Document zoaEvnXbkYNEmMOMO0qR3ozJR

FILE NAME Newspaper & Magazine Articles NMA DATE 1966 Nov 6 DOC NMA201 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Newspaper Article - Sunday Times - Asbestos at the Docks AsbestosAsbestos the docks Sir refer to the article by Dr " Alfred Byrne Dockers Fear Health Peril from Asbestos In health the present state of scientific medical knowledge mesothe- lioma should not surely be allowed to cause panic reactionsregard- until the fullest details regard- ing its distribution and causes are fully understood new and better methods of packaging crude asbestos coming of into the country The report produced to the parties concerned does not apparently diverge to any great extent from what was sub- sequently circulated by my department to Port of London Authority staff it was concluded that such risk as there might and of the medical department In conclusion it can be said that since December 1946 when comprehensive returns of of all Port of London Authority staff were initiated there is no instance of any case of asbes- tosis or malignant growth of the lung attributable to asbestos or of mesothelioma being reported in the service The work of our dockers un- be in this country would not , A M Lawrence like that of men in a bestos amount to more for dock Medical Officer Port production industries is non- labourers than for other workers of London Authority continuous and limited as to time and exposure to injurious substances Dr Byrne's earlier article to which he refers implies quite terrifying risks Dr Byrne's articles are of interest as containing expressions of broad scientific conjecture published where they will attract attention from many who London EC3 Dr Alfred Byrne writes Dr LawrenceSmith has failed to deal with the several points in his circular to the dockers where I suggested he was factually wrong His letter is equally inaccurate even to persons handling pre- parations of asbestos commonly used in their own household chores From what he has said it could appear that the danger of mesothelioma might be present on any building site or in the homes of the public where preparations such as asbestos lagging are com- monly used _ Although asbestos has not been regarded as having likely association with the develop- ment of mesothelioma among the dockers one is unable to say have no access to informed and impartial opinion In his concluding paragraphs one is happier when noting an admission that questions of packaging and loading are in loading fact exercising the ingenuity of doctors scientists and industrialists throughout the world Dr Byrne however does not give credit to the Port of London Authority for the part which they have played and are play- ing in this connection Whenever questions are raised about objectionable cargoes the if it is removed from claiming that the PLA has the risk of asbestos from the docks Moreover I find no comfort in his assertion that no cases of meso- thelloma have arisen since 1946 seeing that it takes an average of 40 years for the tumour to appear Fixing the rate -We were intrigued to learn from last Sunday's article Dockers fear health peril from asbestos that payment of 2s per hour has some beneficial or preventive effect on pleural cancers from inhaled asbestos and would appreciate informa- tion on the research which led that scientific investigations still going on concerning a variety Authority is invariably inter- ested to seek for and press to the fixing of a particular sum to combat the occurrence of known as crocidolite might not measures by which these can be mesothelioma ; one day show it as a noxious mitigated and controlled This principle of prevention substance of more severe signi- The Authority's health policy by payment could perhaps be ficance is directed to prevention rather The Port of London Authority than passive acceptance of unduring the summer of 1965 were known risks Accident Prevenactive in operating with the . tion Committees on which sit Ministry of Labao nd u other rs representatives of the staff to pursue investigations and meet regularly at the docks and extended to other forms of disease Just to make sure in the case of the dockerwse would suggest that 2s 4d or 2s d per hour may be even | more beneficial formulate measures by which their questions and observations J L de Bary MRCS any sort of risk from asbestos on subjects of physical accidents LRCP DIH cargoes generally would best be and possible injuries to health A. Ward Gardner MD tackled On the findings and are regularly passed to the DIH . recommendations of these inquiries representations ensure were Authority's head office where they are considered and advised D C Murphy BSc FRIC FInst FInst Pet made to the shippers to ensure on by members of management Fawley Hants on Times