Protection of dockyard workers against asbestosis

Our plain-English summary of Protection of dockyard workers against asbestosis, by P.G. Harries (Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine, 1970).

The study

• Author: P.G. Harries
• Journal: Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine
• Published: 1970;63(10):1015
• Cited by: 2 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text
• In J-M's library: Johns-Manville's company medical library held a copy (J-M no. 004820).

In plain English

This short paper described the measures used to protect civilian employees in HM Dockyards, who the author stated were periodically exposed to high concentrations of asbestos dust. It reported no measurements of dust levels or of workers' health. To protect men from crocidolite (blue asbestos) dust and high concentrations of amosite asbestos, workers received a complete change of clothing, impervious overalls, and air-fed respirators supplied from the dockyard compressed air supply. Supervisors were supplied with impervious overalls and a full face-piece respirator with a polythene hood. The Martindale positive pressure power respirator was supplied for applying or removing large amounts of asbestos insulation. For lesser dust concentrations, workers wore nylon overalls and dust respirators approved by the Factory Inspectorate. A central test centre issued and maintained all respirators, and changing and shower facilities were provided. Problems from wearing impervious overalls were addressed with orange or lemon drinks, salt tablets and an increased rate of pay. The author concluded that the efficiency of a respirator that is not worn is nil, and stated that energetic supervision of the men was now enforced.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Short descriptive account of protective clothing and respirator practices (a paper in a section of occupational medicine meeting proceedings); no data were collected or analysed
• Who was studied: Civilian employees in HM Dockyards (the author's affiliation is the Medical Research Unit, HM Dockyard (South), Devonport); no numbers or dates given
• Exposure: Asbestos dust, specifically crocidolite (blue asbestos) and high concentrations of amosite asbestos, during application and removal of asbestos insulation and removal of debris from ships
• Main results:
  • Workers were given air-fed respirators using air from the dockyard compressed air supply, with oil and water removed by a filter unit; each filter unit could supply four men
  • Supervisors were supplied with impervious overalls and a full face-piece respirator with a polythene hood attached
  • Men removing debris from ships wore ordinary dust respirators in addition to their air-fed hoods
  • For applying or removing large amounts of asbestos insulation, the Martindale positive pressure power respirator was supplied. The author described it as very popular because it has no trailing air hose
  • For lesser dust concentrations, workers wore nylon overalls and dust respirators approved by the Factory Inspectorate
  • A central respirator test centre issued and maintained all respirators used in the dockyard, and changing and shower facilities were provided
  • Problems with impervious overalls were addressed by issuing orange or lemon drinks, salt tablets, and an increased rate of pay for the discomfort
• The authors' conclusion: The author concluded that a respirator that is not worn has no efficiency, and stated that an energetic policy of supervising the men was now enforced

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: The Navy.

Related studies

• UK Naval Dockyards Asbestosis Study: radiological methods in the surveillance of workers exposed to asbestos — G. Sheers, C.E. Rossiter, et al. (1978)
• Royal Naval dockyards asbestosis research project: nine-year follow-up study of men exposed to asbestos in Devonport Dockyard — C.E. Rossiter, J.R. Heath, et al. (1980)
• Water-cooled suit for protection against hot environments — J.W. Hill (1970)
• UK Naval Dockyards asbestosis study: survey of the sample population aged 50-59 years — C.E. Rossiter, P.G. Harries (1979)
• The health of welders in naval dockyards. The risk of asbestos-related diseases occurring in welders — G.H. McMillan (1983)
• Additional proteins in BAL fluid of Metsovites environmentally exposed to asbestos: more evidence of "protection" against neoplasia? — V. Galani, S. Constantopoulos, et al. (2002)

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