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FILE NAME Brakes BRK DATE 1976 Mar 19 DOC BRK203 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION NIOSH Meeting Minutes - Occupational Exposure to Asbestos Dust During Brake and Clutch Servicing oo rs a +SORT SAS ors aOR GM GEN - 000070 Minutes of March 19 1976 NIOSH meeting Department of Health Education and Welfare CDC NIOSH Minutes of Meeting on Occupational Exposure to Asbestos Dust During Brake and Clutch Servicing Cincinnati Ohio March 19 1976 Minutes Prepared By John Dement Attendees See Attachment : Proceedings Dr. Bobby Craft Acting Director Division of Surveillance Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies NIOSH welcomed the attendees Dr. Craft stated that the purposes of the meeting were 1 to review the data available concerning asbestos fiber exposuras during brake and clutch servicing 2 to explore the research potential for further epidemiological studies of garage mechanics and the significance of such studies with respect to asbestos disease etiology 3 to discuss what further course of action NIOSH should take to assure minimum asbestos exposures to garage workers He then asked Dr. Irving Selikoff to summarize current knowledge concerning asbestos exposures to garage mechanics and related health effects Dr. Selikoff briefly summarized environmental and medical studies con- ducted with Local 259 of the United Auto Workers and the New York Auto- mobile Dealers Association These studies demonstrated peak asbestos fiber exposures of 0.5 to 35 fibers as determined by the standard OSHA phase contrast counting method Using electron microscopic tech- Diquec it was shown that 80 to 99 of the fibers were shorter than 5 um in length Medical examinations of 93 brako repair workers with 10-40 years of exposure demonstrated monary function abnormalities a substantial Dr. Selikoff number with ray and pul- estimated that more than one million workers are potentially exposed to friction product waar dusta He also presented data showing that in 1920 there were approxi- mately eight million vehicles on the roads however in 1974 this number DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT 008183 PRODUBYCFEORDD had increased to approximately 130 million Dr. George Wright industrial medical consultant pointed out that many garage mechanics perform grinding operations in addition to cleaning of the brake wear dusts These workers would be exposed to longer fibers and thus would be expected to demonstrate the full spectrum of asbestos related diseases Dr. Wright suggested the following points be considered with respect to future studies of brake mechanice 1 A cohort should be established exposed solely to the dust released from used brakes by blowing or brushing These dusts contain broken down fibers resins etc. Fibers present in these dusts are largely shorter than 5 ...mwith some proportion altered to an amorphous fiber Such a study if properly conducted could answer questions concerning the significance of exposures to brake wear dusts and the biological significance of short versus long asbestos fibers 2 Since only chrysotile has been used for asbestos brake linings a study of brake mechanics would provide an opportunity to study industrial as opposed to mining and milling chrysocile exposures with respect to the development of mesothelioma Dr. Wright suggested that low priority be given to anything other than a mesothelioma survey 3 A careful sophisticated study of brake cleaning methods and work . practices should be conducted to determine the optimum work practices for reducing exposures Dr. Wright stated that in his opinion the chances of designing a study to determine response relationships is minimal Dr. Craft asked the group to consider the possibility of suitable cohort exposed solely to brake lining wear dust fibers for purposes of health studies defining a short Mr. John Marsh Manhattan Incorporated presented data showing the number of workers in various types of garages These data were as follows . Garage Type Approx # Facilities = Av # Mechanics Per Shop ' % of All Braka Work Performed Service Stations Independent Garages New Car Shops Fleet Shops 195,000 108,000 39,000 21,000 2.5 2.7 . 