The eighteenth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work is scheduled for June 29 to July 02, 2008, and will be attended by four thousand industry leaders, policy-makers, and experts from more than one hundred different countries. The congress will be health in Seoul, in the Republic of Korea.

The World Congress on Safety and Health at Work is jointly organized by the International Labor Organization and the International Social Security Association. The congress meets every three years, and is the largest international event of its kind. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss health and safety in the workplace, and international efforts for improvement, with this year’s theme being “Safety and health at work: A societal responsibility.”

This year, the congress will also unveil the results of some pioneering research which was carried out on the relationship between occupational safety and health and environmentally-sustainable economic growth and development.

In addition, the Congress will include a Safety and Health Summit which will be attended by fifty decision-makers from countries all over the world. Government ministers, CEOs of multi-national companies, senior safety, health, and social security experts, and employer and worker representatives will be among those attending.

Dr. Sameera Al-Tuwaijri, Director, ILO International Program on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment said of the conference, “As the global toll of illness, injury and death from occupational accidents and disease continues to remain at unacceptable levels, this Congress will underline what needs to be done to ensure that a healthy working environment can be achieved. Not only is safety at work desirable, it must be recognized as a fundamental human right in the world of work.”

The ILO estimates that more than two million people die every year as a result of work-related accident, injury, or disease. The estimated cost to the global economy is up to 4% of global GDP. This year, the congress will provide recently revised estimates of the incidence rate and global impact of work-related accident, injury, and death, in addition to examining ways to improve work-place safety.

Participants will focus on several key issues, including the elimination of asbestos-related risk in the workplace, the possible risks of nanotechnology, improvement of workplace environments, HIV/AIDS in the workplace, and many others.

In addition to meetings and discussions the congress hosts an International Film and Multimedia Festival which includes short films about occupational safety. An International Safety and Health Exhibition will showcase products and technology for improving workplace safety. Participants will also visit companies such as Samsung Electronics, SK Incheon Oil Refining Company, and KIA Motors to look at safety and health management in these companies.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Judith K. Fitzgerald this week approved an agreement which will finally see W.R. Grace & Company pay up for the costs of cleaning up the asbestos-contaminated town of Libby, Montana.

The agreement states that W.R. Grace & Company will reimburse the federal government $250 million for money it has already spent investigating and cleaning up in the town. According to an order signed during a recent bankruptcy hearing the company has thirty days in which to pay the money.

W.R. Grace & Company agreed to pay the $250 million in March, to settle a bankruptcy claim brought by the government for the cost of past, present, and future clean up of contaminated homes, businesses, and schools in Libby.

The wide-spread asbestos contamination in Libby has long been known as the cause of the deaths of hundreds of people. More than two thousand residents and workers have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma in the past decades.

The source of the contamination is a vermiculite mine which was once owned and operated by W.R. Grace & Company between 1963 and 1990. The mine is contaminated with asbestos, leading to exposure and disease not only for mine workers, but for residents of Libby as well.

Millions of tons of the contaminated vermiculite were shipped to hundreds of processing plants across America. The asbestos-containing vermiculite was used in household insulation (under the brand name Zonolite), fireproofing materials, gardening materials, and many other products.

The $250 million settlement for the cost of cleaning up Libby is the largest ever reimbursement settlement for the government’s Superfund Program, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Even so, Justice Department attorney James D. Freeman claims the government made a “substantial compromise” in accepting the settlement W.R. Grace & Company offered. However, prompt payment of the money will allow the government to continue cleaning up the town without any delays due to budget constraints.

A recent estimate from an EPA official indicated that to date $168 million has been spent cleaning up Libby, and an estimated $175 million will be needed to complete the work over the next three to five years. That means a shortfall of almost $100 million, which the government will likely cover.

The government filed suit to retrieve the costs of cleanup in 2001, shortly after W.R. Grace & Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The EPA won a judgment for $54 million in 2003, but that money was never paid. The $250 million settlement includes the original $54 million.

Charleston, West Virginia – Charleston contractor Rodney Loftis Sr. has been sentenced to two years’ probation and payment of a fine to the state Department of Environmental Protection for illegally dumping asbestos-containing construction materials.

Rodney Loftis Sr. is the present of Rodney Loftis & Son Contracting Inc., a contracting company which in 2004 and 2006 was involved in illegal asbestos disposal. Loftis was sentenced in Kanawha Circuit Court on Monday June 2. The criminal complaint which was filed claimed that Loftis violated two cease and desist orders relating to the dumping of asbestos waste at a property he owned.

At the sentencing on Monday, Judge Irene Berger told Loftis that despite the seriousness of his actions incarceration was not an appropriate sentence.

Loftis could have received a sentence of up to four years in prison: instead he received two years’ worth of probation and a fine of $37,500 as recommended by assistant prosecutor Rob Schulenberg. In addition, Loftis has been ordered to perform one hundred hours of community service and to pay $40 per month to cover fees involved in his probation.

