Document o9K30jXYvoewZ8Kx33z6ybg8R

FILE NAME: John Crane (JC) DATE: 0000 DOC#: JC014 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Barry Castleman Notes RE John Crane RE: JOHN CRANE 1. In 1936, Illinois enacted the "ILLINOIS OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES ACT, Health, Comfort, and Safety Act," which provided worker's compensation benefits for the victims of asbestos-related diseases. 2. As a condition for relief from common law liability due to asbestosis, each manufacturer was required to file an acceptance of its provisions with the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. 3. The Act also required the employer to furnish its employees notice of its election to be bound by the new law as opposed to common law actions for asbestosis. 4. In 1938 the State Department of Health in Illinois was conducting surveys of asbestos plants to determine the adequacy of dust control measures in the asbestos manufacturing industry. The Manville Corporation was subjected to these inspections, and it is likely that John Crane was also inspected. We need to check with the Illinois Department of Labor and Department of Health to determine what records exist, if any, concerning these inspections. 5. In 1936 the publication of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association entitled Industrial Review published a special article in Volume 9, No. 105, February 1936, concerning the impact of the Occupational Diseases Act on manufacturers in Illinois and the new rules that would apply, including dust control. We need to get a better copy of this-- perhaps at a library in Chicago. 6. It is apparent that the State of Illinois Department of Labor had a division of factory inspections; and within that division was an industrial hygiene unit which inspected asbestos manufacturers like Manville and made recommendations concerning dust control. We need to get the file on John Crane from the records of this government agency. Numerous reports appear in the Manville records of inspections by these folks in the 1950s and 1960s.