Document zmB6XmkO8m7wO9V42kM1rOZ6

FILE NAME: Asbestos Sacks and Bags (ASB) DATE: DOC#:ASB0 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION:DZD,DZ>Z > Meeting held at the NI~I8TRY OF LABOUR, 19 St James' Square, S.~/.l. on Thursday, AU2u~t 12t~, 1965 at ).3Q p.m. PRESENT: Nr R.K. Christy, C.B~ Dr 't[ .D. Buchanan ~1r C. Maimlaring Niss L.A. Fittam L Nr A.T. Hatfull - ~~Lf"' wt.wtdf..&1 Mr !-i.A. (p ~ 0 0 - e- Simons 'It L1 S '). Mr H.C. Armstrong Hr N.J. Brazier - Chief Inspector of Factories .. Deputy Senior l'ledical Inspector - Deput Chief Inspector - Factories - - Doputy Inspector - Factories - Secretary of Safety Health and Welfare Division - frincipal - Safety "1,., Heal th and t.,relfare / Division t.. $//,,,,"( - Corllmercial Councillor (Netals and Hinerals) Office of the High Commission for Canada - - A.A. Brazi~r & Co (Asbestos) Ltd. (rep~escntin9 Asbestos Producers and Nerchants) Asbestos and Asbeotosis 'I'as .a subject with which the Factory Inspectors are very r.lUch concerned at the present 'Gir.l~. It :Was because of this that the meeting consinted of, a number of int.erested parties, explatned Mr Christy in opening the meeting. Alt.hough tho preS8::1t situ.ation at the Docks could not yet be classed as an industrial dispute, the re~scns for the slow 'forking were of considerable interest to the Factory Inspectors and the Ninistry of Labour. Hr Christy '.dvi.sed that A30estos in factories }'Jas governed by the 1931 Code of H:.>.ndllno and Prcces:3ing /,sbeE."tos in Factories. The 1934 Act ret~::'~',ling Doc!< Lcbcur, e.l though explain:i.nJ '!ario~s health provisions, did no t m(l,:1ticn A.:;cesto!l. Both thesG Acts were bliling revised and there was 1i ttle j!.)l.bt that ventual1y Hew rq;i.llaticn,'l rega~ding iJockcrf! working in d:"~:Jty CO~"lditi0n!~ \-;ou.ld bf~ il1~orp~rat;d, Vii til a pro!)able mention specifically .-' of Asbe::;t.os 8.!d tr.Q typos.of pa~ki~g that f.lhou!d be used. Dr Bucho.ne.n ment.io:"Led that althcugh tl'>ere \fere no known cases of Asbe3t~Dis in ~ock8r8, the Mini~try of Labour had had no legal obligation to jnvest:i.gu.te a:1d it ~()qld be that t!w~"e ,..ere cases of which they had no knowledg~. It hfl.l1 ;:,".~ent1y o8en qiscoveroel that cancer of the plura (mesothelioma) yould be cause~ by minim~l expoS'UT.'e to A::lhcstos dust. This had been discussed at a Symposiu\;, held at t:1e New York Acadamy of ~cience at the erld of 196*. Thib di.~co""8ry regarding minimal CX~,03ux'e as against the more classic c~u.r;e~ of A.'5bE::!stos~.s, is the chief rear.;nn for the increased ncth"ities of t.he F'a~tc!'Y I:wpector in this countr.y at At3bestos manufacturers pla!lts. Tll':;y h:..d fcur'.o that -0i1e of th(~ \lorst spots at the majority of plants was the war8hous~. The Facto~y Inapectors were pressing for an impermeable bag. ';, Mi-' C.B. Selby Boothroyd' of' th'e Boa~d 10! Trade, had writt(;ln to the Min'i'st~y of Labour, stressing, the gravity 'of the situation at the London Docks and the fears thut if imports of Asbestos were'banned, then such essential industries as the motor car and building trades, vital to the British economy, would stop working ruld many thousands of workers laid off; also vital export trade would be lost. It now transpit:es that one brnnch of a Union at the London Docks took it on themselves to retain Dr Hunter in view of the dusty conditions on the '''ENI!ZK'' which was discharging Russian Asbestos. This Asbestos was packed 11100sa filled jute bags" and Dr Hunter's comments regarding the danger to health from Aobestos dust, and the handling of Asbestos cargos under certain conditions, were made on this visit alone. He had not seen the other types of packaoing from other Asbentos P~oducers being unloaded at London Docks. Unfortunately the Unions sent the directive to their l-lembers quoting"Asbcstos in all types of pacl{s" and this has resulted in the present "time work only" ruling~ Under piecework, a gang could be expected to clear an average of 30 - 35 tons per hour. On a tjme work basis they are only working about 1 ton per hour instead of a more normal 8 - 10 tons per hour on time work. Dr Hunter has left for a Lecture Tour of South America and will not be returning until thQ end of September. The Hinistry of Labour are trying to contact one of his as'3ociates (Dr G. Kazar.tzies). Dr Buchanan is g011.g to arral'~ge for tests to be taken at the Docks, of the dUDt content in the hold when unloading. They would also inspect the Asb type estos s i o n f t 0= pacl:.ag~.n1' ypes im p Th erm e e ir ab R le eport pack w s, ould i.e . s ta pa te pe r whet and her ju t th e ey c lami o n nsi ate d d er b a g s , reduc~d the dust danger level to ",!hat could be called a normal industrial risk. Nr Christy advined that he was fuJ.ly aware of the damage caused by the Docl<ers using hooks. It was stressed. that the Asbestos Producers had been working on the dust pro~lelTl for a number of years, particularly on the question of bagging, and the Factory Inspectorz themselves had been able to sec the encouraging results at various Factories. The difficulty is to find a suitable bag which would withstand the multiple handlings in transit. Considerable progreDs had been made \d th I3hip.::-e!1ts of Asb~.stos in paper bags, particularly for the shorter grades, becoming comment Thero is still the problem of the dust caused by a papur tag breaking and this occurred in most cases during unloading at the London Docks due to hooks or rough handling by the Dockers. The use of slings instead of nets and trays was another cause of bags breaking. It ,...as felt that jute-paper laminated bags might be a satisfactory answer and they were pleased to learn that trial shipments were coming forward. It was hopod J,,!)at the whole problem would be solved before it became an industr.ial. dispute and the Ministry uf Labour was quite willing to arrange a illeeting \'/i th the Dockern, Nedical reprusentatives, Shippers and ourselves if this would be of assistance when the reports are completed.