Dumping of asbestos-containing waste in any location other than a licensed landfill is illegal due to the hazards associated with asbestos exposure. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause lethal diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Asbestos was a common component of construction materials up until the 1980s due to its high fire resistance and other desirable factors, but the demolition or renovation of older buildings means the asbestos they contain must be dealt with appropriately.

The grand jury indictment against Loftis said the Department of Environmental Protection asked Loftis to show proof that he had properly disposed of materials taken from demolition jobs his company had done. DEP inspections indicated that Loftis had dumped asbestos-containing materials from several demolition sites.

After the sentencing hearing was over, Loftis expressed regret for his actions and claimed it was due to a misunderstanding, saying “I’d like to apologize to the state and to anybody I’ve done any hurt to.”

Later, he said, “I hate that it came to this. It was all a misunderstanding or we would not be here today. I don’t want to go into detail, but it’s all going to be straightened up and it will all be over with.”

New York – June 27, 2008 – Patients are now being recruited for a clinical research study on a new targeted radiation and chemotherapy treatment protocol for pleural mesothelioma patients.

The study is being conducted at the Mesothelioma Center within the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center. Researchers at the center say the current standard treatment for pleural mesothelioma is to remove the patient’s affected lung, which bears a potentially devastating outcome.

Dr. Robert Taub, the trial’s lead investigator, director of the Mesothelioma Center, and professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, says “Current surgical and chemotherapy treatments of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma are unsatisfactory, and have not been shown to significantly prolong survival. In this study, we will investigate whether a combination of chemotherapy and radiation targeted directly at the lung’s lining can improve outcomes while avoiding surgery.”

Dr. Taub also states this treatment approach has shown to cause minimal toxic side effects when compared to systemic chemotherapy. Minimized toxic side effects can greatly improve a patient’s quality of life, which can be sacrificed in conventional mesothelioma treatment.

“This trial is also significant because our center is the only one nationwide that is offering this experimental therapy to treat pleural mesothelioma,” notes Dr. Taub. “We are very focused on offering these patients the best treatment that medical technology can offer while simultaneously working to preserve quality of life.”

Researchers predict the targeted radiation therapy will only kill cells on the surface of the affected lung, sparing other areas of the lungs and nearby tissue. Dr. Rashid Fawwaz, co-investigator, radiologist, and professor of clinical radiology at Columbia, says “Delivery of radiation therapy directly into the pleural cavity is a strategy that has been employed since 1945. Today, direct injection of radioactive isotope P-32 may prove to be a significant and effective therapeutic approach for selected mesothelioma patients.”

Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer that typically affects the mesothelial lining of the lungs, heart, and abdomen. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of the cancer, accounting for approximately 75% of mesothelioma cases. Those involved with the study hope the results will help decrease current mesothelioma treatment approaches that lead patients to undergo serious surgery.

By Michelle Whitmer

Linden, New Jersey – A resident of Linden, New Jersey who claims to have developed a rare type of stomach cancer as a result of her connection to the Bayway Refinery in Linden has won a $7.5 million verdict in a lawsuit against ExxonMobil Corp.

Bonnie Anderson claimed that she had developed a rare form of mesothelioma called peritoneal mesothelioma as a result of being exposed to asbestos. However, unlike most people who pursue asbestos-related legal action, Bonnie Anderson never worked for the company she successfully sued.

In this case, Bonnie Anderson claimed that she was exposed to asbestos because her husband John worked at the Bayway Refinery.

For decades, the lawsuit claimed, Bonnie Anderson was unknowingly exposed to asbestos that her husband had brought home on the clothes he wore at work. John Anderson was employed as a process operator at the Bayway Refinery, which was formerly owned by ExxonMobil.

The lawsuit claimed that in the act of washing her husband’s asbestos-laden clothing, Bonnie Anderson was exposed to asbestos fibers which became airborne during the process.

Asbestos fibers, when inhaled, are known to be the cause of several different forms of asbestos cancer called mesothelioma. The cancer can develop in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart, and in all three cases is highly resistant to treatment. Mesothelioma is a particularly lethal form of cancer; more than 50% of people diagnosed die within two years.

People who develop mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis are typically those who have worked in occupations where asbestos exposure occurred. Those most at risk include construction workers and industrial workers. Other at-risk groups include people who served in the U.S. Navy.

A small number of cases involve people like Bonnie Anderson, who were exposed in a secondary fashion via contact with someone who worked with or around asbestos. Whether asbestos exposure is direct or indirect, mesothelioma usually takes between three and five decades to develop.

Bonnie Anderson’s lawsuit has been ongoing for several months. Last year, a Middlesex County Superior Court jury found that ExxonMobil was responsible for the development of her cancer. The most recent trial focused on awarding damages. That trial began two weeks ago, and has resulted in the $7.5 million verdict.

