W. F. Fischer on the Rejection of Improved Dust Control for the Manville Rigid Shingles Building (1961)

A one-page memo of June 6, 1961, from W. F. Fischer at J-M's Manville, New Jersey, Building Products plant, reporting that D. E. Hillier had returned Appropriation No. 040-IR-0325, "Improved Dust Facilities - H Building," marked "not approved," as outlined in a letter from G. L. Swallow of May 26, 1961. No reason is given. The 14-page request it refers to, dated November 30, 1960, asked for $178,900 (or $222,900 for a fuller plan) to rebuild the dust control system in the rigid shingle department, giving as its reason "To protect safety and health of employees" and listing 21 sampling stations "above the allowable for Asbestos Fibres as well as for silica particles."

What it shows

The plant's own engineers described the existing equipment bluntly: the main collector, installed in 1938, "provides no dust control at all when it is shut down for cleaning," which "causes a cloud of dust which remains in the forming and punching centers for a considerable period of time," and dust control at the Flexboard machine was "non-existent except for one connection." The project would have protected 64 to 102 employees. The report also warns that controlling only the hazardous dust "will not guarantee the elimination of complaints or claims," because "if there is any visible dust escaping, we may still be judged liable." The rejection came a year after the plant decided not to require respirators in its dusty areas (the 1960 respirator memos).

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

On 6/6/61, D.E. Hillier disapproves Manville plant Appropriation No. 040-IR-0325 which would provide for improved dust control facilities in H Building (Rigid Shingles). The stated purpose of the project is to protect the safety and health of employees. Sixty-four to one hundred and two employees are directly affected. No explanation is given for the disapproval.

Editor's note: J-M's description says D. E. Hillier disapproved the appropriation on 6/6/61. The June 6 memo is from W. F. Fischer, reporting that Hillier had returned the appropriation marked "not approved" in a letter of June 2, 1961.