US EPA

3088605 

Journal Article 

Historical perspectives in occupational medicine. Wittenoom, Western Australia: A modern industrial disaster 

Musk, AW; de Klerk, NH; Eccles, JL; Hobbs, MST; Armstrong, BK; Layman, L; McNulty, JC 

1992 

Yes 

American Journal of Industrial Medicine
ISSN: 0271-3586
EISSN: 1097-0274 

21 

5 

735-747 

English 

1609818 

10.1002/ajim.4700210512 

WOS:A1992HQ04300011 

A history was presented of what some have called the greatest industrial disaster occurring in Australia, the mining and milling of crocidolite (12001284) asbestos in Wittenoom, Western Australia. For the entire 23 years of operation, the mining and milling of asbestos in this area was a process of trial and error. The mining technique was developed by experimentation. The old mill, in operation from 1943 to 1957, had poor controls for dust. The new mill which took over in 1958 was better planned with a better system for dust control. Even so, dust control and fiber purity remained problems throughout the life of the facility. There were about 6,500 males and 500 females who worked at the facilities at some time. Controversy still surrounds the future of the township of Wittenoom and attention has turned to the environmental risks born by the persons exposed to crocidolite who have lived there or who have encountered Wittenoom crocidolite elsewhere in the course of their lives. There is grave concern for the future of the persons who worked in Wittenoom. The youthfulness of the workers with 57% of them being less than 30 years of age when first employed and only 16% being over 40, has meant that many have survived past the latency period for disease to have become manifest. Concern has spread to those workers in the iron ore industry in the Pilbara region of the State in whom inadvertent exposure to crocidolite deposits appears possible. Workers involved in the removal and disposal of the vast quantities of building products containing Wittenoom crocidolite are also being watched for possible increased incidence of asbestos related disease. 

history of medicine; asbestos-associated diseases; mining dusts; pneumoconiosis; blue asbestos; crocidolite; mesothelioma; tuberculosis; lung