An ExxonMobil spokesperson said, “We sympathize with the Andersons, but we operate our businesses with meticulous attention to the health and safety of our employees and others. We are considering our post-trial options, including an appeal.”

Sandwich, Massachusetts - The demolition of the freezer plant which is located alongside Cape Cod Canal is still an ongoing process, and according to Sandwich Fire Prevention Officer J.J. Burke, will enter Phase II this week.

The project has already been delayed several times. The first incident occurred in March, after the discovery of roofing shingles which contained asbestos. Officer Burke said at the time that the asbestos in the shingles was encapsulated in roofing tar and wasn’t dangerous. However, the shingles would need to be removed in accordance with state and federal laws that regulate the handling of asbestos.

Further delays have come from the requirement of the site to undergo preparation before the asbestos-containing shingles can be removed. Certain interior electrical components had to be removed prior to asbestos removal, to prevent the possibility of contamination. Asbestos waste is three times more expensive to dispose of than non-contaminated waste, so the plan must minimize the possibility of contamination of ‘clean’ waste.

Another issue that has held the procedure up was that some sections of the roof would land on adjacent property owned by the Army Corps of Engineers, meaning that the owners of that land also have to approve the plan.

The former freezer plant consists of two units, including a two-storey timber-framed building and a single-storey block-and-mortar building. The single-storey building was demolished as part of Phase I of the project, which was completed May 8.

Phase II involves the demolition of the two-storey timber-framed unit, but before that can be completed, a plan must be devised to safely deal with the asbestos.

Project manager Joe Forns and structural engineer Michelle Cudillo are now working with the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a plan for demolition of the two-storey building, to ensure its asbestos roof is removed safely.

The plan involves the removal of the room and its transference to an approved disposal site in Maine. Following the removal of the roof, the remainder of the building can be demolished. A permit may be issued for the new Phase II plan as early as this week.

According to Officer Burke, the roof must be removed from the building and the property within 24 hours once the project has been started, as the asbestos debris cannot be allowed to remain at the site any longer than necessary. The roof must be removed first to prevent the possibility of contaminating the rest of the building.

Once the plan for removing the roof is approved and the permit is issued, the site’s owner has thirty days in which to demolish the two-storey building.

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the company has selected abstracts relating to chemotherapeutic agent KRX-0401 (Perifosine) to present and publish during the American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting which is taking place in Chicago, Illinois between May 31 and June 3, 2008.

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals is a company which focuses on developing medically important, novel pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of life-threatening diseases, including several types of cancer. The company’s headquarters are in New York City.

Abstracts presented at the meeting will present details of Perifosine used in the treatment of several types of cancer, including Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, which affects white blood cells, and renal cell carcinoma, which affects the kidneys.

KRX-0401 (Perifosine) is a new oral anti-cancer chemotherapy drug which modulates signal transduction pathways called Akt, JNK, and MAPK. Signal transduction pathways are what allow cells to communicate with one another, and involve the production of body chemicals, including hormones and cytokines, which tell various body cells what to do and when to do it.

The signal transduction pathways which Perifosine affects are associated with a cellular process called programmed cell death, as well as other processes including cellular growth and survival. These pathways are often involved in the development of cancers, because programmed cell death is a process by which mutated cells are induced to undergo a “suicide” sequence. Sometimes a mutated cell evades programmed cell death, and if that happens the cell may become cancerous.

Scientists have previously discovered that the cellular pathway called Akt plays an important role in the development of most types of cancer, and also in the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy treatment. In addition, it has been noted that people with high levels of Akt activity have a poor prognosis and their cancer tends to be more advanced.

So far, more than 1,700 people in the United States and Europe have been treated with Perifosine in clinical trials. The drug has been found to be safer and less toxic than many other types of chemotherapy agents. Perifosine doesn’t cause immune system depression or many other toxic side effects such as hair loss. However, it is known to cause low-level fatigue, nausea, and vomiting.

In Phase I and II trials the drug has been shown to stabilize or cause regression of tumors. It has shown positive results in the treatment of mesothelioma, kidney and liver cancers, and other more rare types of cancer.

Two contractors have this week been fined as a result of improper handling of asbestos-containing materials. They are the Cinter Construction Company, Inc. of Williamsburg, VA and AAPEX Environmental Services Inc. of Liverpool, NY.

Asbestos was a common component of construction materials up until the 1980s due to its high fire resistance and other desirable factors, but the demolition or renovation of older buildings means the asbestos they contain must be dealt with appropriately.

Dumping of asbestos-containing waste in any location other than a licensed landfill is illegal due to the hazards associated with asbestos exposure. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause lethal diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma due to the chronic inflammation that the fibers cause in the lungs.

