Asbestos and the Industrial Safety and Health Law – In Reference to the Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards due to Specified Chemical Substances and the Ordinance on Prevention of Health Impairment due to Asbestos

Abstract

Recently in Japan, mesothelioma and lung cancer caused by asbestos are increasing in number and in proportion among occupational cancers. It is thus obvious that asbestos will remain an important theme in the field of occupational health and safety. We hereby report on the relationship between asbestos and the Industrial Safety and Health Law, the Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards due to Specified Chemical Substances, and the Ordinance on Prevention of Health Impairment due to Asbestos, in reference to laws and regulations as well as official notifications issued by the Ministry. In particular, we will focus on the process by which our country totally prohibited the use of asbestos, countermeasures to prevent exposure of workers, historical changes regarding administrative concentration levels, and measures for the management of health of workers handling and dealing with asbestos.

The JMJD Family Histone Demethylases in Crosstalk Between Inflammation and Cancer

“…Furthermore, inflammation caused by environmental exposure, including particulate irritants such as grass smoke, can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease which has a high risk for lung cancer ( 11 ). Inhalation of asbestos or silica particles can also cause lung cancer, and the tumorigenicity of these particles is attributed to the inflammatory effect induced by inflammasome-produced interleukin (IL)-1β cytokine ( 12 ). Not surprisingly, administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has been reported to significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of multiple types of cancer ( 13 – 15 ).…”

Social awareness of society in the area of hazards related with asbestos

“…Świadomość ekologiczna społeczeństwa, pomimo dostępności informacji o szkodliwości włókien azbestowych, wydaje się niewystarczająca. Fakt ten potwierdza częste nieprzestrzeganie zasad bezpieczeństwa przy użytkowaniu, zabezpieczaniu, demontażu oraz składowaniu wyrobów azbestowych [1,5,6,10,11]. Demontaż wyrobów azbestowych, głównie dachów i elewacji, dokonywany jest często przez samych właścicieli, a nie specjalistyczne firmy.…”

Evaluation of the use of Environmental Asbestos in Siverek

“…Asbest konusunda yapılan araştırmalar, asbest minerallerin sağ-lık üzerindeki ciddi zararlarını göstermiştir. Asbestin çevresel veya mesleksel olarak inhale edilmesi, pulmoner fibrozis (asbestosis), akciğer kanseri, plevra veya peritonda mezotelyoma ve plevral değişikliklere (kalınlaşma, plak, efüzyon) yol açmakta-dır [8][9][10][11]. Asbestin zararlı olduğunun bildirilmesi ve bu konudaki meslek dallarında gerekli tedbirlerin alınmasına karşın, çevre-sel asbest temasına bağlı gelişebilecek hastalıklar ve korunma ile ilgili olarak halkın bilgilendirilmesinde yeterli çalışma yapıla-mamıştır [12][13][14].…”