Asbestos &
The Working Environment

During recent years, much has been said and
written about asbestos and its impact on the health
of people in the mining, milling, and industrial
application of asbestos.

Much of this comment has been generated bya
sincere desire to draw attention to man’s growing
array of environmental problems as well as
encourage remedial action. The asbestos industry
itself has been a major commentator on practices

related to the working environment and the health of

people engaged in the production or application of
asbestos fibre. Indeed, it is Cassiar Asbestos
Corporation’s firm policy to encourage responsible
comment on any factor bearing on the health and
safety of its employ ees, their dependents, or the
public at large.

First you should know that Cassiar has
established a good record in the field of health for
both its employees and their resident dependents.
This record is directly related to Cassiar’s ongoing
application of new environmental technology as it
becomes known, as wellas the personal care exercised
by Cassiar’s employees while they are on the job.

You should also know that asbestos has been
labled as a substance that may be injurious to health.
Under certain circumstances, this may be so - in much the
same manner as the excessive consumption of
alcohol can be detrimental to health. Overeating can
be detrimental to health. Incompetently handled
equipment can be detrimental to health. Improperly
controlled fresh clean water, medicine, airplanes
even sunshine — the list is endless — can be a
hazard to your health. And smoking can be a hazard
to your health - not only to the smoker but anyone
breathing the smoker’s smoke. Any of these
examples can Serra) effect your physical well
being. But norm: exception of
smoking — none es will harm anyone if they are
properly handled.

Our job at Cassiar is to mine, mill, and
transport asbestos and handle it properly. All of
Cassiar’s plans and production procedures are
directed to this end. In addition, the quality of the
air at the minesite, the mill, as well as the
community itself is subject to ongoing tests to
ensure that all government air standards are met and
maintained.

The third factor to consider is your present
standard of health. Before a person becomes
involved in any dust-oriented occupation, he or she
should undergo a physical examination — including
a lung function test — to ensure that there are no
medical conditions present that could be aggravated
by dust of any kind. For example, it would not be
wise for a person suffering from bronchitis, asthma,
heart disease or rheumatoid arthritis to work in a
mining and milling environment, even if the dust
involved is only microscopic in nature.

Environmental and potential health problems
are not unique to the asbestos industry or, for that
matter, any walk of life. We only have to read the
daily paper to grasp the fact that environmental
problems do exist. Despite the fact that some past
statements about asbestos, and the asbestos
industry, have tended to leave confusion in their
wake, it can be said, without fear of contradiction,
that Cassiar’s record in the area of industrial health
and environmental control has been one of high
achievement. This record does not apply to
environment and health alone, but to all factors
related to the protection of the work force through
occupational safety measures.

The environmental control program at Cassiar’s
mine and mill is an active one involving government
agencies, unions, and management, all working
together to achieve and maintain a high level of
occupational and environmental competence.

Cassiar’s record is a good one. It is the intention
of everyone involved to keep it good by the
continuous application of the latest know ledge and
techniques to our job — the safe mining and milling
of asbestos.

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