Due to the hazards of asbestos exposure, removal and disposal of the substance must be carried out in accordance with strict state and federal regulations. This means asbestos must be removed from buildings using specific safe methods, and must only be disposed of at landfill sites which are equipped and licensed to handle the substance.

Failure to adhere to laws and regulations controlling asbestos handling can lead to hefty fines, as the two contractors discovered this week.

The Williamsburg, Virginia incident concerns the Cinter Construction Company, Inc., which was found by the Department of Environmental Quality to have dumped asbestos-containing waste from a $14 million Navy housing construction site in downtown Newport News.

The construction company had illegally dumped asbestos waste at a Suffolk landfill, mistakenly believing it was uncontaminated soil. However, when DEQ officials took samples of the twenty truckloads of waste dumped at the landfill, they found that asbestos was present.

The second incident, in Liverpool, New York, occurred after a contractor admitted in federal court to illegally removing and disposing of asbestos-containing materials. The contractor admitted to having been handling asbestos illegally for more than ten years.

AAPEX Environmental Services Inc. of Liverpool, NY also admitted to defrauding an insurance company. It had done so by failing to inform its insurer that it was carrying out activities in which asbestos handling was involved, in order to obtain lower insurance premiums.

AAPEX Environmental Services Inc. has agreed to pay a fine of $166,700 as part of a plea deal. The deal also involves an agreement to permanently cease handling asbestos-related work.

The owner of a building in Waco, Texas has discovered that the presence of asbestos in buildings scheduled for demolition can cause a variety of different problems, not the least of which is increased demolition costs.

The presence of asbestos in the buildings drives the cost of demolition up considerably for several reasons.

First is the fact that the asbestos must be removed before the buildings can be demolished. Leaving the asbestos intact during demolition could spread clouds of asbestos dust into the air, creating an environmental and health hazard.

Second, the asbestos removal must be carried out by professional contractors who are licensed to handle asbestos. In addition, special procedures must be used in removing the asbestos, to prevent the dispersion of asbestos dust.

These procedures include a process called wet removal, in which asbestos-containing materials are wetted down before they are removed, to prevent the release of dust and airborne fibers.

Finally, the cost of disposing of asbestos waste is significantly higher than disposing of non-hazardous material. Asbestos disposal is generally around three times more expensive than disposal of non-hazardous waste.

All of these are particularly important considerations that are necessary to prevent asbestos exposure to anyone involved in handling the substance. Even a small amount of exposure can cause a deadly cancer called mesothelioma.

The health hazards of asbestos exposure have prompted most states to develop strict regulations about handling the substance, as well as regulations governing demolition of buildings that contain it.

In Waco, Texas, district Judge Vicki Menard ordered the owner of a dilapidated building to begin demolition within 45 days, or incur fines of $1,000 a day.

That means owner Banson Fan must have a city demolition permit, a contractor, and funding ready to go within that time. The problem is, the permit can’t be issued until asbestos abatement is completed, and the abatement has an estimated cost of $50,000. That figure amounts to approximately half the total cost of demolishing the building.

Asbestos was used widely in construction up until the 1980s in part because the addition of asbestos was a cheap and easy way to make building materials stronger and more fire resistant. Now, however, property owners are experiencing one of the far-reaching costs of asbestos, in the high costs of abatement in older buildings.

Investigators who are trying to determine what caused a fire which destroyed an abandoned school in SeaTac, Washington are being delayed by problems relating to asbestos which was present in the school.

The four-alarm fire began around 6PM on Saturday May 31, and around ninety firefighters from eleven different agencies responded quickly. Firefighters were unable to enter the building, however, due to its dilapidated state and concerns that the building might collapse. The fire burned for over an hour, after which the only structure left standing were the bricked sections built in 1937.

Work crews have brought a backhoe to the scene of the fire at Angle Lake School and have been waiting to use it since Monday June 2, but officials say they must wait due to environmental concerns.

The problem? Asbestos is present in the roof, and officials say that the backhoe operator must be licensed to deal with asbestos.

Asbestos was a common component of construction materials up until the 1980s due to its high fire resistance and other desirable factors, but the demolition or renovation of older buildings means the asbestos they contain must be dealt with appropriately.

Asbestos is therefore present in many schools built before this time, as well as residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. The substance was so cheap and had so many desirable properties that it was added to thousands of products, including many types of construction materials.

However, due to the hazards associated with asbestos exposure, many problems associated with its exposure are now arising. Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause lethal diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma due to the chronic inflammation that the fibers cause in the lungs. For these reasons the management and disposal of asbestos-containing construction waste is tightly controlled.

Failure to adhere to laws and regulations controlling asbestos handling can lead to hefty fines, as many contractors have discovered over the past several years.

And in this case, the presence of asbestos in the Angle Lake School’s roof means delays in the investigative process while a licensed professional who can legally deal with the asbestos waste is located.