NIOH (National Institute of Occupational Health )
- This study was carried out with the objectives of workplace monitoring and health status of the workers of chrysotile asbestos products manufacturing units including the small scale sectors.
- The study included a total of 1248 subjects, which comprise of 625 asbestos workers, 362 communitysubjects residing in the vicinity of asbestos sheet manufacturing factory, 126 small scale unit workers
and 135 end users of chrysotile asbestos product. - On medical examination majority of the workers were found to be in a good state of health.
- The asbestos fibres monitoring in the workplace showed that the fibre levels in the workplace were well below the national standards of 1 fibre / ml. Also the dust levels in the ambient air as well as under the asbestos sheet roof was also found to much lower that these standards. The low levels of fibres
reflect enclosed manufacturing processes particularly in the large sector industries. - Further talking to the owners also revealed that the proportion of asbestos added to the cement is also reduced due to cost and availability factors. This could also be a reason of reduced liberation of dust in the working environment and thereby low fibre levels.
- During the study it was found that all of the organized factories were using protective measures for the control of occupational and environmental health hazards.