5.7 7.6 50 30 18 1-2 r ~d- 008184 PRODUBYCFEORDD Mr. Lou Reff J.C. Penney presented data concerning asbestos fiber sures in 360 facilities operated by J.C. Penney expoMr. Reff indicated that using a solvent washing technique a zero fiber exposure phase contrast counts could be obtained Small exposures could be detected with sloppy work practicas He indicated that sampling of the ambient air outside of the garage facility was done to obtain background levels John Dement of NIOSH presented preliminary data concerning weighted- average asbestos to garage brake mechanics These data showed time- weighted exposures to be generally below 0.2 fibers phase contrast counts even when using compressed air blowing techniques However exposures up to 10 fibers ware observed in one facility grinding new linings He indicated the need to take these exposures into account when defining a population for an epidemiologic study Mr. Dement also indicated that NIOSH electron microscopic studies of brake wear dusts demonstrated most fibers to be less than 0.5 ...m | length Mr. Dement requested data from attendees concerning present and past use of new lining grinding methods Messrs Jacoby and Thacker Moraine indicated that ing in the garage should no longer be a common practice facturers are presently crown grinding new linings thus this practice in garages radius grindMost manu- eliminating Dr. Salikoff addressed the problem of defining a cohort exposed only to short fibers Ha suggested the possibility of choosing garages in approximately six large cities for study Large shop employees municipal employees and tax fleet workers could provide a large and stable work force In addition to medical studies of garage employees Dr. Selikoff suggestad studies of the mineralogy of wear dusts studies of worker asbestos lung burden and animal inhalation experiments John Marsh indicated that informing garage mechanics of the hazards associated with exposures to wear dusts and associated work practice to minimize these exposures is an enormous problem Manhattan ic placing warning slips in brake lining boxes in addition publishing service manuals and various information pamphlets Dr. Craft indicated concern that the NIOSH Alert issued on August 8 1975 had not reached more garage machanics and garage operators Dr. Craft suggested that NIOSH might consider publishing a booklet for garage work brake rebuilding through its small business teak force Dr. Selikoff closed his remarks suggesting four areas of consideration by NIOSH 1 NIOSH should request information on friction product use including a secular history of brake manufacturing and formulations from industry -3- 008185 . PRODUBYCFEORDD 2 NIOSH should continue studies of exposures to sabestos fibers during brake rebuilding including determinations of peak and weighted- average exposures 3 A prevalance study including ray pulmonary function and sputum cytology should be conducted among a cohort 1000 garage workers NIOSH should also conduct a six month feasibility study to determine if an could appropriate cohort for a retrospective Tissue asbestos fiber burden studies should be considered be defined 4 NIOSH should continue developing approaches to educate exposed workers Dr. Craft thanked the attendees for their participation in the meeting and indicated that NIOSH would consider further research in this area with respect to ongoing research current study priorities and availa- bility of resources cc All Attendees Dr. Finklea Ed Baier Dr. Wagoner Dr. T. Mancuso Angelo Ceflo *** 008186 PRODUBYCFEORDD NAME | Dr. Craft Denny Dobbin Paul Johnson John Dement Richard Lemen Phil Bierbaum R. T. Hughes David Groth Clancy Wuellner Glen Jacoby Lon Thacker John B. Marsh Roger Wabeke George W. Wright Lou Raff Irving Selikoff William H. Krabba ATTENDEES AFFILIATION Director DSHEFS - NIOSH , SHEFS - NIOSH DSHEFS - NIOSH DSHEFS www NIOSH DSHEFS ~ NIOSH DSHEFS NIOSH DPSE - NIOSH DBBS NIOSH Delco Moraine Div CMC Delco Moraine Div CMC Delco Moraina Div GMC Manhattan Inc. Ford Motor Co. Independent Consultant a large part of JM J. C. Penney Mount Sinai General Motors Corp. PHONE NUMBER 513-684-3541 513-684-3255 513-684-3255 513-684-3191 513-684-2761 513-684-2325 513-684-2591 513-684-2622 513-445-4244 513-445-4413 513-445-415 203-371-0101 313-322-2630 303-733-6313 212-957-7625 212-876-1178 313-575-2791 % persia? 008187 PRODUCED BY FORD