J. B. Jobe to Dr. Irving J. Selikoff Agreeing to Provide Manville Research Data (1971)

A two-page letter of July 16, 1971, from J. B. Jobe, J-M's executive vice president for operations, to Dr. Irving J. Selikoff, answering his request of June 28. Jobe writes that J-M is "willing and interested" in a program to review the effectiveness of its dust controls at Manville and "will say 'yes'" to the data Selikoff asked for, subject to a fuller description of the study. He asks Selikoff to comment on his relationship with any individual employee who seeks his counsel, "whether or not a problem of Workmen's Compensation is involved."

What it shows

Jobe adds that health counseling is part of J-M's regular medical examinations and that "all Manville-Finderne employees have been advised of significant findings, whether occupationally or non-occupationally related." He also asks whether "reciprocal cooperation" would come from Selikoff and Local 800. The letter reverses the position recorded at the Task Force meeting of May 21, where J-M's managers agreed that Selikoff should not see the employees' health records.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

J.B. Jobe letter to Dr. Irving Selikoff, 7/16/71, stating that J-M is willing and interested in cooperating with Dr. Selikoff in a program that will review and document the effectiveness of environmental control measures which J-M has undertaken at the Manville plant. Jobe discusses the confidentiality of the data as it relates to individuals and asks that Dr. Selikoff comment on the situation where an individual employee seeks Dr. Selikoff's counsel. Jobe also informs Dr. Selikoff that "all Manville-Finderne employees have been advised of significant findings" as part of J-M's regular health counseling program.

Related documents

• Dr. Irving J. Selikoff to J. B. Jobe Asking for Data on Manville Plant Workers (1971)