Dr. David T. DuBow to M. F. Naylor on Studies of "No Dust" Employees' Work Areas (1957)

A one-page confidential memo of March 18, 1957, from Dr. David T. DuBow of the Medical Department at J-M's Manville, New Jersey, plant to M. F. Naylor, with copies to H. J. O'Brien and C. L. Sheckler. For several years, DuBow writes, the Medical Department had used the "NO DUST" letter to alert management when examinations and X-rays showed changes in employees, and had asked for studies of their work areas. He now asks for the results, with each worker's full exposure history and whether the worker had stayed on the job or been moved to a less hazardous area.

What it shows

DuBow describes two groups on the "No Dust" list: workers whose X-ray and clinical changes might have been caused by their work, and workers with non-occupational illness that dust might aggravate. He says the information would help in counseling employees, "particularly those seeking information about their chest X-ray findings and who need reassurance as to the relative harmlessness of their working environment," and would encourage "good public relations." Six weeks later Dr. Kenneth Smith proposed ending the "no-dust" restriction altogether (the May 1957 Manville meeting).

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Dr. D.T. DuBow informs M.F. Naylor, 3/18/57, that for the past few years, the Medical Department has recommended the need for environmental studies of working areas of employees whom the Medical Department recommends work in "No Dust" areas. Dr. DuBow states the Medical Department would now like to receive the results of these studies and the following additional information:

1. Complete work exposure history.

2. Information on whether the employee has remained on the job, and, if so, are the environmental conditions improved.

3. Information on whether the employee has been transferred to a harmless or less dusty area.

"The correlation of all the above information will be invaluable in the health counseling of our employees, particularly those seeking information about their chest x-ray findings and who need reassurance as to the relative harmlessness of their working environment."