J. A. McKinney to W. R. Goodwin on Asbestos and Health (1973)

A two-page memo of April 12, 1973, from J. A. McKinney of J-M's Legal Services in Denver to W. R. Goodwin, copied to J-M's senior officers and to Dr. George Wright. It states that "There will be no asbestos health problem in the future" for workers who had not smoked cigarettes, had been exposed only to about 5 fibers per cubic centimeter or less, and had not been exposed to crocidolite or amosite. McKinney urged J-M to educate its asbestos workers about smoking, remove by a fixed date all work stations over 5 fibers per cubic centimeter, stop using crocidolite and amosite, and urge customers to do the same, warning that "Failure to do the above things could subject the company to excessive future liabilities."

What it shows

McKinney added that until the dusty stations were fixed, J-M should "make certain" its workers wore effective respirators, while "We all know respirators are not a satisfactory long-term solution." He wanted J-M to "stop attempting to defend the industry or relying on the industry, through AIA, to defend us," and to run a full-page advertisement in papers such as The Wall Street Journal stressing that "there is no danger to the public." The aim he named was to "persuade our customers and the public there is no need to discontinue use of chrysotile asbestos." By 1973, then, J-M's legal staff saw crocidolite, amosite and dust above 5 fibers as liabilities to be ended, and smoking as the message to put before workers.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Memorandum from McKinney to Goodwin, 4/12/73, states that there will be no asbestos health problems in the future for workers who have not smoked, who have been exposed to five or fewer fibers per cubic centimeter and who have not been exposed to either crocidolite or amosite. McKinney recommends that steps be taken to insure that these conditions are met by J-M. "Failure to do the above things could subject the company to excessive future liabilities."