Dr. Kenneth W. Smith to A. J. Stenari on a Customer's Silicosis Question about Steam-Cured Asbestos Cement (1957)

A one-page memo of April 18, 1957, from Dr. Kenneth W. Smith, J-M's medical director, to A. J. Stenari of J-M, on a letter from Andre Emsens asking about "the silicosis hazard in the manufacturing of steam cured asbestos cement products." Smith suggests telling Emsens that "there is no silicosis hazard in our asbestos cement operations when ordinary precautionary measures are followed," relying on good housekeeping, local ventilation, routine dust counts and pre-employment and annual chest X-rays. The suggested reply speaks only of silicosis; it does not mention asbestos dust or asbestosis.

What it shows

Stenari had asked Smith for a standard statement to give "all customer inquiries such as this." Smith declined: such inquiries should be handled one at a time, and "it is the responsibility of the General Attorney to approve all written or oral representations to customers in the field of occupational health." In 1957, then, what J-M told customers about health hazards went through its legal department. Compare the reply Smith drafted for another customer the same year on asbestos itself (Smith to Stumpf).

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

Memorandum from Kenneth Smith, 4/18/57, to A.J. Steneri (J-M) outlining information which should be provided to Andre Emsens concerning inquiry regarding a potential silicosis hazard in the manufacturing of steam-cured asbestos cement products. Smith does not suggest that the potential hazards of asbestosis be outlined in the response.