Dr. Kenneth W. Smith to J. F. Lowry on Silicosis at the Toronto Plant (1960)

A two-page memo of January 21, 1960, from Dr. Kenneth W. Smith, J-M's medical director, to J. F. Lowry, manager of J-M's Toronto plant, on its health program. Smith writes that in March 1955 he had told Lowry several employees "should have no further dust exposure," and that his review of their X-rays left "no doubt whatsoever that several employees have developed an occupational pulmonary disease because of their work in your plant." That they had developed silicosis in so short a time "indicates that these men must have had considerable exposure to dust." Warnings had been "repeated annually but today the men still are working in dust."

What it shows

Smith states plainly where responsibility lay: "It seems to me that we in management must consider ourselves responsible if an employee's health is impaired or ruined by a cause which is preventable," and only operating management, not staff advisers like himself, could act. He also puts the problem in money terms: some of the men "will become disabled and entitled to workman's compensation benefits," which could raise the plant's compensation rate by 50%, about $16,500 a year. He urges job transfers ("the least effective" remedy), dust control at the source, better materials handling and strict housekeeping, "essential to protect human health and prevent financial loss to the Company."

In Johns-Manville's chronology

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

Dr. K. Smith writes to J.D. Lowry (Toronto plant), 1/21/60, concerning certain negative aspects of Toronto's health program, namely that several employees who Dr. Smith designated be removed from dust in 1955 have not been removed. Dr. Smith confirms that these employees have silicosis caused by their employment at the Toronto plant which is quite regrettable because their exposure was relatively short. This means that their exposure must have been considerable. Dr. Smith states that management is responsible if an employee's health is impaired or ruined by a cause which is preventable. "While these men have occupational pulmonary disease today and are not disabled, inevitably some will become disabled and entitled to workmen's compensation benefits." When this occurs, there may be a 50% increase in the Toronto plant's compensation rate. Dr. Smith hopes that steps will be taken to prevent further exposure for these and other men including but not limited to job transfer, proper control of dust at its source, adequate materials handling methods, and a strict program of good housekeeping. These are "essential to protect human health and prevent financial loss to the Company."

Editor's note: J-M's description names the recipient J. D. Lowry. On this copy his middle initial reads F or P.