FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1978
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A SECOND SET OF REGULATIONS WILL BE MADE AT A LATER STAGE TO PROVIDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PNEUMOCON IOS IS COMPENSATION FUND, AND THE CONSTITUTION, POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD WHICH ADMINISTERS THE FUND.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TODAY EXPLAINED THAT PNEUMOCON IOSIS IS A COLLECTIVE TERM COVERING LUNG DISEASES NAMELY SILICOSIS AND ASBESTOS 13, WHICH ARE CAUSED THROUGH THE INHALATION OF DUST SUCH AS SILICA DUST OR ASBESTOS DUST.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID: +CNCE PRESENT, THE CONDITION CAUSED BY THESE DISEASES IS IRREVERSIBLE AND REMOVAL FROM EXPOSURE MAY ONLY SLOW DOWN PROGRESSION OF THE WORKER'S CONDITION.
+THESE DISEASES HAVE A LONG LATENT PERIOD WHICH RANGES FROM SIX MONTHS TO 10 YEARS. AND BECAUSE OF THE TIME LAPSE BETWEEN CONTRACTION OF THE DISEASES AND THEIR DETECTION, IT WAS FELT THAT THIS HAD TO BE DEALT WITH BY SPECIAL LEGISLATION.
ACCORDING TO THE SPOKESMAN, SILICOSIS IS MAINLY FOUND IN WORKERS IN QUARRIES, MINING, TUNNELLING, CONSTRUCTION AND MASONRY WORK, WHILE ASBESTOSIS IS NORMALLY FOUND IN WORKERS IN INDUSTRY OR PROCESSES IN WHICH ASBESTOS IS WIDELY USED FOR INSULATION OR FIRE- PROOFING PURPOSES.
THE SPOKESMAN GAVE A LIST OF THE INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES IN WHICH SILICA OR ASBESTOS DUST ARE LIKELY TO BE PRODUCED IN THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
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THE LIST INCLUDES PROCESSES IN MINING AND QUARRYING- CONSTRUCTION WORK MANUFACTURE OF ABRASIVES, GLASS OR VITREOUS ENAMEL FOUNDRIES- THE CERAMIC INDUSTRY- PROCESSES WHICH INVOLVE THE USE OF SILICA FLOUR AS FILLERS ELASTING BY MEANS OF COMPRESSED AIR AND AERASIVE WORKING PROCESSES.ITH STONES PROCESSES INVOLVING A GRINDSTONE BOILER SCALING, ESPECIALLY COAL-FIRED BOILERS AND PROCESSES WHICH CAN GIVE RISE TO DUST CONTAINING ASEESTCS, SUCH AS LAGGING AND DELAGGING OF BOILERS, AND REMOVING INSULATION MATERIAL CONTAINING ASEESTOS DURING SHIPBREAK ING.
ENQUIRIES CONCERNING THE SPECIFIED TRADES, INDUSTRIES AND PROCESSES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE INDUSTRIAL HEALTH DIVISION OR THE INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS UNIT OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AT THE CANTON ROAD GOVERNMENT OFFICES, THE TELEPHONE NUMBERS ARE 3-688111, EXTENSION 402, 424, 425 OR 429.
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