. At : a 'plant .renevi.;;': - lined brake shoes, exposures of 2) fibers/ml (during grinding)' and peaks ; of un to 1-D fibers/ral during emptying of a drum containing, old lining.; : . were-observed. y ' _ Dr. Weaver of API offered to communicate with gasoline stations - and he supported further studies of the problem and emphasized the - need to use appropriate controls of UICC film reading techniques. . Ed Alnaugh of International Harvester .urged-preparation of a joint'' release. Paul Toth of Ford offered to help with suggestions on control technology and in disseminating information from h'lOSK on this matter .to appropriate Ford Motor Company dealer relations personnel. John Moran' of EPA pointed out that disc brakes release more asbestos Into the general environment than shoe brakes. He stated that the EPA expressway roadside study could look at asbestos levels along a gradient avav from the expressway. Dr. Selikoff pointed v--.it t-.iuc braking, itself,' nay be inportant and that roadside studio--, should consider the effect of braking. ,, Dr. Dmcuso was asked .to comment on the needed .he ;lth studies, lie suggested an epidemiology study of the nortalitv cxnoricuce of a cohort of unionized ;-orkerr. and their families, He emphasized -need for excre. ic. care in the oxncrJncnc.il design. He thought such a study should j.uo-.. for other cancers md occupational rospivatorv dis-a.se; a:; veil as ashcitos-r.J nCeti '.isorders. i. . . ' ,' ; LAM 023509 ABS-002580 ft <- -5- Ic W2S emphasized chat workers were exnosed Co metals, pia3tic dusts (body shops), solvents and toxic gases like carbon monoxide.. . or. hnncu.so reconnendecl clinical studies in the sane pooulation of workers. He especially requested evaluation of so-called "nuisance dusts"- which he claims nav be more harmful than now realized. he emphasized need to look at workers who left the industry as well as those who arc still employed. Hr. Toth stressed the need to'ascertain the role of tobacco smoking in any studies. Others agreed with him. hr. Mancuso took, exception to the undue emphasis on the smoking aspects, to the exclusion of proper, recognition of the magnitude of inherent health risks due to the chemicals.in dusts of the working environment. Dr. Selikoff suggested seven areas for urgent study: -- .Analysis of brake materials utilized since 1040 using.-V literature survey and laboratory analysis (EPA/hlOSIl) . . -- Broad based national industrial hygiene survey to assess exposures for various occupational tasks (NIOSII/OSIIA) . . : -- Epidemiologic studies of mortality experience of exposed workers from several sources (NIOSII), lie suggests chin receive the highest priority. ' .. -- Further clinical studies of 1,000 workers includin', suitable controls (NIOSII). ' .' -- Autopsy survey of lung asbestos burden of exposed workers in auto maintenance industry (NIOSII). -- Industrial hygiene measures to better control exposure (Joint effort of unions, industry and inOSII). -- Education of workers to hazard and to use control measures (DOL/MOSK) . Dr. Selikoff suggested that there be no delay in getting this.program undervav. Dr. Joe Wagoner of BIOSH generally supported the discussed research program. He emphasized need for careful characterization. of exposures to agents- other than asbestos and the need to'assure that limited research funds arc used to answer some of our major remitting scientific questions about che effects of exposure to relatively low levels of short asbestos fibers. William Best of hCI offered Ills as.-sintanen .md asked whether or not a case-control study night be of some help. LAM 023510 ABS-002581 0*1 o n - S' Name Edward Alpaugh Edward J. Baler Otto A. Bessey, .I.D. William Best, M.D. Hector Blejer, M.D. Kenneth Bridbord, M.D. Jack. Butler, M.D. Angelo Ccfalo John M. Dement John F. Finklea, M.D. Arthur Longer, M.D. William Lorimer, II.D. Thomas F. 'lancuso, M.D. S.inuel .ieyers John Horan Herb -Northrop, M.D, Arthur P.ohl, .`I.D. Sheldon Samuels Irving J. Selikoff, II.D. Paul E. Toth Joseph Wagoner, S.D. Hyg. flelll Heaver, I I.D. George U. Wright, -I.D. attcndees ' Affiliation International Harvester Company Kinsn - , . - Mt, Sinai National Cancer Institute NI OSH NIOSH Ninsn . International Association of Machinist NIOSH ' ' NIOSH Mt. Sinai Mt. Sinai University of Pittsburgh Local 25-;-, LAW ..... EPA 1 Ford Motor Company lit, Sinai IUD/AFL-CIO Mt. Sinai ' Ford Motor Company NIOSH American Petroleum Institute . Johns-Manvilic i>*t J ABS-002582